Controversy sells. Kanye West has been named Forbes’ annual highest-paid musician of 2020.

The rapper and Yeezy designer also earned second place on the general highest-paid celebrity list with a reported income of $170 million. 

Ahead of him on that list, sits his wife’s sister Kylie Jenner, who reportedly earned $590 million in large part to her popular cosmetics company. 

US rapper Kanye West attends the WSJ Magazine 2019 Innovator Awards at MOMA on November 6, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

He beat out Elton John, Arianna Grande and the Jonas Brothers to land at the top slot. Other Black celebrities in the top ten: Tyler Perry (#6 at $97 million), LeBron James (#9 at $88.2 million) and Dwayne Johnson (#10 at $87.5 million).

The list is being published at a precarious time in the music industry. The touring that heavily contributes to artists’ revenues has ceased as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

West, who publicly protested his absence from the magazine’s Billionaires list, provided the publication with ample receipts of his income.

INDIO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 21: Kanye West performs Sunday Service during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 21, 2019 in Indio, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for Coachella)

According to The Hollywood Reporter, he mused about changing his name to Christian Genius Billionaire, lest anyone is confused about the state of his financial assets.

Recently he has opted to put some of his well-publicized wealth to good use. According to CNN, he has gifted a $2 million donation to the surviving family members of police brutality victims George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.

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