Richest rappers: Diddy beats Dr Dre

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Today’s top hip-hop moguls keep defining success upward: Despite selling his headphone line, Beats by Dre, to Apple for $3 billion last year, Dr Dre still isn’t the richest man in rap

1. DIDDY
Net Worth: $735 million
Though Mr Combs (top) hasn’t yet had a Beats-level exit, he might soon, thanks to huge stakes in TV network Revolt, clothing line Sean John, alkaline water brand
AQUAhydrate and new tequila DeLeón

2. Dr DRE
$700 million
His Beats sale got him the largest single-year payday of any musician in history—and a nine-figure tax bill that kept him from the top of the list

3. JAY Z
$550 million
His diversified portfolio continues to grow, courtesy of assets such as entertainment company Roc Nation and Armand de Brignac champagne. Streaming service Tidal’s impact remains to be seen

4. 50 CENT
$155 million
After scoring $100 million on the sale of Vitaminwater in 2007, 50 hopes to repeat the feat with stakes in new ventures, including SMS headphones, Effen vodka and Frigo underwear

5. BIRDMAN
$150 million
His slight dip this year (down from $160 million and the number 4 slot in 2014) mirrors the value of his label Cash Money, which has been dogged by rumours of the departure of big acts, including superstar Lil Wayne

(Source: Interactive Data via Factset Research Systems)