Kanye West versus Mark Zuckerberg’s wealth in charts: Net worth, income, property and where their money comes from
Why on earth does superstar musician and designer Kanye West need to turn to Mark Zuckerberg for help?
West has tweeted that he is $53m in personal debt and called on Facebook billionaire Mark Zuckerberg to lend him a few bob. Really. He asked for one billion dollars to invest in "Kanye West ideas", though did not say exactly what those ideas were. He did claim to be "this generation's Disney" though.
Read more: Pizza Hut offers Kanye West job to relieve his money problems
Being a millionaire isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be, if Kanye's anything to go by then. A billionaire on the other hand is set for life.
West's worth (in monetary value – artistically is another debate) stood at an estimated $145m mark last year. Not bad. But Zuckerberg is in a different league, claiming a net worth in the billions.
Kanye fell out of the highest earning celebrities list, compiled by Forbes, in 2015. In 2014, he was at number 20 and 59 in 2013.
The year before, he was ranked only seventh in Forbes’ highest earning rappers list with earnings of $22m, down from sixth position the year before when he brought in $30m. "His Yeezus tour was a provocative, lucrative romp that added double-digit millions to his bottom line, helping him to a 50% jump in annual earnings," said Forbes of West's 2014.
Here's how his earnings have changed over time (adjusted for inflation).
The musician's earnings are often dependent on the cycle of albums and tours, however, and while Zuckerberg has made his fortune from Facebook, the rapper and fashion designer has made his money from having his fingers in a few more pies – album sale revenues, income from tours, royalties on his shoes lines with Nike and Louis Vuitton, and fees for public appearances, go toward his millions Wealth X analysis found.
Zuckerberg on the other hand takes home a basic salary of just $1. Even adding some stock options into the mix, his earnings actually fall way behind West's – though, he does, of course, have plenty already.
It's certainly one of the leaner years for the rapper, and with rocketing expenses (remember that monstrous painted Hermes bag?), it's no wonder he's reportedly looking to sell the Bell Air mega-mansion he's been renovating with wife Kim.
The West's home doesn't quite compare to Zuckerberg either, when it comes to how much their pads are worth.
(All charts: Forbes/press reports)