The World's Most Powerful Celebrities 2014

2. LeBron James

Achievement of back-to-back championships and four MVP awards have made LeBron James the king of the NBA. James is the NBA's biggest endorsement star, due to deals with Nike, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Upper Deck and others. Sales of his signature Nike shoes were tops among active players at $300 million in the U.S. during 2013, according to research firm Sports OneSource, and his jersey was the NBA's best-seller.

James' earnings also got a boost from the sale of Beats to Apple for $3 billion. James owned a small piece of the business and helped make the brand a must-have accessory by outfitting the 2008 U.S. Olympic basketball team in Beijing in the high-priced headphones.

3. Dr. Dre

The richest rapper in the world, Dre is one of the most successful record producers, helping with the careers of some of the world’s most influential rappers including Eminem, Snoop Lion, and Kendrick Lamar.

His biggest success was when he sold his headphone company, Beats, to Apple for the casual sum of $3 billion. His income increased with $620 million, the highest yearly earning of any entertainer ever evaluated by Forbes. Dr. Dre is also the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment.