He received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honor in India, in 2018. Publishing: $1.2M Sandra Denton. In 2020, Forbes reported that the English singer-songwriter received $64 million from his singing activities. More than 20 years after making his debut on the Wus Enter the 36 Chambers, hes not done: a standout verse on Conway the Machines 2020 single Lemon found him just as sharp as ever. Touring: $0. Trump Didn't Sing All The Words To The National Anthem At National Championship Game. All the numbers are down this year because COVID limited touring. Streaming: $6M 1 on the Billboard 200. Is President, Paid in Full and Microphone Fiend. Rakims influence is felt in all corners of hip-hop: A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, is named after him, DMX and Eminem are self-proclaimed fans, and rappers as big as 50 Cent (via The Games Hate It or Love It) and Lil Wayne (on Lloyds Girls Around the World) have paid in-song homage to his distinctive flow. Last years rank: Cheryl James is an American songwriter and rapper who is best known for being a member of the rap trio Salt-H-Pepa which also includes Sandra Denton and Spinderella. Last years rank: 1 in video streams with over 1.4 billion; No. Dre e ha ottenuto il primo successo due anni pi tardi con il singolo My Name Is. Redmans popularity skyrocketed when he joined forces with Method Man in the late 90s and released the first of their two albums together Blackout!, which debuted at No. Here's their take on the top 20 biggest money makers of 2020, with a YoungBoy surprise at number 9. And Kanes skill set remains sharp, whether hes tackling police brutality on his 2020 cut Enough or reeling off a fantastic guest cameo on mentee Busta Rhymes 2022 song Slap.. And rap artists have similarly dominated the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 2020 as well. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Yet like Colors, Ices masterful 1988 first-person account of the Crips and Bloods gang violence that gripped Los Angeles, street manifestos like Rhyme Pays(1987), Power(1988) andThe Iceberg/Freedom of Speech Just Watch What You Say! Before Power-ing up his TV empire, 50 Cent continued to top the charts with follow-ups like The Massacre and Curtis, while also making stars of his G-Unit label roster mates, including Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and The Game. In addition, deceased artists are excluded from the rankings. Outside of the top 10, The Weeknd ranks at No. Thng thc nhc ca Self-Paid Fabo trn Apple Music. Last years rank: Streaming: $7.3M Billboards Top New Artist of 2020 released his debut album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial in December 2019, when it debuted at No. His impact is undeniable: Nas, Jay-Z, De La Soul, KRS-One and Redman are just a few of the rappers who have sampled Blows music. His catalog reigns supreme, especially in the late 2000s and 2010s, as he doled out gems such as Trilla, Deeper Than Rap and God Forgives, I Dont. Last years rank: No. Jadakiss signature laugh and ah-hasqueal have signaled for decades that a lyrical masterclass was on the way. , as there seem to be some shenanigans involved with their accounting. and his solo-headlined studio albums The Chronic and 2001 cant be denied. While his ascension from producer to artist has been remarkable, Wests quest as a fashion and business mogul, especially with his Yeezy empire, makes him one of the genres most impactful pioneers. More seminal, million-plus-selling albums followed, such as Tha Doggfather, Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told; R&G (Rhythm and Gangsta): The Masterpiece and Tha Last Meal as Snoop moved on from the G-Funk era to make albums with No Limit, score crossover hits with The Neptunes and even become an early adopter of Auto-Tune. 49. The candid presentation of Southern California in his songs has won him many awards, as well as hearts. 26. The Compton native has become one of musics most influential artists thanks to his vivid, thought-provoking and sometimes controversial lyrics, fearless genre experimentation, and agile-yet-masterful flow. Other rappers gracing the list include Eminem at No. In 2015, she earned $154 million and was named Forbes' highest-earning . Starting in the early 00s with production on hits for Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel and Talib Kweli, Kanye West moved in front of the mic in 2003 with his solo debut, Through the Wire, then scored his first Hot 100 No. 5 1 debut of Get Rich or Die Tryin in 2003. 