50 Cent
Replacing Hov at the top of Forbes’ Cash King’s of Hip-Hop list, 50 Cent, who raked in $150 million in 2008, was on top of his business game. In part, 50 has Coca-Cola to thank. For the soft drink company’s purchase of Glaceau, which included 50’s 10% stake in Vitamin Water, for $4.2 billion, Mr. Jackson stands to earn up to $400 million. 50’s 2007 rivalry with Kanye helped sell 1.3 million copies of Curtis, while G-Unit’s sophomore effort, T.O.S., sold over 100,000 copies in the first week of its release. 50 also co-starred in Righteous Kill alongside legendary actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro and became executive producer of his own MTV reality show, 50 Cent: The Money and the Power, in 2008. 50 has more film projects in development. Talk about books: 50 and Robert Greene, the author of The 48 Laws of Power, are prepping the release of The 50th Law, an extension of Greene’s book for the Hip-Hop market. 50 will also assist Tia Kemp, one of Rick Ross’ babies’ mothers, with the release of her tell-all book, as announced on his superb Hip-Hop social site ThisIs50.com. Although G-Unit Clothing ceased production in February ‘08, limited items remain for sale online. Meanwhile, 50’s second video game, 50 Cent: Blood In The Sand, is soaring. Next up, 50 Cent branded platinum via a joint venture with South African billionaire Partrice Motsepe. Plain and simple, if you ain’t speaking money, you ain’t speaking 50’s language.