Author: Publisher

Six years ago Dr. Dre was walking along the beach with Interscope Records chief Jimmy Iovine, pondering whether or not he should launch his own shoe line. “[Forget] sneakers,” said Iovine. “Let’s sell speakers!”

It might have been the best piece of advice the rapper-producer ever received. In 2008 he teamed with Iovine and a handful of other partners to launch Beats By Dr. Dre, which now sells more than half of the country’s premium headphones ($100 and up). That’s music to the ears of Dr. Dre, who collected $100 million pretax when handset maker HTC paid $300 million for a 51% stake in the company last year.

With $110 million in pretax earnings, Dr. Dre is this year’s Hip-Hop Cash King—despite the fact that his long-awaited album, Detox, remains on the shelf. He’s not the only one on the list who banks the bulk of his bucks outside the recording studio. Diddy ranks No. 2 with $45 million, thanks mostly to a share of profits from Diageo’s Ciroc vodka; Jay-Z ranks third with $38 million, pulling in more than half his annual earnings from ventures including ownership stakes in cosmetics company Carol’s Daughter, the Brookyln Nets and a joint venture with battery maker Duracell (for more, check out my Jay-Z biography, Empire State of Mind).

“The reality of it is, you want to do something that you own,” says frequent Jay-Z collaborator Timbaland, who ranks No. 20 on the list with $6 million. “You want to own what you put your heart into. That’s how you make money.”

Kanye West ranks fourth on the list with $35 million, fueled by his Watch the Throne album with Jay-Z and the ensuing tour, followed by Lil Wayne at $27 million. The diminutive rhymester’s latest album, Tha Carter IV, sold a million copies in its first week; he also launched clothing line Trukfit and a partnership with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew, the first major product endorsement in the veteran rapper’s career.

Lil Wayne is joined on the Cash Kings list by labelmates Drake (No. 6) and Nicki Minaj (No. 8), who banked $20.5 million and $15.5 million, respectively, thanks to new albums, tours and product endorsements with companies like Kodak and Pepsi. Their boss, Cash Money co-founder Bryan “Birdman” Williams, ranks seventh with $20 million. Even lower down on the list, artists are getting paid considerable sums to shill products.

“We’ve received a lot of income based around endorsements,” says former Def Jam President Kevin Liles, who now manages a host of artists including No. 18 Young Jeezy. “A lot of brands are saying, ‘Hey, there’s a value proposition, instead of this freewheeling spending … I have some guaranteed curators and travel agents that can help me reach the consumer in a better way.’”

Yet for a few artists, music alone is a viable path to earning millions. No. 9 Eminem sold more albums last decade than any artist, and continues to cash in from his extensive back catalog and occasional tour dates, pulling in $15 million.

Ludacris rounds out the top ten with earnings of $12 million (for more, see “Ludacris Dreams: A Rap Mogul Diversifies”). The multihyphenate mogul’s non-musical ventures include Conjure cognac, headphone line Soul, voiceovers for RadioShack and roles in movies such as Fast Five and New Year’s Eve.

“We work so hard that we never get a real chance to stop and reflect on what we’ve done sometimes,” says Ludacris. “So the FORBES list is a great representation of, ‘You know what, wow, we are out here working as hard as hell!’”

To compile the Cash Kings list, which charts pretax earnings for all living artists whose work is primarily classified as hip-hop or rap, we looked at income from touring, record sales, publishing, films, merchandise sales, endorsements and other ventures. Management, agent and attorney fees are not deducted; earnings are tabulated from May 2011 to May 2012 and based on data from Pollstar, the Recording Industry Association of America and Nielsen SoundScan, and from interviews with numerous managers, lawyers, record executives and some of the artists themselves.

All in all, hip-hop’s top 20 earners pulled in $415 million last year, the most since 2008’s $515 million. The more recent total got a heavy boost from Dr. Dre’s impressive haul, but it doesn’t mean he’s resting on his financial laurels. Earlier this summer, he and his partners bought back half of the 51% stake in Beats that they sold to HTC nearly a year ago—meaning that fans waiting for his new album might have to hold out a little longer.

“I understand why Dre didn’t finish Detox,” says Liles, with a laugh. “It’s called Beats.”

