“I heard you say you aint a b*tch ’cause you sing/You a b*tch ’cause you cling like a b*tch that’s 18” - Common ”Stay Schemin”

Track after the jump1

Jay-Z pulled in $63 million over the past 12 months, earning him his second straight hip-hop cash crown. His income level places him in the 35% tax bracket, which means he’ll pay Uncle Sam about $22 million this year–a sum greater than the total earnings of any other rap star besides second-ranked Diddy.

1. Jay-Z – $63 Million (Crazy thing is Beyonce makes even more with 87 million)
2. Diddy – $30 Million (Take that, thake that)
3. Akon – $21 Million (Lady Gaga money must be looking nicccceee)
4. Lil Wayne – $20 Million (Don’t let Carter 3 producers see this)
5. Dr. Dre – $17 Million (Beats By Dre money?)
6. Ludacris – $16 Million (Theater of the Mind and Battles of the Sexes did their thing)
7. Snoop Dogg – $15 Million
8. Timbaland – $14 Million
9. Pharrell – $13 Million
10. Kanye West – $12 Million
11. Drake – $9 Million
11. T.I. – $ 9 Million
12. Swizz Beatz – $9 Million
14. Eminem – $8 Million
14.50 Cent – $8 Million
14. Young Jeezy – $8 Million
17. Common – $7 Million
18. Soulja Boy – $7 Million
18. T-Pain – $7 Million
20. Lil Jon – $5 Million
20. Gucci Mane – $5 Million

Drake’s first week sales are in and they do impress. The Young Money artist’s debut album Thank Me Later officially moved 462,989 copies in just a week. Not to mention, his album already has gone platinum in Canada. Yep, platinum in just a week in his home country. Drake is officially the next big thing.

Rihanna thinks the restraining order — which keeps him at a safe distance for the next five years — is not needed, and she still hasn’t given up on the idea of taking him back.

“Though Rihanna does not object to the sentence, she did feel it was unnecessary to have the restraining order in place for five years,” Rihanna’s attorney, Donald Etra, tells OK!. Sources close to the star say she favors a less severe order that would only require Chris not to annoy or harass her.

“She really doesn’t see the necessity of keeping an entire football-field length between them,” one insider says. “She’s forgiven him. And he is remorseful.”

“Chris really wants to see her,” says Rihanna’s friend. Indeed, in last night’s interview with CNN’s Larry King, Chris admitted that being apart has been “difficult,” but “we’ll always be friends.”

Rihanna’s pal adds that despite all that’s passed between them — and despite her recent flirtation with rapper Aubrey “Drake” Graham at Katy Perry’s Aug. 30 post-concert party at H.wood nightclub — Rihanna still has feelings for her ex.

“She starts missing Chris and the s**t starts all over. A kiss and a slap, a kiss and a slap. Right now, she’s feeling strong. But she’s switched gears in the past and taken him back.”

The bidding war is over. XXLMag has learned from reliable sources that red-hot rapper Drake has just signed a deal with Universal Motown. Word is that Interscope and Atlantic Records also put deals on the table for Drizzy.

The Toronto rapper reached a deafening buzz in the last few months with the release of So Far Gone, his third mixtape featuring appearances from Lil Wayne, Bun B, Trey Songz and Lloyd, among others. The mixtape has also produced a few fan-favorites, including “Successful” and “Best I Ever Had,” which is presently gaining momentum at radio stations, including New York’s Hot 97. Still high off touring alongside mentor Lil Wayne on his I Am Music tour, Drake recently embarked on his own So Far Gone tour—hitting markets like Chicago, Westchester, NY and more recently Atlanta.