Nearly 25 years after releasing his debut album, Nas appeared on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid hip-hop acts in 2018. The list tracks pre-tax annual income from “touring, record sales, streaming, publishing, merchandise sales, endorsements and other business ventures. Management, agent and attorney fees are not deducted.”
According to the site, Nas’ lucrative investments in companies such as Lyft, Coinbase and Mass Appeal helped him to pull in a career high of $35 million this year alone. However, the whopping amount places him at just the number six slot on the earnings list, tying with media tycoon Dr. Dre.
“[Hip-hop artists] are always advancing technology—from one turntable to two turntables and a fader,” Nas told the publication about his interest in start-up companies such as Ring, the security company owned by Amazon. “There wasn’t a time when [rappers] didn’t think about investing. It just so happens that the world is opening up.”
JAY-Z unsurprisingly tops the list this year for the first time in five years with an incredible income of $76.5 million. Diddy claims the number two spot with $64 million, and Kendrick Lamar follows closely behind with a total earning of $58 million.
Check out the top 10 highest male earners in hip-hop below.
1. Jay Z $76.5 million
2. Diddy $64 million
3. Kendrick Lamar $58 million
4. Drake $47 million
5. J. Cole $35.5 million
6. Nas/Dr. Dre $35 million
8. Pitbull $32 million
9. Future $30 million
10. Kanye West $27.5 million
READ MORE: Young M.A. And Noname Hold It Down On Forbes’ ‘Hip-Hop Cash Princes’ List of 2017