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Kanye West, JAY-Z, & Drake Among World's Highest-Paid Celebrities
Forbes has released its annual list of the world’s highest-paid celebrities.
After being declared a billionaire in April, Kanye West ranks at No. 2 with $170 million. West, who claims he’s worth more than $3 billion, collected most of his fortune from his Yeezy sneakers empire with adidas.
Kanye’s sister-in-law, Kylie Jenner, was the top-earner with $590 million after selling a 51 percent stake in her Kylie Cosmetics brand to Coty in January. Last month, Forbes revoked her billionaire status, claiming she had exaggerated the size of her business. However, the money she pulled in from the deal remains one of the biggest celebrity cashouts of all time.
Hip-hop stars dominated the list including Sean “Diddy” Combs at No. 37. His partnership with Diageo’s Ciroc vodka helped earn him $55 million. Hip-hop’s first billionaire, JAY-Z, follows at No. 42, thanks to his investments in Armand de Brignac champagne and D’Ussé cognac.
Drake ranks at No. 49 with $49 million. Champagne Papi has been keeping busy during quarantine, releasing his mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes in late April.
Other entertainers on the Celebrity 100 list include Ariana Grande (No. 17, $72 million), Ed Sheeran (No. 23, $64 million), Jennifer Lopez (No. 56, $47.5 million), Rihanna (No. 60, $46 million), and Will Smith (No. 69, $44.5 million).
The world’s highest-paid celebrities earned a combined $6.1 billion before taxes and fees, down $200 million from 2019, due to the global pandemic which forced the cancelation of tours and live events worldwide.