Age: 45
Net worth: $570 million
Profession: Musician
Country: US
Together with his wife, Beyoncé, 21-time Grammy winner Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, is part of the music industry's first billion-dollar couple.
The rapper-producer runs a far-reaching business empire that began when he took over as president and CEO of Def Jam Records in 2004 — the company bought his label, Roc-A-Fella, for a reported $10 million shortly after signing an estimated $20 million renewal contract with him and two business partners.
In 2007, Jay Z sold his clothing label, Rocawear, to Iconix Brand Group for $204 million. He left Def Jam to found Roc Nation — a record label, entertainment, and sports marketing company — seeded by a $150 million, 10-year contract with Live Nation Entertainment.
Over the years, Jay Z cashed in on endorsements with brands like Duracell Powermat and Reebok as well as investments in restaurants and sports teams. He's currently the owner of Armand de Brignac, a high-end Champagne brand; the 40/40 Club, a chain of sports bars and lounges; and Tidal, a music streaming service, which Apple has reportedly been in talks with to acquire.
9. LeBron James
Age: 31
Net worth: $600 million
Profession: Athlete
Country: US
The youngest person featured on this list, LeBron James started his NBA career straight out of high school when he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Though the Ohio native and three-time NBA champion has been among the highest-paid players since entering the league in 2003 — he's pulled in $170 million in NBA earnings — his real fortune stems from endorsements.
In 2006, James cofounded LRMR Marketing with childhood friend Maverick Carter and two other friends and has since made endorsement deals with companies such as McDonald's, Coca-Cola, and Dunkin Donuts. His most lucrative partnership is with Nike, which in 2015 gave him a lifetime deal that reportedly could end up being worth north of $1 billion.
Though his basketball career and many endorsement deals have helped forge a net worth of $600 million, James has his hand in other ventures as well. He's the cofounder of PureBrands, which builds energy patches for athletes, and SpringHill Entertainment, a digital video and production company that inked a deal with Time Warner last year.
Last year, he made his Hollywood debut in "Trainwreck."