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JAY-Z and Rihanna Make Forbes' Billionaires List
JAY-Z and Rihanna continue to run this town.
The music superstars are among the richest people in the world, according to Forbes. The outlet released its 2023 list of the planet’s wealthiest people, which includes 2,640 billionaires—from Jeff Bezos to Bill Gates.
Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter is the 1217th wealthiest man with a $2.5 billion net worth. The 53-year-old mogul, who was declared hip-hop’s first billionaire in 2019, added to his billion-dollar fortune with the recent sale of D’USSÉ. Following a highly-publicized legal battle, he sold his 50 percent stake in the cognac brand to Bacardi for $750 million, but still retains a significant ownership stake in the brand.
Hov is in good company, tied with Oprah Winfrey for the spot. His portfolio also includes Roc Nation and Armand de Brignac. In 2021, he sold a 50 percent stake in the luxury champagne brand to LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
Rihanna comes in at No. 2020 with a $1.4 billion fortune. The 35-year-old businesswoman has amassed an empire with her Fenty Beauty line, which launched in 2017, and lingerie company, Savage x Fenty.
After a tumultuous year, Kanye West falls off the list. Ye was stripped of his billionaire status after adidas terminated its partnership with him in the wake of his anti-Semitic comments. He was ranked 1513 on last year’s list with a $2 billion net worth, which has since dropped to $398 million.
His ex-wife Kim Kardashian remains a billionaire at No. 2259 ($1.2B), among other celebrities including LeBron James and Tyler Perry, who tie at No. 2540.
In total, the planet’s billionaires are now worth $12.2 trillion. Elon Musk falls to No. 2 ($180B) after his acquisition of Twitter devalued Tesla shares. Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury goods empire LVMH, is the world’s richest person with $211 billion.