Counting Down Hip-Hop's Cash Kings

Who earned the most cash in the world of hip-hop last year? No, it wasn't Classified, Moka Only or even J-Roc. We're talking Yankee greenbacks here, and lots of them.

According to the Forbes.com financial news website, Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) topped the list of "Hip-Hop Cash Kings" based on estimated 2006 income of $34 million U.S. The 37-year-old Def Jam head sold about two million copies of his Kingdom Come album, owns part of the New Jersey Nets basketball team and upscale New York City sports bar the 40/40 Club, was one of the founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc-La-Familia, Roc-A-Fella Films and Rocawear, and has endorsement deals with Budweiser, Hewlett-Packard and General Motors. He probably doesn't get paid for it, but he also sleeps with Beyonce.

Close behind in second place was 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) with 2006 earnings of $32 million from his own record sales as well as those of other G-Unit artists, G-Unit Clothing Company, G-Unit Books, acting and other ventures.

Diddy (real name Sean Combs) was third with $28 million from record sales, heading Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment and the Sean John clothing line, and owning two Justin's restaurants.

Here are hip-hop's other top 2006 earners, according to Forbes' estimates:

Timbaland $21 million
Dr. Dre $20 million
Eminem $18 million
Snoop Dogg $17 million
Kanye West $17 million
Pharrell Williams $17 million
Scott Storch $17 million
Ludacris $16 million
T.I. $16 million
Outkast $14 million
Lil Jon $14 million
Ice Cube $13 million
Jermaine Dupri $12 million
Swizz Beatz $12 million
Chamillionaire $11 million
The Game $11 million
Young Joc $10 million