Jay-Z was named in the Forbes Magazine's annual "Celebrity 100 Power List," joining Oprah Winfrey, Madonna, Tiger Woods and Brad Pitt who were also among the top ten most paid and talked about stars of TV, film, sports and music.
According to Forbes, Jay-Z (born Sean Carter) earned around $83 million in the past year, landing him at the No. 9 position. Hov outranked director Steven Spielberg who stood at No. 10 and also left his rap peers at bay as 50 Cent and Sean "Diddy" Combs placed 32nd and 43rd, respectively.
Forbes, who went to press before Coca Cola offered $4.1 billion for vitamin water company Glaceau; which 50 Cent owns a minor stake in, predicts the G-Unit boss will be ranked higher next year and is expected to take in $100 million thanks to the deal.
"It speaks to transcendence of hip-hop into the popular culture," Forbes' associate editor Lee Goldman told New York's Daily News. "And it has nothing to do with the music. You're seeing a 'brand' of musicians who make their money from their business ventures."
Since the top of the year Jay-Z has closed several major business deals, including a partnership. General Motors to collaborate on a new concept vehicle and a deal with Coca-Cola . In March, Jay also sold his Rocawear clothing line to the Iconix Brand Group Inc for $204 million in cash. In addition reports surfaced in April that Jigga is currently in negotiations with champagne giant Armand de Brignac, well known for its "Ace of Spades" logo.