Year to year, the Forbes Five, which ranks hip-hop’s wealthiest artists, doesn’t really change. But on Thursday, when the magazine released its 2018 list, there was a noticeable difference: Jay Z beat Diddy. Diddy’s been number one on the list since Forbes began measuring rappers’ net worth in 2011.
For '18, Jay Z’s net worth leapt from $810 million to $900 million, in large part due to the growing values of his investment in Armand de Brignac champagne and D’Ussé cognac. Last year's Forbes list for America's Wealthiest Self-Made Women put Beyoncé at $350 mill, making headlines for pushing the Carters into the billionaire club with $1.16 B's. (The website Celebrity Net Worth says Queen B's worth $500 million.)
Diddy aka Love comes in at No. 2 with $825 million. His fortune has received a slight bump due to lukewarm trends in the vodka and cable TV markets, which impact his stakes in Ciroc and Revolt. But he’s seen considerable growth with DeLeon tequila—a collaboration between himself and beverage king Diageo—which has increased his net worth.