Kendrick Lamar Tops Hip-Hop Earners In 2025, Surpassing Drake By Wide Margin

The Compton rapper brought in $109 million last year, fueled by a blockbuster tour and the fallout from a high-profile feud that reshaped rap’s financial hierarchy.

Kendrick Lamar emerged as the highest-earning rapper of 2025, outpacing longtime rival Drake by a significant margin and solidifying his financial dominance following a year defined by public conflict and commercial success.

According to Forbes’ annual ranking of the world’s highest-paid musicians, Lamar earned an estimated $109 million, placing him fourth overall on the list. Drake, by comparison, ranked seventh with $78 million — a $31 million gap that underscores how dramatically the balance shifted between the two superstars over the past year.

Much of that Forbes-reported separation can be traced back to Lamar’s highly publicized feud with Drake, which reached its peak with the release of the diss track “Not Like Us.” The song became a cultural flashpoint, topping charts and drawing widespread attention beyond hip-hop audiences. While the track itself dominated streaming platforms, its broader impact helped propel Lamar’s brand and demand for touring to new heights.

Drake attempted to push back against Lamar legally. In January 2025, the Canadian rapper filed a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, alleging the label improperly promoted “Not Like Us,” which he claimed damaged his reputation and placed him in danger. That effort failed months later when a federal judge dismissed the case in October, leaving Drake with mounting legal costs and an unsuccessful appeal attempt.

Lamar’s earnings came despite the absence of a new solo album in 2025. Instead, his revenue was driven largely by streaming royalties from his extensive catalog and the overwhelming success of his “Grand National Tour.” The global trek generated more than $350 million, making it one of the highest-grossing tours of the year and a major contributor to his income.

The broader Forbes list was led by The Weeknd, who topped all artists with $298 million, followed by Taylor Swift at $202 million and Beyoncé at $148 million. Lamar’s fourth-place finish made him the top-earning rapper on the entire list — a distinction that carries added weight given his rivalry with Drake.

Despite the financial setback, Drake closed 2025 as Spotify’s most-streamed artist worldwide, highlighting the gap that can exist between streaming popularity and overall earnings. Lamar’s performance, by contrast, demonstrated how touring power and cultural influence can translate into outsized revenue.

The earnings report capped off a difficult year for Drake, who faced not only the fallout from the feud but also legal challenges tied to alleged streaming fraud. For Lamar, the numbers confirmed what many fans already believed: winning the culture battle can be just as lucrative as winning the charts.