In 2014, rappers are still guaranteed to get the party started, but how much bank are they actually making to keep the club crunk? According to Forbes, not nearly enough to be recognized as the top treasurer of the turntables. Where as names such as DJ’s Mustard, Khaled and Drama ring deafening bells in the Hip-Hop world, they are apparently no match for their electronic dance music (EDM) counterparts. For the second year in a row, Calvin Harris reigns supreme as the top cash cow with a needle. The Scottish born DJ has collaborated with the likes of Rihanna, Ne-Yo and estranged girlfriend Rita Ora in the past, and his $66 million earnings last year (up from $46 million in 2012) actually saw him surpass Jay Z and Toby Keith. Forbes reports that the top ten ranked artists actually combined for a gross income of $268 million. That is a lot of festivals (and potential drug use). Harris hasn’t even released an official album since 2012. His multi-year deal at America’s biggest nightclub, Hakkasan in Vegas ensures he doesn’t have to. Following Harris on the list are DJ’s David Guetta with $30 million in total earnings and Tiësto and Avicii with a $28 million tie. Perhaps the closet one with Hip-Hop ties is the #5 slot of Steve Aoki, who took Waka Flocka Flame underneath his wing on worldwide tours for much of the past year. His $23 million season is a clear-cut reason why the Brick Squad rap animal is trying his hand in the EDM market later this year. Dutch DJ Afrojack–who was placed in the center of the top 10–has previously collaborated with Chris Brown and Snoop Dogg as well. Of course, rap DJ’s still earn a respectable living but with these staggering figures, there’s no question that the less rhythm there is to the music, the better the pay for the disc jockey. Peruse through the pages below to see flicks of this year’s top 10 big buck DJs. — Photo: WENN
