With 620 million dollars (USD) in estimated pre-tax earnings, veteran rapper and record producer Dr. Dre topped Forbes list as the highest paid hip hop artist, ousting Sean "Diddy" Combs from the top spot.

Forbes said Dre's estimated annual earnings for the 12 months between June 2013 and 2014 are the highest of any musician in any genre it has ever evaluated, and more than the combined takings of the other 24 names on the hip-hop list released on Tuesday (September 23).

Much of the 49-year-old's earnings this year came thanks to the 3 billion sale to Apple of the Beats high-end headphone company he helped found.

Combs, 44, tied for second place with Jay-Z, 44, with 60 million, with earnings from drinks, clothing and television deals.

Jay-Z, who toured with his wife, Beyonce, for the first time with their "On the Run" concerts, pulled in money from lucrative performances, his latest album and his Roc Nation entertainment empire, which assured him a place in the