Jay-Z Tops Forbes' Hip-Hop Cash Kings List Again

With all the news about his brand-new collaboration with Kanye West, Watch the Throne, we almost overlooked the fact that Jay-Z topped the Forbes Hip-Hop Cash King list yet again. His take over the past 12 months? $37 million.our editor recommends'Watch the Throne' Claims iTunes Album Crown in 23 CountriesJay-Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne': Track-by-Track STORY: Jay-Z, Kanye West's 'Otis' Video From Watch the Throne (Sneak Peek) It's the fourth time in five years Jay has occupied this particular throne. Diddy came in a close second with $35 million; Kanye comes in third with $16 million. STORY: Jay-Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne': Track-by-Track As Zach O'Malley Greenberg's article in Forbes says, "Fueled by the tail end of his Blueprint 3 Tour and a vast portfolio of business interests, Jay-Z barely edged second-ranked Diddy-who raked in $35 million, roughly half of that total coming from a lucrative partnership with Diageo's Ciroc vodka-but handily topped West, who earned $16 million. The duo is steaming ahead with plans for co-headlining tour starting this fall. STORY: Jay-Z, Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne' Called 'Instant Classic' "Jay-Z and Kanye are hip-hop ambassadors," says Steve Stoute, chief of branding firm Translation and author of The Tanning of America. "They bring the art form around the world, and they've taken production and everything to the next level. Now they've got a chance to grow with their global audience." Forbes' Hip-Hop Cash Kings 1. Jay-Z: $37 million 2. Diddy: $35 million 3. Kanye West: $16 million 4. Lil Wayne: $15 million 4. Bryan "Birdman" Williams: $15 million 6. Eminem: $14 million 6. Snoop Dogg: $14 million 6. Dr. Dre: $14 million 9. Akon: $13 million 10. Ludacris: $12 million 11. Wiz Khalifa: $11 million 11. Drake: $11 million 13: Pharrell Williams: $10 million 14. Timbaland: $7 million 15. Swizz Beatz: $6.5 million 15. Nicki Minaj: $6.5 million 17. Rick Ross: $6 million 17. 50 Cent: $6 million 17. Pitbull: $6 million 20. T-Pain: $5 million 20. B.o.B: $5 million Related Topics Jay-Z Kanye West P. Diddy