Dre remains a key figure in the industry through Aftermath Entertainment, which has launched the careers of Eminem, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar. His fortune is a mix of royalties, investments, and savvy business decisions, keeping him at $500 million in 2025. Iconic Formula One champion Michael Schumacher is a German racing driver who has won seven Championship titles over the course of his impressive career. Rossi appears in 10th place on this list of the richest racing car drivers. Sebastian Vettel is a German Formula One racing driver who drives for Aston Martin, with a successful winning streak that includes four World Drivers’ Championships.
Bono, frontman of U2, has crafted a legendary music career with hits like With or Without You and Beautiful Day. Beyond music, he’s a savvy investor with stakes in companies like Airbnb and Elevation Partners, and he co-founded the ONE Campaign for global poverty. Beyond music, McCartney earns from extensive publishing rights and royalties.
Serena Williams
As the hip-hop world continues to evolve, we can expect even top 10 richest rappers more artists to follow in their footsteps, blending creativity with business acumen to achieve financial success. The future of hip-hop is not just about music; it’s about building empires. Through producing hit albums and creating sought-after fashion collections, Kanye West perpetuates his significant impact on both the music industry and the style world.
His combined record sales have reached millions of copies worldwide, and he has opened for megastars such as Britney Spears and Enrique Iglesias. Cuban-American rapper Pitbull’s career began in the early 2000s working with Lil Jon, releasing his debut album M.I.A.M.I. in 2004 to commercial and critical acclaim. Adam Horovitz, also known as Ad-Rock, is the co-founder of the Beastie Boys along with Michael Diamond, and a successful producer in his own right.
Drake: The Chart-Topping Hitmaker
Connie Kalitta is a former drag racer and owner of Kalitta Motorsports who raced professionally for several decades. Gordon, the youngest driver to win the NASCAR title, has also won the Daytona 500 on three occasions. As of June 2025, Tony Hulman George’s net worth is estimated to be $200 million.
Richest Singer In The World vs. Richest Rapper
Jay Z also sold his majority stake in the music streaming company Tidal for $297 million to Jack Dorsey. Initially gaining fame and fortune as a member of N.W.A., Dr Dre went on to have a successful career as a solo rapper. While Dr Dre has accumulated a significant amount of wealth as an artist, his major net worth comes from his business ventures.
The 50 Richest Racing Drivers in the World
This deal with the liquor giant has earned Diddy a steady paycheck of $60 million annually until the partnership ended this year. One of the key trends shaping the success of the richest rappers in 2025 is the diversification of revenue streams. Rappers are no longer relying solely on music sales and performances to make money. Instead, they are investing in businesses, launching clothing lines, and partnering with brands to create multiple sources of income. The first billionaire in hip-hop, Jay-Z continues to lead the pack as the richest rapper in the world.
Williams also has considerable investments in real estate, and in 2012 he purchased the largest home in South Florida for an impressive $7.15 million. Multi-talented rapper, songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur is among the most famous rappers in the world and has been producing music since the 1990s. In addition to remixing productions, he’s also appeared in several movies, including While We’re Young, Golden Exits, and Roadside Prophets. Beastie Boys co-founder Michael Diamond, who goes by the performing name Mike D, is a musician and producer with a long track record in the music industry. A trio of albums in the late 1980s was each certified gold by the RIAA, while his 1991 hip-hop masterpiece, O.G. Original Gangster, is widely considered to be the founding record of gangsta rap.
- Beyond music, Drake has diversified his portfolio with investments in tech, real estate, and his own whiskey brand, Virginia Black.
- The first musician to achieve billionaire status was Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) in 2019.
- From owning their music masters to building powerful business empires, billionaire musicians show that talent paired with smart investments is the real key to lasting wealth.
- Even without a tour or album release in a year, he mints millions of dollars through his brands Armand de Brignac champagne and D’Ussé cognac.
Business Ventures & Brand Power
Hugely successful country music singer Garth Brooks has been performing for decades and has sold over 200 million albums around the world throughout his career. Colombian pop star Shakira began her performing career as a belly dancer before going on to a successful career as one of the richest singers in the world. We’ve covered the sales, key collaborations, and industry awards to bring you this definitive guide to the world’s richest singers. An astute businessman, Simmons’s other business ventures include the production company called Simmons Lathans Media Group, a clothing line, and pre-paid debit card company Unirush LLC. His music career has included several chart-topping releases, with the combined discography from the Beastie Boys selling over 40 million albums worldwide. His music career continued as a member of the successful Westside Connection.
Professional basketball player Luol Deng, who was born in Sudan, began his career as one of the most promising young players in his sport. As of June 2025, Oscar De La Hoya’s net worth is estimated to be $200 Million. As of June 2025, Sachin Tendulkar’s net worth is estimated to be $200 Million.
Kanye West – $500 Million
The artists are listed based on the nominal figure of their most recently available estimation. Widely credited as the dude that co-founded Def Jam, Russell Simmons enjoyed years of success as a music businesses titan before allegations of sexual misconduct came to light. In order to get it all though, he’d have to acquire a couple of extra million to match its $212 million price tag. The October’s Very Own label is also still in business, and the clothing stores are fully functioning all year round. Her endorsements with Fashion Nova, Reebok, and Pepsi, each reportedly worth millions.
A leading figure in the Reggaeton genre, Daddy Yankee has released multiple solo albums and became the most-watched person on YouTube for his Despacito music video. With six studio albums under their belt, Outkast has sold over 25 million albums worldwide, five of them achieving platinum status and one diamond. American rapper Big Boi is perhaps best known for being one half of the duo Outkast along with rapper Andre 3000. A performer since the age of eight, G-Dragon moved away from Big Bang in 2009 to begin his debut solo career with the album Heartbreaker.
He’s also involved in environmental activism and occasionally ventures into art and philanthropy. His billionaire status is largely built on decades of music royalties and smart management of his vast song catalog. Paul McCartney’s legendary career began as a Beatle, creating timeless hits like Hey Jude and Let It Be.
- Lil Wayne has also launched his clothing line, Trukfit, and inked his first big brand endorsement deal which is a multi-million dollar pact with Mountain Dew.
- His wealth comes from various business ventures, including his label Roc-A-Fella Records, his clothing line Rocawear, and his alcoholic brands Armand de Brignac champagne and D’USSÉ cognac.
- When comparing the richest rapper in the world to the richest singer, an interesting financial gap emerges.
- Known for his controversial statements and innovative music, Kanye has solidified his place as one of the most influential figures in the industry.
He is still getting compensation for his deal with Apple along with income from an expansive back catalogue. With a net worth of $270 million, Pharrell Williams is a multifaceted artist whose impact on music and fashion is undeniable. His ventures, including his fashion label Billionaire Boys Club and beauty brand Humanrace, showcase his versatility and business acumen.
As of June 2025, Magic Johnson’s net worth is estimated to be $1.2 Billion. Also the former president of basketball operations for the team, Johnson’s post-basketball career has seen him running his Magic Johnson Enterprises empire. Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. is an entrepreneur and retired American basketball player who began his career in the late 1970s with the Los Angeles Lakers. As of June 2025, Eddie Jordan’s net worth is estimated to be $600 Million. As of June 2025, Junior Bridgeman’s net worth is estimated to be $600 Million.