#1 Sean
"Diddy" Combs: $750 M
Call him Puff Daddy or Diddy—either way, he lived up to the
name of his 2015 mixtape MMM (for alter ego Money Making Mitch),
thanks mostly to his agreement with Diageo’s Ciroc vodka. Also valuable: stakes
in his TV network Revolt, clothing line Sean John and alkaline water
Aquahydrate.
#2 Andre
“Dr. Dre” Young: $710 M
Two years ago the super producer’s Beats By Dr. Dre sale got
him the largest one-off payday of any living musician in history; last year’s biopic
Straight Outta Compton padded his coffers, too. Now he’s sitting on a
nine-figure cash stash—and a jaw-dropping portfolio of southern California real
estate—that even a billionaire would envy.
#3 Shawn
"Jay Z" Carter: $610 M
The Brooklyn-born rapper boasts a broad range of holdings, but
this year it’s his Tidal streaming service driving the growth of his fortune.
The company has had its share of growing pains, but with 3 million paid
subscribers, it’s now worth an estimated three times more than its $56 million
purchase price.
#4 Bryan
“Birdman” Williams: $110 M
The Cash Money chief moves up a spot despite the dip in his
fortune, down from $140 million last year thanks to turmoil in his empire. Lil
Wayne, Cash Money’s flagship artist, has slowed his once-frenetic release pace;
rumors of his departure, along with fellow top acts Drake and Nicki Minaj,
continue to swirl.
#5 Aubrey
"Drake" Graham: $60 M
Known to the world by his middle name, the Toronto native once
said he planned to make $250 million by the time he was 29. He’s got a ways to
go, but he’s on the right track with recurring multimillion-dollar paychecks
from Nike, Sprite and Apple—and the final spot on this year’s Forbes Five. Not
a bad 30th birthday present.