Jay-Z Earnes More Than Beyoncé For The First Time Since 2008

Business | hiphopucit | May 19, 2011 at 8:50 am

Celebrity power couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé have been raking in the big bucks for nearly a decade, besting most of their fellow power couples when it comes to earning power. But individually, Beyoncé has been the breadwinner of the household, earning millions more than her Roc Nation husband, following their marriage in 2008. But now, with the release of Forbes annual Celeb 100 package, Jay-Z has finally overtaken his wife when it comes to their finances.

According to the package, Jay-Z took home $37 million over the past 12 months, edging out Beyoncé by $2 million. The “Blueprint” emcee made his millions from a variety of sources this year, including his 10-year, $150 million multiple rights deal with concert promoter Live Nation, endorsements and ownership stakes in a range of companies including ad firm Translation and nightspot 40/40 Club, and his memoir, Decoded, which was released last November.

For the “Who Runs The World (Girls)” entertainer, most of her earnings poured in from her clothing line, Dereon, and her numerous endorsement deals with companies such as L’Oreal, DirecTV, General Mills and others.

Although both have seen a drop in income due to a lack of touring, both are expected to see a rise in earnings over the next year with the release of Jay-Z’s collaboration album with Kanye West, Watch The Throne, and Beyoncé’s forthcoming album, 4.

And while we’re sure the headstrong and savvy entertainers enjoy sharing the throne, we’re sure it’ll be fun to see who ends out on top on next year’s list.

What do you think of Jay-Z earning more than his wife? Who do you think will earn more next year?