The Ghost of Christopher Wallace - Jay Electronica feat. Diddy

Jay Electronica - The Ghost of Christopher Wallace (feat. Diddy) by QUARTER WATER ENT.

Forbes: Hip-Hop Cash Kings

Forbes dropped their annual Hip-Hop Cash Kings list of rap’s biggest earners today.
1. Jay-Z - 35 Million
2. Diddy - 30 Million
3. Kanye West - 25 Million
4. 50 Cent - 20 Million
5. Akon - 20 Million
6. Lil Wayne - 18 Million
7. Timbaland - 17 Million
8. Pharrell - 16 Million
9. T-Pain - 15 Million
10. Eminem - 14 Million
11. Dr.Dre - 13 Million
12. Snoop Dogg - 11 Million
13. Ludacris - 10 Million
14. Common - 8 Million
15. Will.I.Am - 8 Million
16. T.I. - 8 Million
17. Swizz Beatz - 8 Million
18. Andre 3000 - 7 Million
19. Big Boi- 7 Million
20. Flo-Rida - 6 Million
21. Rick Ross - 6 Million
22. The Game - 6 Million
23. Young Jeezy- 6 Million

After attending the NBA Draft in June, Jay-Z threw a party at his 40/40 Club in midtown Manhattan, carousing into the wee hours of the morning with the likes of LeBron James and Spike Lee. Not bad for a guy who took a 57% pay cut this year.

The Brooklyn-born rapper pulled in an estimated $35 million over the past 12 months, topping our annual list of Hip-Hop Cash Kings. It's far from the $82 million he made last year, but more than enough to reclaim the crown from 2008's monarch, 50 Cent. The Queens native drops to fourth place with $20 million, down from $150 million a year ago.

Both rappers had a hard time living up to prior yearly totals fattened by one-time mega-deals. For 50, it was a $100 million windfall from the sale of his stake in VitaminWater parent Glacéau to Coca-Cola ( KO - news - people ); for Jay-Z, a front-loaded $150 million deal with concert promoter Live Nation ( LYV - news - people ).

"The timing of Jay's deal couldn't have been more perfect," says singer-songwriter-producer Akon, fourth on this year's list. "Those numbers aren't going to be flying around anymore."

Last year, the top 20 Hip-Hop Cash Kings made $500 million; this year they made $300 million, a 40% drop. 50 Cent's VitaminWater stake was responsible for one-fifth of the total take last year. Its absence accounts for half of hip-hop's year-over-year decline. Similarly, concert promoters have stopped pursing big "360" deals like the one signed by Jay-Z and LiveNation last year. "Those deals are pretty much done for now," says Chris White, an entertainment analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities.

The Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings list includes male recording artists whose work is primarily classified as hip-hop or rap. Their female counterparts can be found on our Cash Queens of Music list. Earnings estimates, which include income from record sales, digital downloads, touring, films, TV shows, endorsements, books and other entertainment ventures, are calculated between June 2008 and June 2009. Management, agent and attorney fees are not deducted.

In order to determine our list, we interviewed numerous sources within the music industry--including lawyers, media buyers and many of the artists themselves. We also conducted research via Billboard, Pollstar, Nielsen SoundScan and the Recording Industry Association of America, among others.

The diversified Diddy ranks second on our list with $30 million, down $5 million from last year, bringing in cash from clothing line Sean John, record label Bad Boy and reality TV shows Making the Band and Run's House. Kanye West rounds out the top three at $25 million, also $5 million less than last year, thanks in part to revenues from the tail-end of his "Glow in the Dark" tour and solid sales of his fourth album, 808s and Heartbreak. The self-proclaimed Louis Vuitton don moonlights as a shoe designer, recently crafting a successful limited-run Nike ( NKE - news - people ) line called the Air Yeezy; another for Vuitton is due out this summer.

Akon and Lil Wayne are among a select few who actually made more this year than last. The Senegalese crooner and dreadlocked rapper pulled in $20 million and $18 million, respectively, on the strength of frenetic touring schedules and lucrative collaborations.

One area where hip-hop continues to thrive is in the licensing and endorsement business. Jay-Z earned an estimated $1 million for the Budweiser ad campaign featuring his song "Show Me What You Got." Fellow rapper Common augmented his earnings by plugging Ford's ( F - news - people ) Lincoln Navigator; Diddy by shilling Ciroc vodka.

"Despite the economy, hip-hop is just as powerful as it's ever been in the endorsement and licensing world," says Ryan Schinman, chief of Platinum Rye, the world's largest buyer of music and talent for corporations. "Tween stars and rock legends are very reliable, but the impact of hip-hop on pop-culture and fashion continues to lead the charge." - Zack O'Malley Greenburg

Better On The Other Side (Tribute To MJ) - The Game, Chris Brown, Diddy, Polow Da Don, Mario Winans, Usher, Boyz II Men

Diddy's Ad libs crack me up. I like MJ's music too, but C'mon.

"Maybe" - Jay-Z & Diddy (NMC Exclusive)

Word on the street is that The NMC uncovered a missing/unfinished track from the American Gangster Archives.

UPDATE: Jay hit YN of RapRadar with some clarity. "Maybe" was a demo of a song he wrote for Puff. It was never his record. Or ever intended to be on American Gangster, the studio sessions from which it was recorded.

Sean John Combs: Once Upon a Time in America

Barry Michael Cooper presents Sean John Combs: Once Upon a Time in America, which is a candid interview with Sean "Diddy" Combs that discusses Diddy's decisions as a producer for the hip hop classic album "Ready to Die".

I want to work for Diddy on VH1

Hip-Pop Rockstar II

This is FIRE!

"Yesssssss! Just finished probably one of the Best mixtapes I ever produced in my career. Its called Hip-Pop Rockstar II. Its the 2nd one of the series, this time hosted by Diddy. Some of you may have heard or heard of the 1st I did with Tommy Lee. If you didn't hear it, its what most people call a mash up style cd but I call it Smash up style...its 80's, 90's and present day hits all mixed & smashed up but unlike you ever heard because not only are the smash ups already incredible but then I produce more music on top of some of them. This one blows the last one away. Its also done in association with E! Entertainment & the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas where we are launching the biggest weekly party every Saturday in 2008 @ Body English in the Hard Rock. Oh btw, I Debut an exclusive bonus track on this CD titled "On 2 you" Written, produced & yes performed by yours truly & it also features my boys Pitbull & Fatman Scoop.....Hope ya'll like it...Get Familiar!!!!" -DJ Clinton Sparks

Here is a link to download the Hip-Pop Rock Star II" mixtape hosted by Diddy.