Forbes Cash King - Hip-Hop's Top Earners

Forbes has compiled its annual Cash Kings list, a top 20 ranking of hip-hop's top earners for the period spanning May 2010 to May 2011. Not surprisingly, the rapper who's increasingly respected for his business acumen came in at no. 1 with $37 million: Jay-Z, who's been in the news lately for Watch the Throne, his collaboration with Kanye West released this past week on iTunes. Speaking of Yeezy, he placed third on the list at $16 million, a steep drop from the runner-up, Diddy, who at $35 million was just barely edged out by his fellow New Yorker. Rounding out the top five are Lil Wayne at $15 million, tied with Birdman, his label boss at Cash Money Records. Check out the full list after the jump. via Forbes

1. Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, $37 million

2. Sean "Diddy" Combs, $35 million

3. Kanye West, $16 million

4. Dwayne "Lil Wayne" Carter, $15 million (tie)

4. Bryan "Birdman" Williams, $15 million (tie)

6. Marshall "Eminem" Mathers, $14 million (tie)

6. Andre "Dr. Dre" Young, $14 million (tie)

6. Calvin "Snoop Dogg" Broadus, $14 million (tie)

9. Aliuane "Akon" Thiam, $13 million

10. Christopher "Ludacris" Bridges, $12 million

11. Cameron "Wiz Khalifa" Thomaz, $11 million (tie)

11. Aubrey "Drake" Graham, $11 million (tie)

13. Pharrell Williams, $10 million

14. Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley, $7 million

15. Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, $6.5 million (tie)

15. Onika "Nicki Minaj" Maraj, $6.5 million (tie)

17. William "Rick Ross" Roberts, $6 million (tie)

17. Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, $6 million (tie)

17. Armando "Pitbull" Perez, $6 million (tie)

20. Faheem "T-Pain" Najm, $5 million (tie)

20. Bobby "B.o.B" Simmons, Jr., $5 million (tie)