bernard
THEE Realist
From Jay-Z and LeBron James, to Oprah Winfrey and Rihanna, some of our favorite Black celebs have reached billionaire status and continued to inspire us with their rise to fame and success. Whether they amassed it through the music industry, sports, tech, media or otherwise, the fact that a handful of our people have made it into the upper economic echelons is a feat to behold.
And while we know conversations about rich Black folk and elitism tend to spark some serious debates on social media, it’s still worth looking into a handful of those who’ve accumulated insane levels of wealth. Yes, it’s true capitalism won’t save us. But we’d be lying if we said we weren’t a bit intrigued at some of its benefits for the small, select, suuuper-rich few.
So, keep reading and check out the list of the richest Black people in the world as of this year, according to Forbes.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Dr. Dre speaks onstage during the 2026 Recording Academy Honors presented by The Black Music Collective during the 68th GRAMMY Awards on January 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
As of 2026, rapper Dr. Dre has finally achieved billionaire status, tying for 3332nd spot alongside Rihanna and more. While the feat is admirable, the “California Love” rapper claimed he had hit this monetary mark in 2014 after he sold his Beats by Dre business to Apple for a whopping $3 billion deal. Additionally, his income is also due to the fact that he is the owner of his Aftermath Entertainment production company which used to have artists like 50 Cent, Eminem, and more on their roster. Dre is now the sixth musician to be placed on the list.
And while we know conversations about rich Black folk and elitism tend to spark some serious debates on social media, it’s still worth looking into a handful of those who’ve accumulated insane levels of wealth. Yes, it’s true capitalism won’t save us. But we’d be lying if we said we weren’t a bit intrigued at some of its benefits for the small, select, suuuper-rich few.
So, keep reading and check out the list of the richest Black people in the world as of this year, according to Forbes.
Dr. Dre
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Dr. Dre speaks onstage during the 2026 Recording Academy Honors presented by The Black Music Collective during the 68th GRAMMY Awards on January 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
As of 2026, rapper Dr. Dre has finally achieved billionaire status, tying for 3332nd spot alongside Rihanna and more. While the feat is admirable, the “California Love” rapper claimed he had hit this monetary mark in 2014 after he sold his Beats by Dre business to Apple for a whopping $3 billion deal. Additionally, his income is also due to the fact that he is the owner of his Aftermath Entertainment production company which used to have artists like 50 Cent, Eminem, and more on their roster. Dre is now the sixth musician to be placed on the list.