For the better part of hip-hop’s existence, it was solely considered a genre of music. We now recognize the larger cultural movement surrounding the New York-bred art form as a leading force driving growth in fashion, entertainment, food and beverage, and technology. As a result, the top 10 highest earners of 2019 on Forbes’ annual list of hip-hop’s richest account for a staggering $633,500,000 in combined earnings. And for the first time in his career, Kanye West ($150 million) has outpaced the rest of his competitors to take the top spot — leapfrogging JAY-Z by $69 million.
It was certainly a banner year for West, especially considering he claimed to be $56 million in debt just over three years ago. While earning the top spot is certainly noteworthy, his income jumped dramatically between 2018 and 2019, accounting for a net increase of $122,500,000. Although the entire industry had a great year — with the top 20 acts’ revenue increasing by 33 percent since 2018 — the huge financial increase poses an interesting question: with an album on the way, YEEZY accounting for $1.5 billion in annual sales, and a track record of exploring radical projects, will Kanye West be joining JAY-Z in the billionaire’s club?