The world’s 20 highest-paid hip-hop acts have earned about $4.5 billion over the past decade—not bad for a genre spawned from the ashes of the South Bronx. With the help of hip-hop’s founding fathers as well as modern-day Cash Kings, we explain how.
Tag Archives: forbes
[audio] Forbes List – Dave East feat. Nas
Next up to bat from the Mass Appeal roster is a Harlem-bred MC who goes by the name of Dave East. The budding wordsmith made his formal debut last week with “Demons,” the first single off his upcoming Hate Me Now mixtape. Now, he returns to the spotlight with a new offering, “Forbes List,” which features an expectedly strong verse from his mentor, the legendary, Nas. If you like what you hear, you can pre-order the project on iTunes.
[video] Chinedu Echeruo (Founder of HopStop.com)
I have used this site literally 100’s of times and had no idea a brother created it. Hit the cut for a video on this brother and more info about his burgeoning tech portfolio of businesses he has founded. #BlacksinTech
Echeruo is a Tech entrepreneur and founder of HopStop.com which he reportedly sold to Apple in the “billion” dollar range. HopStop.com is a mobile and online application that provides mass transit directions door-to-door mass transit, taxi, walking, biking and hourly car rental directions in major metropolitan markets throughout the U.S., Canada, U.K, France, Australia, New Zealand and Russia.
In 2001, HopStop was named one of the 100 fastest growing companies in the US by Inc. magazine. Chinedu also founded Tripology.com, an interactive travel referral service focused on connecting travelers with travel specialists which was later acquired by USA Today Travel Media Group. Echeruo obtained an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S from Syracuse University.
[video] Zack Greenburg Discusses “Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings” with Power 105 Breakfast Club
Zack Greenburg hits up the Breakfast Club to discuss this year’s Hip Hop Cash Kings list.
[video] Rick Ross And Forbes Settle The Score Over The Cash Kings List
Hip Hop superstar Rick Ross sits down with Zack O’ Malley Greenburg in Wingstop in Brooklyn, to discuss his perceived low placement on their hugely popular Hip Hop Cash Kings list. Ross kinda dodges the direct questions and if he really wants to be in the top five with Dr. Dre, Jay Z, Diddy, and 50 Cent he will need to do much bigger tours and not a paltry 18 shows last year.
[video] Shaq Inc. And The Business of Fun (On The Road to Being a Billionaire)
Lebron has some stiff competition in his road to being the first billionaire athlete after Forbes reported that global superstar Michael Jordan has now reached the billionaire boys club and his now former his teammate Shaquille O’ Neal is on pace as well.
[video] Dr. Dre Celebrates $3 Billion Beats By Dre Deal With Tyrese
Hip Hop’s first billionaire Dr. Dre celebrates with actor/musician Tyrese on his impending deal with Apple to sell his Beats Electronic company for $3.2 billion according to reports.
Wu-Tang Prepares to Sell One Copy of Double Album for $1 Million Dollars
Wu-Tang Clan ain’t nothing to fuck with!! This idea is so next level that I have to commend them and can’t wait to see it come to fruition. Forbes got all the details:
via Forbes
ll truly be one-of-a-kind—in lieu of a traditional major label or independent launch, the iconic hip-hop collective will make and sell just one copy of the album. And similar to a Monet or a Degas, the price tag will be a multimillion-dollar figure.
“We’re about to sell an album like nobody else sold it before,” says Robert “RZA” Diggs, the first Wu-Tang member to speak on record about Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, in an exclusive interview with FORBES. “We’re about to put out a piece of art like nobody else has done in the history of [modern] music. We’re making a single-sale collector’s item. This is like somebody having the scepter of an Egyptian king.”
[video] Birdman talks Money with Forbes
Mr. ‘100 Million’ dollars sits down with Forbes to talk money.
[video] Myspace continues to re-invent itself, hopes for turn around
They are not going down without a fight and think they have a chance to get you guys interested again. You guys will determine if Myspace lives or dies.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Mike Jones, CEO of the social network MySpace, explains why the company struggled and how he hopes to turn it around.
Special Report: The World’s Most Powerful People
Drug Kingpin Makes The Forbes Billionaires List
via mogul monolugues
This is crazy, Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin Guzman-Loera, leader of the Sinaloa Cartel made the Forbes Billionaires list, tying at #701 with a net worth of $1Billion. Im kinda surprised that forbes would even feature a drug dealer in their distiguished publication. Check out his profile:
Net Worth:$1.0 bil
Fortune:self made
Source:Drug Trafficking
Age:54
Country Of Citizenship:Mexico
Residence:Sinaloa State
Industry:Shipping
Education:NA,
Marital Status:NA,
Mexico’s most wanted man, “El Chapo”, or Shorty, heads the Sinaloa cartel, one of the biggest suppliers of Cocaine to the U.S. In 1993 was arrested in Mexico on homicide and drug charges. Escaped from federal prison in 2001, reportedly through the laundry, and quickly regained control of his drug trafficking organization, which he still controls today. In 2008 Mexican and Colombian traffickers laundered between $18 billion and $39 billion in proceeds from wholesale shipments to the U.S. Shorty, an alleged tunnels expert, is believed to have directed anywhere from a third to half of that during the past 8 years. Apparently started out working with Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, “El Padrino”, or the Godfather, head of the most powerful drug trafficking group in Mexico at that time. U.S. government is offering a $5 million reward for his capture.
