Nicki Minaj Debuts on Forbes’ Cash Kings (Queens) 2011 List!

We’re always interested and love to count other people’s money! They might have to soon call it Forbes’ Cash Kings and Queens List! Congratulations to Nicki Minaj for making her first debut on Forbes’ Cash Kings (Queens) 2011 –  Hip-Hop’s Top 20 Earners list– a list usually dominated by male artist!

Below is Forbes’ Cash Kings 2011 list: Hip-Hop’s Top 20 Earners. These estimates include income from record sales, touring, digital downloads, films, merchandise sales, endorsements, books and other entertainment ventures; management, agent and attorney fees are not deducted. Earnings are calculated for the period from May 2010 to May 2011.

On August 8th, Jay-Z and Kanye West dropped their long-awaited collaboration, Watch the Throne. The album’s timing and title couldn’t have been more appropriate—the Empire State of Mind rapper is hip-hop’s top earner with $37 million in the past 12 months, claiming his fourth Cash Kings crown in five years; his partner-in-rhyme ranked third. – Forbes

1. 1. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, $37 million
2. Sean “Diddy” Combs, $35 million
3. Kanye West, $16 million
4. Dwayne “Lil Wayne” Carter, $15 million (tie)
4. Bryan “Birdman” Williams, $15 million (tie)
6. Marshall “Eminem” Mathers, $14 million (tie)
6. Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, $14 million (tie)
6. Calvin “Snoop Dogg” Broadus, $14 million (tie)
9. Aliuane “Akon” Thiam, $13 million
10. Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges, $12 million
11. Cameron “Wiz Khalifa” Thomaz, $11 million (tie)
11. Aubrey “Drake” Graham, $11 million (tie)

13. Pharrell Williams, $10 million
14. Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley, $7 million
15. Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean, $6.5 million (tie)
15. Onika “Nicki Minaj” Maraj, $6.5 million (tie)
17. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, $6 million (tie)
17. William “Rick Ross” Roberts, $6 million (tie)
17. Armando “Pitbull” Perez, $6 million (tie)
20. Faheem “T-Pain” Najm, $5 million (tie)
20. Bobby “B.o.B” Simmons, Jr., $5 million (tie)