Jay-Z, Diddy wealthiest hip-hop artists; Kanye West loses billionaire status

MANILA, Philippines — Jay-Z maintained his spot as the richest hip-hop artist, while Kanye West has reportedly lost his billionaire status due to brands backing out of collaborations with the controversial rapper.

Former Forbes editor Zack O’Malley Greenburg listed a "remix" of the Hip-Hop’s Wealthiest Artists piece that he wrote for the outlet which saw fellow artist Sean Combs — better known as P. Diddy or just Diddy — become a billionaire.

Jay-Z's total worth rose to a high of $1.5 billion (P87 billion) due to various investments in areas like Roc Nation entertainment, Rihanna's Savage x Fenty, Fenty Armand de Brignac champagne, and real estate.

Diddy entered the 10-figure mark due to his Ciroc vodka brand, a half-stake in DeLeón tequila and the entertainment brand Revolt alongside his own music catalog and several start-up investments.

Related: Balenciaga breaks ties with Kanye West

Despite brands like Adidas and Balenciaga cutting ties with him, West still figured at the No. 3 spot as he owns the rights to his recordings and music, and has a 5% stake in his ex-wife Kim Kardashian's Skims shapewear line.

“West could be headed for a cash crunch if he continues his current trajectory, potentially forcing him to sell or take out loans against his major assets,” noted Greenburg.

Following West are Gilbert “Berner” Milam who was propelled to No. 4 because of a 30% stake in the Cookies cannabis empire and Dr. Dre at No. 5 whose worth is now around $400 million (P23 billion) after some personal and philanthropic spending.

The five artists combined for an estimated combined worth of $3.8 billion (P220 billion), 20% higher than pre-pandemic numbers.

RELATED: Adidas cuts ties with Kanye West over anti-Semitic remarks