Forbes

One Direction had the girls screaming, Frank Ocean gave a soft, poignant performance and Chris Brown and Drake were in the same venue with not a bottle thrown. Save for a saucy Rihanna number and a few off-color jokes, the MTV Video Music Awards were a rather tame affair this year.

Perhaps that’s to be expected with a group of teenagers at the center of things.

Rihanna started the show with a sexy medley performance before capping it with a win for the night’s top honor, video of the year.
One Direction owned the rest of the show. The heartthrob British boy band quickly changed the focus Thursday night, winning three awards and stealing the attention from Rihanna.

“We’ve grown up watching this show and to even be here is an honor,” Niall Horan said from the stage.

Rihanna kicked off the party sitting regally upon a throne as she performed her new song “Cockiness (I Love It)” with A$AP Rocky and two groups of dancers. She then made her way into the pit at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and launched into her hit “We Found Love” as she weaved through the crowd, touching hands with dozens of fans.

“Doesn’t my girl Rihanna look sexy tonight?” Katy Perry asked the crowd after the performance.

The camera was on her all night — when it wasn’t highlighting One Direction. The group quickly took the overall spotlight, bringing high-pitched screams from the crowd upon winning best pop video. It was the night’s first televised award and one of five top-nominee Rihanna was up for. They also won best new artist and the most share-worthy moonman.

The quintet, put together by Simon Cowell after “The X Factor” auditions and the first British act to debut atop the Billboard 200 album chart, seemed stunned as fans screamed upon announcement of their win.

The group performed later, rising to a stairwell surrounded by screaming, reaching female fans on an elevated platform and bringing most attendees to their feet. Members of the U.S. gymnastics team sang along to their song “One Thing” and cameras caught Perry and Rihanna whispering to each other.

“This has been unbelievable,” Harry Styles said backstage. “This was our favorite performance we’ve ever done. For us to be here in the first place is amazing, and to perform and win a moonman is amazing.”

While there was no easily identifiable signature moment early on, there were a few interesting sights. Pink floated above the crowd on a pair of oversized lips as she performed her new song “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” before Ocean wowed with a somber, moonlit version of his song “Thinking About You.” Then there was Olympic champion Gabby Douglas flipping on stage to a new Alicia Keys song.

Brown pulled off something of an upset in the best male video category. Rihanna’s former boyfriend won for his self-directed video “Turn Up The Music,” beating out several top stars, including Drake, who tied Rihanna for most nominations. Brown also won for best cinematography. M.I.A. was the night’s only other multiple winner, taking two off-camera awards for direction and cinematography.
Drake, though, won best hip-hop video for “HYFR,” which featured Lil Wayne. He talked about his black and Jewish roots growing up in Toronto and his sometimes outsider status.

“I want to dedicate this award to any kid that’s ever had a long walk home by yourself,” Drake said. “This is for you, man, for real. We made it.”

Host Kevin Hart, who promised no one would be spared his comedic barbs, opened up old wounds between Brown and Drake in his opening monologue, spoofing the two for the bar brawl that took place between their entourages in June.

Drake and friends Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne sat stone-faced as Hart joked: “Nip it in the bud, guys. I’m tired of it. Fix it tonight.”
Minaj, dressed in a skintight full-body outfit, won best female video for “Starships.” And Coldplay won best rock video for “Paradise.”

MTV tried something new this year, unveiling a double-decker red carpet that featured two stories of stars and celebrities. Thousands of fans lined up outside the show’s new home, the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

In a bit of foreshadowing, One Direction drew the loudest cheers of the day — something even rivals The Wanted acknowledged — even though fans had to labor under a scorching sun with the temperature at 90 degrees.

The sun was especially hot for Amber Rose, who accentuated her pregnant belly with a black lace gown as she and fiance Wiz Khalifa showed off a baby bump.

“I’m hot, and my feet hurt, but I look gorgeous,” Rose said.
While touching, the moment didn’t rise to the level of The Baby Bump, when Beyonce showed her unannounced pregnancy on the red carpet last year, Taylor vs. Kanye or The Kiss.