1, topping the chart for three weeks Wayne successfully exploded onto the mainstream, setting the stage for rap hopefuls and fellow Billboard all-time chart stars Drake and Nicki Minaj, both of whom Wayne helped develop into the global icons they are today by way of his Young Money/Cash Money record label. Publishing: $2.4M Sales: $2.1M Publishing: $1.6M 100 Greatest Music Video Artists of All Time. Song Quiz. In fact, Reggie Noble led off Eminems list of the greatest MCs within the latters pump-up perennial Till I Collapse. With EPMDs Erick Sermon as a mentor, Redman (aka Funk Doc) exceeded expectations in 1992 when his debut studio project Whut? Before Melle Mels game-changing run with Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, rap was still constrained by its yes, yes yall! park jam origins. The band ranked third in physical sales selling 671,000 copies of its albums, 78% of which were vinyl reissues that are priced higher than CDs and thus pay higher royalties. 1 and No. With a collection of brilliant solo albums and one of the most unmistakable styles in hip-hop history, Ghostface Killah is arguably the most accomplished rapper within the Wu-Tang Clan, which already has its own stake on any GOAT rap group list. And if you ask him, its also a testament to the power of hip-hop. The prosecution argues Lil Boosie paid Michael "Marlo Mike" Louding $2,800 to kill a his rival Terry Boyd. Run reinvented himself as a reality star in the 2005 MTV series Runs House. Publishing: $1.6M He ranked at No. His touring take came from two concerts. Taylor Swifts return to No. In 1987, MC Lyte bumrushed her way into hip-hops boys club with a throat-grabbing voice and dynamic lyricism that seemed well beyond her 16 years. But with his peerless technical skills, larger-than-life personality and turn-of-the-century run of classic albums, Slim Shady has rightfully earned his spot in the upper echelon of GOAT rappers lists. Even if Hill never drops a proper sophomore album, she remains a peerless talent who can still outrap anyone as proven by her memorable verse on Nas KD2 gem Nobody in 2021. The Wu-Tang Clan member possesses it all: unmistakable voice, impenetrable flow, witty rhymes, dark sense of humor, charm and good looks that also translated into Hollywood success. Streaming: $3.9M 3 in track downloads with over 1 million. This year's top 5 highest-paid musicians on a worldwide scale encompass a variety of genres that may stun you. Publishing: $1.1M After finding God, Rev. After coming up in freestyle rap battles, Eminem has continually wielded the mic as his weapon of choice and obliterated anyone who comes in his path as seen in the countless feuds hes engaged in over the years. Touring: $0. Chuck held everyones feet to the fire: crack dealers in the Black community (Night of the Living Baseheads); purveyors of systemic racism (Fight the Power); a ravenous press (Welcome to the Terror) and greedy corporations (Shut Em Down). Other Hip Hop figures include Future at 22 with $8.2 million Roddy Ricch at 24 with $7.4 million, Rod Wave at 25 with $7.4 million, and Kanye West at 30 at $6.6 million. To the Moral Majority, the Godfather of gangsta rap who set the table for West Coast MCs ranging from N.W.A and Snoop Dogg to The Game and the late Nipsey Hussle was a walking Parental Advisory sticker. Touring: $2.7M. Streaming: $7.6M Billboard, on the other hand, is all about the statistics. His most potent project came when he released his double-disc album All Eyez On Me the next year. Basic Statistic Highest-paid women in . 22 Streaming: $11.7M 1 Hot 100 hits, sold 25 million albums and account for raps most recent album of the year win at the Grammys. As the legendary rap duo UGK, Bun B and the late Pimp C kept the spotlight on Texas while taking the baton from the Scarface-led triad Geto Boys. In early 2023, Billboard/Vibe is ranking the Top 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time as part of our salute to this years golden anniversary of hip-hop. A 10% managers fee was deducted from artist and publishing recorded-music royalty pools. 