Rihanna: $53 Million
The Barbados-born diva lands on our list for the first time thanks to hits including “We Found Love” and “Talk That Talk,” as well as endorsements with the likes of Vita Coco and Nivea. Her fragrance, Reb’l Fleur, adds millions more to her coffers, as does her heavy touring schedule that included over 85 shows in the past 12 months.Lil Wayne: 27 Million
The diminutive rhymester had his most lucrative year yet, thanks in part to new album Carter IV, which sold nearly 1 million copies in its opening week last summer. But the bulk of his earnings came from playing over 50 shows in the past 12 months, grossing upwards of $600,000 per night. Expect Lil Wayne to keep getting bigger; he also launched a clothing line, Trukfit, and inked his first big endorsement deal, a multimillion dollar pact with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew.
Forbes Full List
Forbes calculates how much Lil Wayne and Rihanna made from, May 2011 to May 2012. Rihanna got artists fighting over her while she is cashing out.
