Yesterday, we reported on the new Forbes list that detailed who the highest earners in the genre were for 2017. Topping that list once again was Sean "Diddy" Combs,who brought in $130 million in earnings through live shows, selling a portion of his Sean John clothing line and his deals with Ciroc vodka and DeLeon tequila. Drake came in at No. 2 $94 million, due in large part to his Boy Meets World tour, which is gearing up for new dates in Australia and New Zealand before the year is done. However, one of the more intriguing figures on the list was Kendrick Lamar at No. 6. According to the news outlet, the DAMN. rapper has translated his recent success into making big bucks at the box office.
Forbes is saying that K. Dot now brings in over $1 million for every concert that he plays. With his expansive DAMN. tour schedule, that a sizable fortune that has come his way since the late spring. Let's not forget that his income is also bolstered by the continued success of his most recent album, which quickly earned double-platinum status earlier this summer. Kendrick thanked fans for helping him reach that milestone, writing in an Instagram post that "these murals forever belong to my fans. You've always taken my words above and beyond. Around the world and back again. With trust. I am forever grateful. 2x."
Elsewhere on the Forbes list, Jay-Z took the third place spot, due in no small part to his comeback album 4:44, an LP that critics and fans have meet with unmitigated praise. There were only a small number of hip-hop's "next wave" of icons on the list, with Chance the Rapper cracking the Top Five and Lil Yachty entering the list down at No. 20. You can peep the entire countdown below.
20. Lil Yachty - $11M
18. Rick Ross (tie) - $11.5M
18. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - $11.5M
17. Lil Wayne - $15.5M
16. Nicki Minaj - $16M
15. Snoop Dogg - $16.5M
14. Swizz Beatz - $18M
13. J. Cole - $19M
12. Birdman - $20M
11. Kanye West - $22M
10. Future - $23M
9. DJ Khaled - $24M
8. Pitbull - $27M
7. Wiz Khalifa - $28M
6. Kendrick Lamar - $30M
5. Chance the Rapper - $33M
4. Dr. Dre - $34.5M
3. Jay-Z - $42M
2. Drake - $94M
1. Diddy - $130M
Also, make sure you check out our list of the Top 25 Best Kendrick Lamar Songs!