8 in that category. Alongside Phife, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White, ATCQ also part of the Native Tongues collective (Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Monie Love) claimed No. Luke Combs $9.2 million17. The songs helped give her a nice mix of sales, streaming and publishing revenue. According to Billboard 's report, published on Monday (July 19), rappers Post Malone, Drake, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Lil Baby are among the publication's Top Paid Musicians of 2020. They accounted for close to 20% of his 4.1 billion combined streaming plays. Sales: $1.1M Even with those shiny accomplishments, its Nasir Jones longevity and adaptability that make him a one-of-a-kind specimen. After the album went platinum, he became the first Latino solo rap act to sell over a million copies. 1. The majority of Sheeren's earnings this year were from touring. 2 Billboard 200 concept album, III. World Tour (only two of which were reported to Boxscore), she still made a bundle in streaming and publishing income. He struck special chemistry with Wu compatriot Raekwon when the two adopted prominent roles on each others classic 90s debuts, Ironman and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, respectively. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100and anotherfour on the Billboard 200 albums chart are nothing to scoff at, as Ludacris chart resum can stand up to just about any of his rap contemporaries. Andr emerged as the star of the group for his singular flair; sadly, the duo went their separate ways with fans still yearning for a solo album from him. Most of the lists were estimated within a June-to-June scoring period, except for 1999, 2000, and 2021 when a calendar year period was used instead. Posty . His flamboyant rhymes helped him become one of the first West Coast rappers to sign a major deal when he signed with Jive Records in the early 90s. Busta Rhymes scene-stealing feature on A Tribe Called Quests 1992 single Scenario introduced a Brooklyn MC that took over the late 90s and early 00s with his animated voice and exuberant rhymes. Rhymes about experiencing a mental health crisis? As a result, Billboard estimates that the pop phenomenon took home 46% of her sales and streaming royalties (after deducting a 4 percentage-point producers cut) compared with the 33% that superstar artists typically earn when they dont own their masters. They made the cut because the band owns about half of its catalog the rest belongs to the late Allen B. Kleins label, ABKCO Music & Records and collects 60% of its streaming royalties and 40% of the royalties it receives for physical sales. The star-studded set was executive produced by Dreamville. 19,008 votes. Last years rank: His two . JAY-Z, Kanye West & Diddy Named Highest-Paid Rappers Of 2021 - With $800M Combined Earnings. Streaming: $3.74M (1989) were eloquent hood testimonies. Sales: $1.3M Touring: $8.8M. In previous years, it has made up 75% to 80% of the top 40 Money Makers income. Last years rank: No. the year's most popular r&b/hip-hop songs, ranked by streaming activity from digital music sources tracked by luminate, radio airplay audience impressions as provided by luminate and sales data as . In 2022, he relaunched the Rock the Bells Festival in Queens, which included performances from Rick Ross, The Diplomats, Ice Cube and more. Last years rank: He has topped the Billboard charts numerous times in over 20 countries. 8 in digital album downloads with 114,000 copies. Last year brought Lamars final TDE album and latest addition to his conscious rap repertoire, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Hes the artistic, esoteric and philosophical rapper who juxtaposed the streetwise and humble delivery of the groups late Phife Dawg. 30 Out of 40 artists, Taylor Swift returned to the number-one spot on the 2020 list, earning $23.8 . 11. The evergreen rockers ranked No. But there are simply none who can match his entire career his longevity, the breadth of his accomplishments, and what hes meant to hip-hop from a musical, cultural and financial standpoint for the last three decades. Lamar first gained local attention as teen rapper K.Dot through various mixtapes before releasing his first studio album on indie label Top Dawg Entertainment, 2011s Section.80. He led Run-DMC to historic heights, as they became the first hip-hop group to flex B-Boy minimalism to the masses(Sucker MCs), go gold (1984s King of Rock), appear on MTV, reach multiplatinum status (with 1986s landmarkRaising Hell, punctuated by the boundary-breaking Aerosmith collab Walk