Jay-Z has now become the richest musician in the world according to Forbes‘ annual ranking of wealthiest celebrities in America which just came out this week.
The Hip Hop mogul lands in the top five slot overall, tying with Kylie Jenner but is the only musician in the top 5.
The biggest dollar gainer among existing listees is Jay-Z ($900 million), who ties with Jenner for the fifth spot. His net worth is up $90 million from 2017’s figure thanks to lucrative stakes in companies including Armand de Brignac champagne and D’Ussé cognac, plus holdings in his entertainment empire Roc Nation and streaming service Tidal.
“That was the greatest trick in music that people ever pulled off, to convince artists that you can’t be an artist and make money,” Jay-Z told Forbes in 2010, foreshadowing the success of his ancillary businesses. “When you’re in the studio, you’re an artist, you make music, and then after you finish, you market it to the world. I don’t think anything is wrong with that. In fact, I know there’s nothing wrong with that.”
He bests fellow rapper Diddy (No. 8; $820 million), who is the only other musician on a ranking that also includes an author and a magician.
Methodology
This list uses net worth earnings previously published for the Forbes 400, Billionaires list and ranking of America’s Richest Self-Made Women. Celebrities not on those lists were valued through private company stakes and publicly traded assets. Real estate, art and other assets were also factored in where applicable. For entertainers without such holdings, we based estimates on net lifetime earnings after taxes and spending. Eligibility was limited to American citizens who’ve gotten rich off their fame, rather than become famous for their wealth.
Congrats to HOV! Check out the entire list below.
America’s Wealthiest Celebrities 2018
1. George Lucas
Net worth: $5.4 billion
2. Steven Spielberg
$3.7 billion
3. Oprah Winfrey
$2.8 billion
4. Michael Jordan
$1.7 billion
5. (tie) Kylie Jenner
$900 million
5. (tie) Jay-Z
$900 million
7. David Copperfield
$875 million
8. Diddy
$825 million
9. (tie) Tiger Woods
$800 million
9. (tie) James Patterson
$800 million
