Jay-Z is still the top earning hip-hop star with his yearly income estimated at $35million.

Forbes Magazine have just published a countdown of the richest rappers titled 'Hip-Hop Cash Kings 2009' which collates earnings from music and lifestyle ventures for each individual artist.

Close on Jay-Z's tail is Diddy with an income of $30million, while Kanye West comes in a close third with $25million.

Earlier this week, Jay-Z's wife Beyonce Knowles was named in another Forbes poll as the best paid celebrity under the age of 30 with an annual earning of $87million.

The top ten earning hip-hop stars is as follows:

1. Jay-Z - $35 million
2. Sean 'Diddy' Combs - $30 million
3. Kanye West - $25 million
4. 50 Cent - $20 million
5. Akon - $20million
6. Lil Wayne - $18 million
7. Timbaland - $17 million
8. Pharrell Williams - $16 million
9. T-Pain - $15 million
10. Eminem - $14 million

(by Scott Colothan)