20. B.o.B (tie) – $5 million Worth it: Bobby Ray had a strong year, but a sophomore slump was expected. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
20. T-Pain (tie) – $5 million Bargain: Clearly Auto-tune isn’t dead. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
17. Pitbull (tie) – $6 million Worth It: Pitbull’s international sound will be making him money for a long time. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images)
17. 50 Cent (tie) – $6 million Swindle: A perennial Forbes top Fiver, 50 at #17 is depressing. Hopefully he’ll rebound. (Photo by Chris Scott/Getty Images)
17. Rick Ross (tie) – $6 million Swindle: As much exposure that Maybach Music Group has gotten over the past year, we’re shocked to see him so low. (Getty Images)
15. Nicki Minaj (tie) – $6.5 million Swindle: Nicki Minaj is a cash cow. Again, how much of Nicki’s money does Birdman have? (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
15. Swizz Beatz (tie) – $6.5 million Worth it: Swizzy has been starting a family, buying art, and teaching college courses. Once he gets back to producing, he’ll easily move up on this list. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
14. Timbaland – $7 million Overpaid: We couldn’t tell you what Timbo has produced this year that is worth mentioning. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
13. Pharrell Williams – $10 million Bargain: Skateboard P has been performing sporadically, but Billionaire Boys Club is still a great clothing brand that Jay-Z bought. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
11. Drake (tie) – $11 million Swindle: I wonder how much of Drizzy’s money is in Wayne’s pocket? (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
11. Wiz Khalifa (tie) – $11 million Worth it: Black and Yellow, Black and Yellow, Black and Yellow. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
10. Ludacris – $12 million Bargain: We assumed Luda would’ve been making more due to solid music track record and acting gigs. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
9. Akon – $13 million Overpaid: Thank God for Lady Gaga. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
6. Snoop Dogg (tie) – $14 million Overpaid: A laughable last album but still relevant to business ventures and endorsements. (Photo by Michael Kovac/WireImage)
6. Dr. Dre (tie) – $14 million Worth it: Although Detox is still not out, you won’t have to look far to find someone wearing a pair of his headphones. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
6. Eminem (tie) – $14 million Worth it: Like Jay-Z, his brand will always bring him income. (AP Photo)
4. Birdman (tie) – $15 million Worth it and Overpaid: As the head of Cash Money, worth it. Musically? Would you pay to hear Birdman?
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
4. Lil Wayne (tie) – $15 million Overpaid: Spending the better time of this past year in prison didn’t slow down the Young Money Boss.(AP Photo/Dave Martin, file)
3. Kanye West – $16 million Worth it: How can you be surprised with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy being out and his duet album with his “big brother”? (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar)
2. Diddy – $35 million Worth it: With his first respectable music album out in years and his multiple business ventures Diddy’s never too far from the top. (AP Photo)
1. Jay-Z – $37 million Worth it- Watch The Throne, Watch The Throne, Watch The Throne. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
An artist who makes money is labeled successful. But does that make them great at their craft? The Forbes 2011 hip-hop cash kings list dropped today, which got the staff at theGrio into a heated debate. Some of the stars who made the list include Birdman, Diddy, Nicki Minaj, Drake and Lil Wayne. We’ve critiqued each rapper on the Forbes list and decided if they truly deliver bang for their buck.
