Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs named highest-paid entertainer of 2017

LOS ANGELES — Sean “Diddy” Combs has topped a list of high-earning entertainers — again.

Earning US$130 million (S$180 million) in the past 12 months, Combs edged out Beyonce for the top spot on Forbes’ list of 2017’s highest-paid entertainers. Forbes credits his Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour, a partnership with Diageo’s Ciroc vodka, and selling one-third of his Sean John clothing line, estimated at S$70 million, for not just cracking the list, but taking the No 1 slot.

Combs has topped Forbes’ annual ranking of the top five wealthiest hip-hop artists six years in a row.

And even with taking a break from touring to welcome her twins, Beyonce jumped from No 34 last year to No 2 this year, thanks to her Formation World Tour, which grossed a quarter of a billion dollars, and the release of her visual album Lemonade.

Author J K Rowling (US$95 million), Drake (US$94 million), and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (US$93 million) round out the top five.

The biggest dip came from Taylor Swift, who, without a tour, fell from the top spot to No 49, the largest decrease (from US$170 million in 2016 to US$44 million in 2017) of anyone on the list.

Newcomers on the Celebrity 100 list are Kylie Jenner, Amy Schumer, Chance the Rapper, and Steve Harvey. Returnees, some of whom owe Netflix streaming for their salaries, include Adam Sandler, Dave Chappelle, and Chris Rock, who estimated US$20 million each for their Netflix specials.

Though there are more women on the list than last year, not one female movie star ranked, compared to 10 male actors who made the cut. VARIETY.COM/REUTERS