This Way), headline arena tours and ink a major endorsement deal (Adidas). Sales: $4M Other acts in the top 30 include Lil Uzi Vert (No. 5 most-played act of 2020 the band also generated nearly $4.9 million in income from its recorded masters, which is almost 30% of the bands overall earnings. Once a tag-along member in Digital Underground, Pacs larger-than-life demeanor became too big to shelter. Three of them Drake, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Lil Baby placed in the top 10. Eminem surprise-released two albums in 2020, Music To Be Murdered By and a deluxe version, Music To Be Murdered By Side B. Im not a player, I just crush a lot, Big Pun declared on the 1998 smash hit Still Not a Player from his debut album Capital Punishment. Cole Type Beat on procrastination (broke). He also went platinum with all five of his 2010s albums the last three (2014 Forest Hills Drive, 4 Your Eyez Only and KOD) with no features, of course. He also remains a streaming giant with $8.1 million in overall royalties, plus an additional $2 million from publishing. Queen $13.2 million8. Some of the names on the list are expected . Ghost continued the winning streak well into the 21st century, firstwith his 2000 sophomore opus Supreme Clientele and on through 2006s brilliant Fishscale and 2013s comic book on wax, Twelve Reasons to Die. Sales: $4.3M 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. after his scene-stealing verse on their 1991 hit Same Song. Pacs duality as a solo artist was remarkable: One minute, he was endearing, scripting empathetic classics like Dear Mama and Keep Your Head Up; the other, he was explosive, lacing up his war boots, ready to ride on his enemies (Hit Em Up and Hail Mary). Plutos epic mixtape three-peat of Monster, Beast Mode, and 56 Nights followed by thecritically acclaimed DS2 and his What a Time to Be Alive joint project with Drake all within the calendar year of 2015 could be the best use of 365 days that rap has ever seen. With 15 Grammy awards, 10 No. Kendrick Lamar. From there, the teams took into account the following criteria, not in any particular order: body of work/achievements (charted singles/albums, gold/platinum certifications), cultural impact/influence (how the artists work fostered the genres evolution), longevity (years at the mic), lyrics (storytelling skills) and flow (vocal prowess). The single spent seven nonconsecutive weeks at No. Sales: $712,500 The trap pioneersworkaholic mindset led to his flooding the streets with north of 70 mixtapes, and his hunger for greatness has yet to wane as he enters his 40s. Touring: $2.5M. 2020. Publishing: $373K Publishing: $1.7M Billboard has released its highest-paid musicians of 2020. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google, Visit Billboard Pro for music business news, Phil Collins, Genesis Catalogs Sell to Concord, Dick Odette, Former Musicland Music Purchasing Head, Dies at 77. Even after his death, Pacs legacy pushed forward with seven posthumous albums (including three Billboard 200-toppers), induction into the Rock Hall of Fame, and even a spot in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry (for Dear Mama) and despite his short life and career, Pacs legacy continues to resonate today as much as any rapper CL. Kid Rock, Detroit rapper Esham and Record Time's Mike Himes at the fighting for a name on the scrappy Detroit hip-hop scene of the '90s, . 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. That gave the band a $2.7 million touring payday. 6 spot in box-office revenue. Alongside mentor Dr. Dre, the lanky Long Beach rapper introduced his ultra-cool demeanor and laid-back flow as the guest on the formers 1992 debut solo single Deep Cover. The Chronic, Dres multi-Platinum-certified G-Funk classic (influenced by Parliament-Funkadelics psychedelic sound) arrived later that same year, led by one of the pairs signature anthems, Nuthin But a G Thang. The project was the springboard that rocketed Snoop and G-Funk to the top of the Billboard 200 with his 1993 Death Row Records solo debut, Doggystyle. During his 30+-year career, the global best-selling producer, often cited as hip-hops GOAT behind the boards, boasts a treasure trove of lyricists who have written for him, from Ice Cube, the D.O.C. Music in 2010 and kicking off the label relationship with a guest feature on Runaway from Kanye Wests My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that same year. Like other hip-hop artists, he lags in sales royalties, taking home $161,000. When Black Thought joins forces with supreme lyricists such as Eminem (Yah Yah), Royce da 59 (Rap on Steroids), Big Pun (Super Lyrical) or Joey Bada$$ and Russ (Because), the combination elevates the craft and technique of rap to another level. 