(Video) Forbes 2012 Top 20 Highest Paid Hip Hop Artists & Business Men

Superstar record producer Dr.Dre hits the top of this years list as the #1 earner in hip hop. Dr.Dre is reportedly the first artist in hip hop to crack the $100 Million mark since 50 Cent did it back in 2007. It is interesting to see that the top earners in hip hop make a majority of their earnings outside of the music industry through retail & investment business ventures.

Read on for the 2012 Top 20 List of the Top Money Earners In Hip Hop.

Forbes 2012 Highest Paid Hip Hop Business Men

1. Dr. Dre

2012 Earnings: $110 million

2. Diddy

2012 Earnings: $45 million

3. Jay-Z

2012 Earnings: $38 million

4. Kanye West

2012 Earnings: $35 million

5. Lil Wayne

2012 Earnings: $27 million

6. Drake

2012 Earnings: $20.5 million

7. Birdman

2012 Earnings: $20 million

8. Nicki Minaj

2012 Earnings: $15.5 million

9. Eminem

2012 Earnings: $15 million

10. Ludacris

2012 Earnings: $12 million

11. Pitbull

2012 Earnings: $9.5 million

12. Rick Ross

2012 Earnings: $9 million (tie)

13. Wiz Khalifa

2012 Earnings: $9 million (tie)

14. Snoop Dogg

2012 Earnings: $8 million

15. 50 Cent

2012 Earnings: $7.5 million

16. Swizz Beatz

2012 Earnings: $7 million (tie)

17. Pharrell

2012 Earnings: $7 million (tie)

18. Young Jeezy

2012 Earnings: $7 million (tie)

19. Mac Miller

2012 Earnings: $6.5 million

20. Akon

2012 Earnings: $6 million

(Video) Cash Kings 2012 – Forbes Top 20 Hip Hop Money Makers

Figures supplied by Forbes.com