Every year the public is graced with several repetitive lists of some of the top money making men in hip-hop culture. We’ve learned not to flinch as we learn the huge sums reaped by repeat high-earners such as Jay-Z, Diddy, Kanye West and others. These “cash kings” (as they are called by Forbes) tip the scales as some of the most wealthy figures in today’s pop world. But even in an environment that is so male-dominated, these men are not the only ones who can rake in the big bucks. Female hip-hop icons are also making a lot of noise in and out of the studio, and collecting quite a bit of cash along the way. Let’s check out some of hip-hop’s top earning cash queens that prove ladies are also running things in the world of rap.

Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott : The Game Changer, $225 million

This unique recording artist and songwriter has been bringing her midas touch to the music industry for almost two decades now. Beginning as a songwriter for ’90s R&B super group Jodeci, Missy Elliott finally got her big break with her memorable verse on Gina Thompson’s 1996 single “The Things That You Do” Bad Boy remix. Since then things have gone nothing but uphill for this talented woman. On top of garnering five Grammy wins, Missy is also the only female rapper to have six albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one double-platinum record with 2002’s “Under Construction.” She has sold over 7 million albums domestically, and holds songwriting and production credits for a number of top artists from Whitney Houston to Beyonce. And Missy doesn’t stop there. She has also snagged endorsement deals from top companies like Coca-Cola, Gap, M.A.C. Cosmetics, and even her own Adidas clothing line “Respect M.E.” Missy has also been endorsing several big checks at the bank, as she reportedly has an impressive net worth of $225 million. Now that’s hittin’ em with the hee!

Note: This list contains amalgamated estimates of each artist’s overall net worth based on earnings from record sales, touring and performances, brand endorsements, property and business investments, TV/film projects, etc. Sources include: www.celebritynetworth.com, www.hiphopqueens.com, www.globalgrind.com, www.wikipedia.com, and http://whatuwantnow.blogspot.com.

Remember that guy in high school with all the tattoos, who showed up late to class and never raised his hand to participate in group discussions? Although we stuck our nose up at him, clutching our books on our way to homeroom, there was something we couldn’t resist. Admit it: Bad boys are hot.

Granted, we wouldn’t settle down or encourage our girlfriends to date a man who has been in-and-out of jail or seems to live carelessly, we can admire his dashing looks from afar. We took time to salute 10 handsome men in Hollywood who drive us wild with their bad boy reps.

Take a look:

Read the rest of this entry »