We all know cats have made major gwap with this thing of ours called Hip Hop. Now find out who the five wealthiest individuals are in the game…
Back in 2007, Jay-Z, Diddy and 50 Cent released “I Get Money (The Forbes 1-2-3 Billionaire Remix).” The song was a celebration of the artists’ inclusion atop the first-ever Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings list, now an annual package on the genre’s top-earning artists.

It seems fitting that those same three artists find themselves in an even more exclusive group—the Forbes Five, a short list of hip-hop’s wealthiest moguls. Indeed, the original trio boasts a combined net worth well over a billion dollars, rendering their lyrical prognostications accurate. They’re joined by Dr. Dre, flush with cash from his Beats headphone line, and Cash Money Records cofounder Bryan “Birdman” Williams.

“One of my motivations in life is to be a billionaire,” said Birdman in a telephone interview with FORBES. “We’re going to keep working hard until we get our brand to be as big as possible. That’s the goal in life, that’s what I live for.”

Diddy is the closest to becoming a billionaire, leading the pack with a net worth of $550 million. The Bad Boy Records founder has remained a mainstream mainstay for 15 years thanks to his knack for self-promotion. Lately, he’s been channeling that energy toward Diageo-backed Ciroc vodka, much to the benefit of his bank account: he receives double-digit millions annually as a share of profits. Sales of the spirit spiked 122% last year in the wake of strong demand for new flavor Ciroc Peach; he is entitled to a nine-figure chunk of cash if the brand is ever sold.

Diddy also boasts stakes in clothing lines Sean John and Enyce, marketing firm Blue Flame, record label Bad Boy and a handful of tech startups. But it’s his deal with Comcast to launch cable channel Revolt in 2013 that could push him into billionaire territory. He’ll own the channel outright, and based on projected viewership totals, its value could soar into the low-to-mid nine figures within the next few years.

Next up is Jay-Z at $460 million. Unlike his fellow Forbes Five members, Jay-Z still churns out music and goes on tour—most recently with pal Kanye West—adding to his considerable war chest. He sold his Rocawear clothing label for $204 million in 2007 and signed 10-year $150 million deal with Live Nation in 2008, and also holds stakes in the New Jersey Nets, his 40/40 Club chain, ad firm Translation, cosmetics company Carol’s Daughter and other businesses.

“Who’s going to be hip-hop’s first billionaire is still to be determined,” says Steve Stoute, the advertising guru who founded and co-owns Translation with Jay-Z. “But clearly Jay and Puffy are far and away positioned to surpass that.”

Dr. Dre ranks third with $270 million, doubling from a year ago thanks to a major sale. In August, handset maker HTC paid $300m to buy a 51% stake in Beats Electronics, the company founded by Dr. Dre and Interscope chief Jimmy Iovine in 2008.

Sources say each owned a third of the company before the deal, placing Dre’s cut at $85 million after taxes. The agreement also values Dre’s remaining stake at $100 million, which could increase rapidly as the company continues to expand.

Birdman clocks in at No. 4 with a fortune of $125 million. He cofounded Cash Money Records with brother Ronald “Slim” Williams two decades ago, inking very favorable $30 million distribution deal with Universal in 1998. The label’s value is increasing with the success of rappers Drake, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne (who shares ownership of sub-label Young Money).

There’s even more cash on the horizon: Cash Money’s deal with Universal is up this summer, raising the prospect of a bidding war for the right to distribute the label’s releases.

“Right now we are with Universal and we’re just trying to do the best music possible,” Birdman told me. “I’m loyal to my team, and to success. Whoever gives the most benefit to my team, which isf irst, and to its success, that’s where we’ll end up at.”

Rounding out the Forbes Five is Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson at $110 million. The Queens-born rapper earned $100 million for his Vitaminwater stake in 2007—and tens of millions more from touring, record sales and clothing—but spent freely on cars and renovations to his mansion, formerly owned by Mike Tyson. Still, a nice cushion remains from his back catalog, acting gigs and 50 Cent-themed videogames, shoes and books, as well as his new headphone line SMS. Next up: an energy shot called Street King, which promises to feed hungry children—and 50′s bank account.

Still, there’s no guarantee that hip-hop’s first billionaire will come from this group of five.

“As much as it’s easy to say it’ll be Diddy or Jay, you don’t necessarily know, given what a guy like Kanye or Will.i.am is capable of doing,” says Stoute. “In a world where people are creating applications that sell for a billion dollars, you never know who’s going to come out of left field.”

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Mediaoutrage- It’s amazing when you reflect back to a time when all of these brothers were just trying to get on and now they’re worth over $100 million easy. If you had to predict which one of these individuals would hit the billion mark first, who would it be and why???

50 Cent shared his thoughts on the guilty verdict handed down on Monday in the case of Dr. Conrad Murray.

Here’s what Fif had to say

The lovely Garcelle Beauvais was in attendance to the LA premiere of “Real Steel” the other night. We think she looks damn good but what about you MO???

Ya boy Curtis Jackson was there pushing his new SK energy drink:

50 Cent got on the horn with Funkmaster Flex and told him what really happened between Ray J and Fabolous. Interesting how his story matches up with one of their’s….

A woman says she was attacked at Fiddy’s Connecticut mansion back in 2009 and has now filed a lawsuit for it:

A woman that was assaulted and beaten at 50 Cent’s mansion has filed a lawsuit against the rapper and several employees of G–Unit Records.

Vasti Ortiz filed the lawsuit in Superior Court of Hartford, Connecticut against G-Unit Films and Television and Curtis Jackson, a.k.a. 50 Cent.

Ortiz’ lawsuit claims that she was assaulted by 50 Cent’s associate Dwayne McKenzie, during a visit to the rapper’s sprawling mansion, in August of 2009.

According to the lawsuit, a woman named Ivy Medina invited  Vasti Ortiz and her friends to the mansion around 1:30 AM.

Ortiz claims that Dwayne McKenzie was at the mansion acting as an employee ofG-Unit.

When McKenzie began to make “awkward sexual requests,” the women attempted to leave.

Click Here to read the rest.

Curtis Jackson and Omarion shared a laugh between “friends” last night at the Hudson Hotel Library Bar for the “Street King” launch. MO is there anything suspect about this moment?

It wasn’t just them two in the building, there were other recognizable faces…

How u doin???

Lil Kim performed in Melbourne, Australia with 50 Cent and Mario. She must have done a Michael Jackson tribute and thus the glitter glove.

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50 Cent partied in the Cannes, France this weekend. Looks like Fifty had a good time rockin’ the mic for the good folks. He’s sort of irrelevant right now being that Jay-Z and Kanye have kidnapped the game with “Watch The Throne.”

Who’s really checkin’ for 50 besides these people in France???

50 Cent says things are really F’d up over at Interscope Records so there won’t be a new album for him in the near future:

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50 Cent’s image just took a turn for the worse, either that or he’s trying to resurrect the same jheri curl that left spots on the couch in Coming II America. SMH.

50 was in Aruba promoting “Things Fall Apart” during their international film festival. Ladies you feelin’ Curtis’ new look? Don’t front like you wouldn’t run your hands through it lol.

More Jheri in a minute