Sean "Diddy" Combs is No. 2 at $30 million, Akon ranks third with $21 million, Lil Wayne is fourth with $20 million and Dr. Dre is fifth with $17 million in earnings.
The magazine said rap artists are still finding ways to thrive in a slow economy and the changing landscape of the music industry.
According to Forbes, artists like Jay-Z, Diddy and Akon are creating brands for themselves and cashing in on other business ventures in addition to making music and launching tours.
