Black America's Top Moneymakers

He’s come a long way from the gritty streets of Queens, New York. Rapper 50 Cent has to be respected as a full fledged businessman who garnered the majority of his wealth ($150 million total last year) by setting up deals outside of the rap game. He banked $100 million after taxes by selling his stake in VitaminWater to Coca-Cola, according to Forbes.com. His portfolio also includes the G-Unit clothing line, films, ringtones and video games. He’s got a powerhouse team behind him who help to oversee his growing empire. Rumor has it that he’s currently working on a $300 million agreement with MySpace.

Multimillion Dollar Lesson: Diversify your interests and you’ll diversify your wealth. "What a lot of people don’t realize is that hip-hop moguls like 50 Cent are taking ownership of their brands,” says Hawkins. “You would be hard-pressed to find a hip-hop figure who hasn’t ventured into ancillary industries. They’re always branching into different areas to grow their wealth.”