Hip-Hip has been good to those artists that have managed their careers as a business.  Many artists focus on having a good time and dismiss the business part of the process until it is too late.  This recent list by Forbes is a great example of Top Hip-Hop artists that kept their careers in balance.  In the coming years, it would not be surprising if one of these artists wrote a top selling business book.

Here are the Top 5 Earning Hip-Hop / Rap Artists of 2012:

1.    Sean “Diddy” Combs – $550 Million

-         Multiple sources of income like music, Ciroc vodka and clothing

2.    Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter - $460 Million

-         Reportedly earned $204 Million from Rocawear and $150 Million from LiveNation

3.    Andre “Dr. Dre” Young - $260 Million

-         Reportedly earned $300 Million from his part in Beats Electronics

4.    Bryan “Birdman” Williams - $125 Million

-         Cofounder of Cash Money Records supporting artists like Lil Wayne and Nikki Minaj

5.    Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson - $110 Million

-         Reportedly made over $100 Million from Vitamin water

Which artist do you think will be next on this list?

Tags: Top 10, Top 5, Rap, Hip-Hop, music, artist, wealth, money, cash, diddy, jayz, 50 cent, ciroc, rocawear, dr dre, beats, boombox

 If you live in the one of the states in this Top 5 List, does it make you a miserable person? According to the folks at 24/7 Wall Street and based on health and work environment, they compiled the five most miserable states in which to live.  Is there any wonder that Hawaii maintains its spot as the best place to live? Here are the 5 most miserable states that you can call home:

1. West Virginia 

·         Life expectancy: 75.2 (2nd lowest)

·         Obesity: 32.5 percent (2nd highest)

·         Median household income: $38,218 (2nd lowest)

·         Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 83.2 percent (8th lowest)

 

2. Kentucky 

·         Life expectancy: 76.2 (7th lowest)

·         Obesity: 31.3 percent (5th highest)

·         Median household income: $40,062 (4th lowest)

·         Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 81.9 percent (5th lowest)

 

3. Mississippi 

·         Life expectancy: 74.8 (the lowest)

·         Obesity: 34.0 percent (the highest)

·         Median household income: $36,851 (the lowest)

·         Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 81.0 percent (3rd lowest)

 

4. Delaware 

·         Life expectancy: 78.3 (23rd lowest)

·         Obesity: 28.0 percent  (20th highest)

·         Median household income: $55,847 (10th highest)

·         Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 87.7 percent (24th lowest)

 

5. Ohio 

·         Life expectancy: 77.5 (13th lowest)

·         Obesity: 29.2 percent (16th highest)

·         Median household income: $45,090 (17th lowest)

·         Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 88.1 percent (24th highest)

 

How do you feel about your home state?

 

See the full article at 24-7 Wall Street 

Tags: Top 5, list, rank, most, miserable, state, worst, hate, west virginia, ohio, delaware, kentucky, mississippi, faslist, hot, life, death, states, united states

Have you noticed a trend in baby names in recent years?  Some of the constantly popular baby names for boys and girls are still there but some older names are getting new life in this top 10 list.  Many debate how the selection of the right name will lead to financial success.  Has your name affected your opportunities in life?

Here are the Top 10 names of boys and girls from 2009:

Top 5 Names for Girls

·        Isabella

·        Emma

·        Olivia

·        Sophia

·        Ava

Top 5 Names for Boys

·        Jacob

·        Ethan

·        Michael

·        Alexander

·        William

What is the most interesting name you have heard a baby named in the past year?

 

Tags: Top, 10, ten, list, rank, baby, names, boy, girl, best, funny, cute, parent, hot, dumb, silly, bad

Have you eaten too much and maybe even shopped a little more than necessary?  As you scour the malls for the best deals on luxury items, take break and check out this list of the Top 5 movies this Christmas for when you need to escape from reality.  Here are 5 of the top movies this Christmas season:

·        Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

The first installment of the two-film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows follows Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) as they search for the pieces of Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) soul that he extracted from his being and hid in obscure locations both far and wide.

·        Tron Legacy

The Master Control Program is booted back up in this revamped Tron continuation that sees the return of original star Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, the brilliant computer programmer whose disappearance leads his son, Sam (Garrett Hedlund), to search for him in and out of the computer world.

·        The Tourist

American tourist Frank (Johnny Depp) meets a mysterious beauty who drags him into a dangerous world of intrigue and espionage while traveling through Europe in director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's paranoid thriller. When Frank met Elise (Angelina Jolie) on the train, he thought it was a chance encounter.

·        The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Upon returning to Narnia to join Prince Caspian for a voyage on the majestic royal vessel known as The Dawn Treader, Lucy, Edmund, and their cousin Eustace encounter merfolk, dragons, dwarves, and a wandering band of lost warriors.