Source: Forbes.com
Will Smith tops Forbes.com’s bankable stars list
via Popeater
NEW YORK -Will Smith was voted the most bankable star in Hollywood in a survey of industry professionals by Forbes.com.
The financial magazine’s Web site gives the actor a score of 10 out of 10 for his bankability in its first “star currency” list, compiled by surveying more than 150 industry professionals.
Following Smith on the list: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio, who all tied for second with a score of 9.89. Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson rounded out the top 10.
Smith’s superior box-office clout has been long established. He’s known for “owning” the July Fourth weekend box office with films such as “Independence Day” and “Men in Black,” and has had few flops.
The 40-year-old actor recently topped the annual poll by Quigley Publishing Co., which has surveyed movie exhibitors since 1932 on which stars generate the most box-office revenue.
The Forbes survey, which acknowledged that it was “subjective,” also took into account a star’s ability to attract financing for a project. The list was released Tuesday.
Smith’s latest film, “Seven Pounds,” received terrible reviews, but still earned $70 million at the domestic box office. His summer superhero blockbuster “Hancock” grossed $228 million.
Knicks Most Valuable NBA Franchise: Report
via Breitbart
The New York Knicks are enduring an extended winter on the court, but they are still the National Basketball Association’s hottest property, according to a Forbes magazine report. 
According to Forbes, the Knicks are the most valuable franchise in the NBA – worth some 613 million dollars.
The Knicks eddged the Los Angeles Lakers – another of the league’s flagship franchises – who are worth 584 million dollars, according to the report.
The once-proud Knicks have become an NBA punchline in recent years, last winning a playoff game in 2001.
This season they are vying to regain prominence under new coach Mike D’Antoni and general manager Donnie Walsh.
Their lack of sporting success apparently hasn’t hurt them financially.
The Chicago Bulls (504 million dollars), Detroit Pistons (480 million), Cleveland Cavaliers (477 million), Houston Rockets (469 million), Dallas Mavericks (466 million), Phoenix Suns (452 million), Boston Celtics (447 million) and San Antonio Spurs (415 million) rounded out the top 10 on Forbes’ list.
According to the magazine, the Mavericks are the only club among the top 10 most valuable not making a profit.
Jay & Bey Join Top Earners on Forbes Top 100 List
The new Forbes list has been released and Hip Hop’s new power couple has a prominent placement amongst the list. Jay-Z and Beyonce come in at #7 and #4 respectively, joining the ranks of Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, J.J. Rowling, David Beckham and Johnny Deep to round out the Top 10 of the Top 100 Celebrity list. This list is gaged not only by money in the bank but by a celebrities traction in the press. Their earning power coupled with their honorable mentions in the press ultimately is what Forbes used to determine who was lightning hot in the world of celebrity.
The top earner on the list was J.J. Rowling’s, the mastermind behind the Harry Potter franchise. She roped in $300 million last year, slightly under the number one person on the list, Oprah Winfrey who pulled in $275 million, but still managed to place 9th. Jay, who registered at #7 (God M.C. huh?) added $82 million to his stash as he awaits the laminates for his membership in the Billionaire’s Boys Club. He boo Beyonce earned $2 million less than Jay, but placed at #4 (the couple’s “magic” number) due to the press’ infatuation with her celebrity. To read the complete list, CLICK [HERE]
The BIG WILLIE LIST is here…No suprises
Forbes has released their much coveted “10 Top African-American Earners” list and to the surprise of no one Ms. Winfrey sits comfortably atop that hill. She topped the rictors at $26o million to add on to her earth shattering total of $2.5 BILLION. Coming in at a distant second was Tiger (who don’t consider himself a brother so I don’t know why he’s on the list) with a whopping $100 million in endorsements and purse money. Clocking in at third is Shawn Carter who racked in $83 mil during the period between June 2006-June 2007 on his relentless drive to become the first rapper to join the Billionaire’s Boy Club. Curtis Jackson checked in at fourth laughing straight to the bank with $33 milli, and we must note these calculations were tabulated before Coke bought out Vitamin Water which would’ve placed him slightly ahead of Jay. According to Forbes he became $100 million richer on that transaction. Tying with Fif at fifth was Kobe at $33 mil and at sixth Shaq racked in his Magic number, $32 mil. Thanks to the resurgance of his insanely popular sneakers, Micheal Jordan tacked on another $31 mil to his fortune and Will dominated Tinseltown with a $31 million take. Take that, take that. With endorsements galore and global tours Beyonce pulled in $27 million and the Boy Wonder Lebron hauled off $27 mil. Now add em all up ($657 Million) and they still don’t add up to the mountain of a fortune maintained by Ms. Winfrey. Damn, can a brotha get a loan! CLICK HERE for the full rundown.
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