Jay Z, P Diddy and 50 Cent are still the world's richest rappers

Forbes magazine unveiled yesterday its ‘Hip Hop Cash Kings’ list for 2007 – 2011, which revealed that Jay Z has earned more money than any other rapper in the world over the past five years, with his fortune standing at $251 million.

In second and third place were 50 Cent ($216 million) and P Diddy ($158 million), who respectively cashed in over the past half-decade on their lucrative Vitamin Water and Ciroc vodka deals.

This particular trio also topped the list together in 2007, in the first ever annual ‘Hip Hop Cash Kings’ list. Back then, it inspired them to release the track I Get Money (Forbes 1-2-3 Billion Dollar Remix), which you can stream below.

The news that they remain the three highest earners after five years is, according to Dan Charnas, author of The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop , due to the fact that “These particular acts all made a conscious decision to be businessmen…They have their artistic careers. But in many ways those careers are somewhat divorced from their trajectories as entrepreneurs and investors.”

Fourth on the list was Kanye West, who earned $100 million in the last five years despite investing in very little other than his music.