Dr. Dre once declared himself “hip-hop’s first billionaire,” and it’s actually true now. The rap legend has been revealed as joining Forbes’ 2026 Billionaires List. He’s now one of only six music artists on the list.
According to the announcement, Dre joins “an elite group of celebrities who have recently crossed the three-comma threshold.” The other music industry names that appear on the list include Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Rihanna. Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen also make the list as well.
Dre previously made billion-dollar waves when he and record executive Jimmy Iovine sold their Beats by Dre business to Apple for $3 billion in 2014. That company later merged with Apple Music. At the time of the sale, Dre said, “They need to update the Forbes list, s*** just changed.”
Notably, the global billionaires list is much longer than you probably expect. As for where Dre falls, he is tied for 3332nd. He shares that placement with Rihanna, Jared Kushner, steel magnate Richard Teets Jr., and many others.
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Dr. Dre has been a staple of the hip-hop industry for four decades. The Compton, California, native got his start rapping and producing in the mid-80s. He was part of N.W.A., one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time.
In 1992, Dre dropped his debut solo album, The Chronic. It would go on to be considered one of the most iconic rap albums ever recorded. After spending years working behind the scenes with artists like Snoop Dogg and 2Pac, Dre dropped his second album. Released in 1999, the sophomore album, 2001, is also widely considered to be a hip-hop masterpiece.
In addition to his impressive work, Dr. Dre also helped get Eminem into the spotlight. He took the Detroit lyricist under his wing and, to this day, he believes Em is one of the best rappers to ever hold a mic.
Dr. Dre produced Eminem’s first four albums, with just two of them working together
During a 2024 appearance on This Life of Mine with James Corden, Dre recalled meeting Em for the first time. “Long story short, I met Eminem at Jimmy Iovine’s office, we slapped hands, went to the studio, and started recording,” Dr. Dre said of meeting Eminem.
He went on to share, “And I’m not sure if anybody knows this: I think the first four [Eminem] albums, was just me and [Eminem]. His writing and his delivery and his imagination is off the charts – and I don’t think anyone would disagree with that.”
Finally, Dre added, “I think he’s the best emcee ever.”
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