·        Yogi Bear

Hanna-Barbera's beloved picnic-basket-stealing bear makes his big-screen debut in this live-action/animation mix children's flick from Journey to the Center of the Earth director Eric Brevig. The tourists just aren't flocking to Jellystone Park like they used to, and when the budget starts to get tight, Mayor Brown (Andrew Daly) brings down the axe.

So whether you are looking for a sequel, family movie or action and adventure, there will be many movies to choose from this holiday season.

Tags: best, top, list, rank, most, movies, christmas, top 10, top 5, harry potter, yogi bear, narnia, hot

Are you looking for the best deals on your Christmas and holiday gifts this year?  Many will be out working hard to find the deals on the best luxury gifts or even a top ranked LCD HDTV on Black Friday.  There will be many deals if you want to brave the crowds.  Here is our list of the Top 10 websites to preview Black Friday deals for maximum savings:

·        http://www.blackfriday.info/

·        http://www.black-friday.net/

·        http://www.theblackfriday.com/

·        http://bfads.net/

·        http://www.fatwallet.com/black-friday/

·        http://dealnews.com/black-friday.html

·        http://www.blackfriday2010.com/

·        http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/

·        http://www.blackfriday.org/

·        iBlackFriday

We wish you the best of luck this holiday shopping season.  Are we missing your favorite site? Add it in the comments below.

Tags: top 10, top 5, top, best, list, rank, black friday, shopping, christmas, save, most, money, cheap, coupon, deal

Are you always on the go and trying to make sure that you get the best deal for your Christmas shopping?  Black Friday has turned into a full month if you have recently been into any store.  So as you are looking for that awesome gift for a little boy or maybe you want to buy a top ranked LCD TV for yourself, here are the Top Free Shopping Apps for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones:

·        Amazon Mobile (iPhone, Blackberry, Android)

·        Card Star (iPhone, Blackberry, Android)

·        Grocery IQ (Android, iPhone)

·        Groupon (Android, iPhone)

·        MobiQpons (iPhone, Blackberry, Android)

·        Shooger (iPhone, Blackberry, Android)

·        ShopSaavy (iPhone, Blackberry, Android)

·        SnapTell (Android, iPhone)

Which do you use daily? Suggest one that we are missing.

Tags: best, top, list, rank, top 10, android, iphone, blackberry, app, application, free, rank, most

Are you looking for the best Brett Favre scandal video’s? Here are the Top 5 available that will bring you up to date and even make you laugh:

Saturday Night Live SNL Brett Favre No Fly Jeans Video

TYT Discussion:  Bret Favre Guilty?

TYT Verdict: Sexual Harassment?

YouTube Wrangla:  Wrangla Jeans

Nice video Review: Nice Song with Vid

What are your thoughts about the Brett Favre scandal?

Tags: top 10, top 5, best, list, rank, nfl, football, brett, favre, scandal, video, jenn

Are you ready for some football? If you are a road warrior or just need to keep track of everything football – NCAA or NFL – Then here is your Top 10 List of Football Apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry phones.  Some may not be available on every platform but you do have 10 to choose from.  Here are the Top 10 apps for NFL and NCAA Football:

·        CBS Sports Pro Football

·        College Football Live!

·        ESPN Scorecenter

·        iBet NFL 2010

·        Sporting News Pro Football

·        Sportacular

What is your favorite Football app for your iPhone, Blackberry or Android phone?

Tags: top10, apple, ipad, itouch, games, top 10 games, best, top, list, rank, most, nfl, ncaa, college, football, apps

Do you ever wonder what Labor Day is about other than the end of summer? Some use it as a last hurrah by planning a trip to the beaches of Hilton Head or San Diego.  So as we prepare to bring summer to an end and put away our white pants and shorts, here are 5 facts about Labor Day for you to know:

·        Labor Day is celebrated on the 1^st Monday of September

·        The federal holiday started in 1894 by President Grover Cleveland during the Pullman strike that was becoming a national crisis.

·        The day is a symbol of the shift of labor rights for the American worker

·        The original celebration stated it was an exhibit of “the strength and sprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations”

·        The first Labor Day was celebrated in Union Square, New York in 1882

So fire up the grill and amaze your friends with this list of historical tidbits about Labor Day.  What is your favorite thing to do on Labor Day? <!--6ebe8a9cf3ad42ed90395f9000289c32-->

Tags: best, top, list, work, employer, 2010, rank, places, most, labor day, top 5, top 10, rank, rate

Do you own an iPhone, Blackberry or Android phone?  It does not matter.  The best Android apps and best iPhone apps all have travel tools that are now essential.  A recent survey shared the top 6 ways to use your smart phone for travel.  Here are the top uses:

• 47% used GPS functionality to find their way to a destination.

• 46% searched for flight updates.

• 29% compared airfares or hotel rates.

• 18% booked air travel or lodging.

• 15% viewed virtual visitor guides.

• 11% downloaded and/or redeemed coupons.

What is your favorite way to use your phone for travel?

 

Tags: best, top 10, list, rank, smart, phone, iphone, blackberry, droid, android, travel