Rapper and music producer Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been named the world's highest-paid entertainer, ousting pop singer Taylor Swift who fell to 49th place on the Forbes annual list.
Beyonce moved into the second spot with US$105 million ($146 million), courtesy of her best-selling Lemonade album and world tour, while British author JK Rowling ($132 million) moved back into the top three thanks largely to her Harry Potter spin-off movie franchise Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Combs, 47, earned an estimated US$130 million ($181 million) in the 12 months ended June 1, 2017, Forbes said. It attributed the big payout to his Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour, earnings from his Sean John clothing line, and his partnership with Ciroc vodka.
Last year, Combs came in 22nd on the list in a year when Swift bested all-comers with US$170 million ($236 million) after her best-selling 1989 album and world tour.
This year, the 27-year-old country singer-turned-pop star, with no new album or tour, saw her earnings dip to US$44 million ($61 million), Forbes estimated.
Newcomers in 2017 include model Kylie Jenner, the 19-year-old half-sister of reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who earned US$41 million ($57 million), and US radio and television personality Steve Harvey with US$42.5 million ($59 million).
Forbes compiles the list estimating pre-tax earnings, before deducting fees for managers, based on data from Nielsen, touring trade publication Pollstar, movie database IMDB.com, and interviews with industry experts and celebrities themselves.
The world's top 100 celebrities earned a cumulative US$5.1 billion ($7.1 billion) - about the same as last year, Forbes said.
Reuters