Lil Wayne had one of the night’s most tweeted performances when he debuted his heavily bleeped new song “No Worries.” Taylor Swift crowd-surfed after closing the show with a spunky version of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together Again.” And Keys, who debuted “Girl on Fire,” drew attention well before she took the stage. The singer and her producer husband Swizz Beatz were spotted with their almost 2-year-old son, Egypt, bobbing up and down on Beatz’ lap during Pink’s expletive-laden performance of “Blow Me (One Last Kiss).”

There was hubbub on Twitter where several of Keys’ fans noted the bawdy nature of the VMAs. Others just thought Egypt was cute.

New Jersey

Since opening its doors in March, 2010, Uburanga Art Studio has swiftly emerged as one of Rwanda’s leading art organizations. But it is more than that. Behind it’s abstract forms and vibrant paint strokes lies a powerful story of the potential for business when people and planet come before profit.

Jean Bosco Bakunzi, a 26 year old survivor and orphan of the genocide, founded Uburanga Art Studio, named after the Kinyarwanda word for “beauty” with the mission “to heal people mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.” Already representing eleven other young visual artists, Uburanga is evolving into Rwanda’s leading incubator of artistic talent. In addition to training and connecting its artists to commercial markets, Bakunzi leads a number of projects in the community. One such project involves weekly arts and crafts classes held for children living at the Gisimba Orphanage and throughout the studio’s hillside neighborhood. The artists of Uburanga teach the children to make postcards and jewelry which are sold to tourists and admirers. All of the proceeds are then reinvested into the program to purchase art supplies for the classes and to help the children pay for school fees, health care, and other living expenses. Bakunzi’s eyes light up when he talks about his students: “With this project, we are able to help children deal with the traumas and challenges they have faced in their lives by inspiring them and helping develop their skills and creativity so that they can look to a brighter future.”

Bakunzi also encourages his young artists to seek inspiration through nature and Uburanga prides itself on environmentally sustainable artwork. Across half of the property slopes a grassy hill brought to life by vibrant forms made of materials from the local landfill – a theme park of animated scrap metal and old auto parts. A crane made of bottle caps spreads its wings to fly. Car tires labeled peace, love, dream, and life appear to bounce freely around the yard. Enclosing the property is a brick wall splashed with a sequence of colorful murals envisioning Rwanda’s bright future.

Narrowly escaping death in 1994, eight-year-old Bakunzi led his four younger siblings to a local orphanage where they were hidden and protected for over three months until the end of the genocide. For the next several years, Bakunzi lived at Gisimba Orphanage. Seeking to overcome the agony and confusion of losing his family and the hatred for the people who took their lives, he sought healing by experimenting with crayons, pastels and whatever else he could find. After school, he would lose himself for hours, painting out his emotions onto canvases of all forms without any guidance other than classic images of artists like Picasso and Marc Chagall.

As Bakunzi continued to paint, his reputation grew. He quickly became a sought after resource for NGO’s and small businesses seeking graphic design work on signposts throughout the country. He was not compensated for his work, however his new network provided a market for his colorful paintings and a means to further cultivate his skills and provide for his younger brothers and sisters. Bakunzi’s paintings became known for their fluidity, semi-abstract forms, unique textures, and diverse explosions of color, often espousing themes of traditional Rwandan culture.

Last week, one of Bakunzi’s dreams became a reality when he arrived in the US for the first time. He traveled up and down California’s coastline to showcase his paintings and tell the Uburanga story at pop-up art shows from San Francisco to Los Angeles and Orange County. Every day, Ubranga Art Studio lives out its mission to heal people through beauty. In Rwanda, Uburanga inspires hope in the youth of Rwanda. Now, the studio is reaching across continents and cultures to touch the hearts of people in America, Germany and Luxumbourg.

Ask Bakunzi about his vision for the future of the studio and you will hear even greater ambitions. He hopes to someday pursue a college degree in graphic design, but wants to wait until he has paid off tuition for his youngest brother who himself is studying graphic design at a college in Nairobi, Kenya. Eventually, Bakunzi hopes to grow Uburanga into a multimedia art studio spanning multiple continents that seeks to inspire people toward reconciliation of past conflict and catalyze human connection across cultural and regional boundaries – all the while generating profit and embracing environmentally sustainability.

Let us celebrate Uburanga Art Studio as reminder that the principles of people, planet and profit can extend across oceans, cultures and social disciplines to an art studio striving to heal a battle-scared nation in the middle of Africa.

Triple Pundit