6 The Greatest of All Time, aka the GOAT. His streaming figures accounted for $9.1 million, thanks to his chart-topping album My Turn, for which 12 songs simultaneously charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Paul McCartney ($535 million) No Beatles, no problem: McCartney continued an epic solo run, selling out stadiums and even getting his first No. 30, $6.3M). see charts legends That year also marked his major foray into film with the Black Panther the Album. Drake $14.2 million7. By now, his vivid storytelling (Black Girl Lost & I Gave You Power) and precocious diction (Nas Is Like & Made You Look) are goated, and his resiliency has proven to be Hall of Fame-level especially when he scored a TKO against Jay-Z and added a new verb to the hip-hop lexicon with his scathing comeback diss Ether in 2001. 5 ranking in overall streaming royalties ($8.1million). While 2020 proved to be a huge setback for most artists' revenue, a new Billboard article says a number of rappers are among the highest-paid musicians of the year. 24, $7.4M), Rod Wave (No. The group also shot videos for each of the 10 tracks on the addiction-themed album, which contributed to total streaming revenue of $1.3 million. Lindsey Buckingham. A report from Billboard has revealed the highest-paid musicians and artists of 2020, and many of Hip-Hop's favorites are topping the list.. Amid a year with very little touring due to the pandemic, some of the biggest names in the music industry still managed to come out on top of Billboard's 2020 Money Makers list bringing in millions and millions of dollars. The list breaks down to 22 contemporary artists and 18 heritage artists. As of March 2023, Cheryl James net worth is approximately 14 million. Additionally, he earned $126,000 in sales and $129,000 in touring before the pandemic. Individually, artist streaming royalties increased a whopping 82% year to year, from $106 million to $193 million, and accounted for just under 50% of the top 40 Money Makers total income. 10. To describe Chuck D as arapperwould be as brazen an understatement as labeling Jimi Hendrix aguitarist. Rod Wave is among the many hip-hop artists who dominated last year and earned a spot on Billboard'sranking of the highest-paid musicians of 2020, including Travis Scott, DaBaby, Kanye West, Roddy Ricch, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, and Lil Uzi Vert. 9 spot in that category. Touring: $0. While the pandemic had a disastrous effect on touring revenue, it lifted other royalty streams as music fans listened to more recorded music from the relative safety of their homes, through radio, streaming platforms or the turntable setups they bought with the money they ordinarily would have shelled out for concerts and festivals. Last years Money Makers ranking credited the K-pop boy band phenom with keeping physical formats alive with its total sales of 827,000 albums. Lil Waynes cultural, sonic and lyrical influence will forever be embedded into the fabric of hip-hop, by way of his talent as both an artist and as an A&R. But in fact, his limitations were what made the 25-year-old wunderkind one of the greatest MCs to touch Gods green earth: He knew of his shortcomings, but relied on his voice and motivational messaging to resonate and crack through the toughest gangstas. 1 live touring revenue generator for 2020, that amounts to $17 million in take-home pay, which puts Dion at the top of the concert earnings ranking and accounted for over 98% of her overall 2020 income. According to Billboard's report, published on Monday (July 19), rappers Post Malone, Drake, YoungBoy Never Broke AgainandLil Baby are among the publication'sTop Paid Musicians of 2020. Last years rank: No. Publishing: $2.6M According to the latest recent figures, Kanye West is the world's highest-paid hip-hop musician, earning an estimated $150 million in the year leading up to June 2019. Tour revenue, after the managers cut, equals 34% of an acts Boxscore. Like Roddy Ricchs, Waves video streams were particularly robust 793.5 million, the fifth-highest in the category.