Forbes Releases 2014 “Electronic Cash Kings” List of World’s Highest-Paid DJs

Barely a week after reports that Paris Hilton raked in close to $3 million for four DJ nights in Ibiza, Forbes has released their annual list of the world’s highest paid DJs (or, “Electronic Cash Kings,” as it were). And, wouldn’t you know it, Heiress Hilton didn’t make the cut.

It probably won’t surprise many to learn who did, though, considering that the list stayed more or less unchanged from last year’s. So what did shift? Well, Jersey Shore’s Pauly D saw a welcome slide from the list as he and Diplo were edged out by newcomers Zedd and Hardwell. Zedd, a big room electro DJ/producer from Russia, is estimated to have brought in $21 million touring and producing tracks for the likes of Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, while Dutch progressive dude Hardwell rode his DJ Magazine “No. 1 DJ in the whole entire world” award to a sweet $13 mil over the last 12 months.

Other than that, things look basically just like they did in 2013, and 2012 even, as Calvin Harris easily maintained his number one spot with an estimated income of $66 million (up 31% from last year’s haul of $44MM). The usual suspects fill out the rest of the list: Skrillex ($16.5MM), Avicii ($28MM), David Guetta (30MM), etc.. etc…

More interesting, in the “near misses” category are arguably more-deserving acts Daft Punk and Paul Oakenfeld, joined by the two guys from Swedish House Mafia who aren’t Steve Angello and newly defeated (and previously mentioned) Pauly D and Diplo.

All in all, the total income of electronic music’s top 13 stars jumped 11% from last year while your favorite DJs are most likely barely scraping by.

The Richest People On The Planet 2014

 

The ranks of the world’s billionaires have swelled to a record 1,645 including 268 newcomers. While wealth spreads to new corners of the world, including for the first time places like Tanzania and Lithuania, the U.S. still dominates with Bill Gates back on top after a four-year hiatus and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg the year’s biggest gainer

The ranks of the world’s billionaires continue to scale new heights–and stretch to new corners of the world. Our global wealth team found 1,645 billionaires with an aggregate net worth of $6.4 trillion, up from $5.4 trillion a year ago. We unearthed a record 268 new ten-figure fortunes, including 42 new women billionaires, another record. In total, there are 172 women on the list, more than ever before and up from 138 last year.

Bill Gates is back on top after a four-year hiatus, reclaiming the title of world’s richest person from telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico, who ranked No. 1 for the past four years. Gates, whose fortune rose by $9 billion in the past year, has held the top spot for 15 of the past 20 years. Spanish clothing retailer Amancio Ortega (best known for the Zara fashion chain) retains the No. 3 spot for the second year in a row, extending his lead over Warren Buffett, who is again No. 4. American gambling tycoon Sheldon Adelson, who added $11.5 billion to his pile, makes it back into the top ten for the first time since 2007. Another first: A record net worth of $31 billion was needed to make the top 20, up from $23 billion last year.

More HERE Via Forbes

A Blueprint Develops As Jay Z Signs Ndamukong Suh

During a panel titled, “How Legal Skills Translate into Sports Agency,” hosted at Chapman University Fowler School of Law on Friday, February 7, speakers quickly migrated to the topic of Jay Z and his role in a changing sports agency landscape.  Jay Z was criticized at length for entering into a field that was seemingly beyond his intellect and he was denounced for failing to land a single prospect for the 2014 NFL Draft.  South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney and Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater were supposedly main targets for Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports, and the rap mogul failed to land either prized prospect.

However, days later Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports signed one of the most coveted players in the NFL.  Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has chosen Roc Nation Sports as his on-field and off-field representatives after leaving his former agent less than three weeks ago.  His prior representative was Roosevelt Barnes of Relativity Football, who had started serving on Suh’s behalf before the defensive tackle was the second overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Jay Z is not currently certified as an NFLPA Contract Advisor, and thus he will not be engaging in any direct negotiations with NFL teams concerning any immediate future on-field deals for Ndamukong Suh.  It is not yet known whether football agent Kimberly Ann Miale, who is the representative of one NFL player (New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith) or representatives from Creative Artists Agency will be handling team contract negotiations henceforth.  When the Roc Nation Sports entity was first announced, in conjunction with the signing of second baseman Robinson Cano as its first official client, a concurrent statement was released indicating that Roc Nation Sports established a strategic partnership with Creative Artists Agency.  While Geno Smith is not represented by Creative Artists Agency, that may not be the case for Ndamukong Suh.

“Curious decision if Kim Miale is negotiating Suh’s extension because of her inexperience,” said NFL contracts and salary cap expert Joel Corry on Twitter.  “Cruz’s CAA/Jay-Z combo is safer.”  Corry was referencing Jay Z’s representation of New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, which established Creative Artists Agency as the entity charged with negotiating his on-field contracts.

What may not be so curious is Jay Z’s blueprint for developing his sports agency.  Instead of focusing time, attention and money on recruiting a plethora of draft eligible players, Jay Z may be better served to sign athletes already in the NFL.  Victor Cruz, Geno Smith and now Ndamukong Suh were all represented by other agents and already drafted by professional teams prior to moving over to Roc Nation Sports.

Upon hearing that Suh selected Roc Nation Sports as his new agents, one NFLPA Contract Advisor said to FORBES, “unless Roc Nation does it strictly by-the-numbers, this could be their ‘Master P moment.’”  The agent was making a subtle reference to former NFL running back Ricky Williams leaving one-time agent Andrew Brandt for Master P and then Master P botching a major contract for Williams.  He continued, “[the] Lions and other potential suitors must be pumped!  Crazy how Suh goes from a firm with one of the best negotiation track records to one with nearly zero NFL negotiating experience.”

In 2001, Jay Z rapped, “Money pourin in, clientele growin now.”  It was a line in the track called “Blueprint.”  Thirteen years later, same song, different game, and still a lot of haters.

Via Forbes

U.S. Spy Rocket Launching Today Has Octopus-Themed 'Nothing Is Beyond Our Reach' Logo. Seriously.

The Office of National Intelligence is very excited about sending a rocket into space today with a bunch of new satellites and is live tweeting its launch. This would usually be a cute display of social media, along the lines of NASA getting the world excited about its Mars Curiosity Rover, except these are spy satellites that will likely be used to gather communications flotsam and who knows what else from people around the world. That’s a touchy subject these days what with the Snowden leaks and constant new revelations about cell phones being turned into location trackers, the listening in on foreign leaders’ phone calls and the vacuuming up of any information sent digitally that’s not encrypted. Given that, I was a little surprised that ODNI was bragging about the launch on Twitter and putting the mission patch for the rocket on prominent display as it looks like it was drawn by a writer for The Simpsons with his tongue firmly in his cheek.

Read more here Via Forbes