Actress and Singer Selena Gomez looked stunning on Sunday night at the SAG Awards in her black Oscar de la Renta gown, but it was the 200-carats of diamonds that she wore around her neck that stole the show. The singer made sure all eyes were on her as she walked the red carpet donning a Bulgari choker estimated to be worth over $1 million.
It’s no secret that the singer has a reputation to maintain when it comes to fashion, and she appeared to relish wearing the spectacular diamond choker in a set of snaps she shared on Instagram. The 200-carats of diamonds lining the necklace looked unbelievable as she paired the piece with a black Oscar de la Renta gown and a matching ring that featured a Colombian emerald set in platinum.
The Dead Don't Die actress might have been wearing a million dollars around her neck, but she proved to be surprisingly relatable at the 2022 SAG Awards.
Gomez, who was nominated for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series, walked the red carpet in the diamond-encrusted piece and stunning black heels. Unfortunately, the weight of her iced-out necklace might have proved to be too much as she tripped to her knees in front of the photographers. Understandably she decided to ditch the black heels for the night.
The Come & Get It singer ended up presenting at the SAG awards completely barefoot while alongside her co-star Martin Short, which many fans quickly called “iconic.”
The Italian luxury brand Bulgari has developed a reputation for providing up and coming superstars with stunning jewelry for special events, including Euphoria actress Zendaya.
The Magnifica Serpenti Hypnotic Emerald she wore features a 93-carat, cabochon cut Colombian emerald "clasped in the jaw of a diamond and emerald encrusted snake." The Magnifica collection is the most valuable in Bulgari’s history, so it’s unlikely that Zendaya got to keep the striking bling.
Kim wasn't about to let her sister Kylie Jenner upstage her as the only member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan with a private plane. The reality star picked up a G65OER, the same model as the Jet owned by Jeff Bezos, and reportedly spent over a year customizing the interior, designing it with the help of Tommy Clements and Waldo Fernandez.
Kim wants everything to match her minimalist monetary home, and her new Jet is no exception. Kim has considered her design ethos when designing KimAir, lacing the jet's cabin with cream-colored cashmere finishes and leather seats that match her home. Kim is even providing a welcome mat with the words KimAir woven in black onto a sand-colored rug for guests to step onto as they board the luxury jet.
Previously, the reality star spent nearly $100,000 so that her Lamborghini Urus, Rolls Royce Ghost, and her “baby,” a 2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 580, were all the same shade as her $60 million Hidden Hills mansion.
“Wow feeling grateful to experience Kim Air back to LA,” her celebrity hairstylist wrote. He was one of the first people to enjoy the glitzy jet, along with the rest of Kim's A-list glam squad who were able to kick back in style for the long flight home from Milan.
The $150 million price tag for the jet is just a drop in the bucket for Kim, who took a detour from reality superstardom to become a business mogul. Her SKIMS line of shapewear is worth $3.2 billion by most estimates, helping her skyrocket her net worth to over $1.8 billion.
Hailing from Akron, Ohio, Lebron James was a basketball prodigy since elementary school where his talent was first recognized. Growing up in the inner-city, he experienced street violence, poverty, and the struggles of growing up in a single-parent household. With the mission to change his life, James began to pursue a career in basketball and he was the first pick in overall selection when the Cleveland Cavaliers selected himin 2003. He signed a $90 million Nike deal before he had set foot at any NBA Game. Through various contracts and endorsements, he has amassed a $500 million fortune, and the athlete ensures that more than 10% of his wealth is given to help social communities.
Through the Lebron James Foundation, the NBA star has made donations worth more than $100 million altogether. He has helped organizations with different purposes to support basic amenities, education, and quality housing. From opening his school to granting scholarships.
8 Granting Four-Year Scholarships With The University Of Akron
Coming from a community where students don’t think past high school, Lebron knows the value of offering money to children who need it. According to Forbes, in 2015, the athlete tied up with the University of Akron to fund scholarships for students who will complete the academic program offered by his foundation. His foundation is actively sponsoring 800 students and the first class who benefited from the scholarship graduated in 2021.
The Lebron James Foundation brought the After-School All-Stars program to his hometown to help raise money for children in the fields of education and play. In Akron, the program has been developed to help at-risk children and offer them mentorship and guidance to set a career path. His foundation has raised over a whopping $40 million over the years as they try to discourage children from dropping out of school.
6 ONExONE
Every child needs five important pillars to enjoy life: Health, Education, Hunger, Water, and Play. ONExONE is an organization that supports children by providing healthy breakfast foods, educational help, medical assistance, and mentorship to struggling schools, as reported by Money INC. Never forgetting his humble beginnings, James has raised over $1 million through his donations for the program.
5 The I Promise School
One of his most ambitious projects to date, the player announced in 2018 that he was building the I Promise School in Akron to improve the educational institutions of his hometown. As mentioned by the New York Times, James and his foundation donated $20 million to create three residential buildings with a sports complex. He also pledged to contribute $1 million per year to manage teacher salaries and the class sizes.
4 Feeding 1,300 Families With The Foundation
The 2020 pandemic was a difficult time for everyone and some people struggled more than others to meet ends. Lebron stepped up to help the residents of his hometown who found it difficult to get customers during the pandemic. The NBA star provided meals to 340 students at his I Promise School and their families which was enough food for 1,300 people. His organization also started a program called Taco Tuesday where they fed the students tacos and provided business to a family business that resided in Akron.
3 Boys And Girls Club Of America
The Decision, a television special that aired in 2010, James took the route of a televised show to announce that he had signed with the Miami Heat at the NBA. The special received a viewership of 10 million people and the sponsors and commercials raised $2 million. James aired the interview to raise the money and donate it to various centers of the Boys & Girls Club of America, a community that educates and mentors young people. Two million members in the community consist of the African American community and 61% qualify for free lunches.
2 Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture
An admirer of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, Lebron James has always looked up to him and his values, passion, and morals towards the game. When the Smithsonian Institution announced that it would be adding a new exhibit titled Muhammad Ali: A Force Of Change in 2016, James knew he had to contribute. Along with NBA players like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson who donated $5 million and $1 million respectively, James donated $2.5 million through his organization for the exhibit, as reported by USA Today
1 House Three Thirty
A supporter of his hometown of Akron, the athlete announced that he was creating a community center to offer better services to its people. With the Lebron James Foundation, he bought a 6,000 sq. ft. venue in 2020 and named it House Three Thirty, after Akron’s area code. The place will offer various amenities like a coffee bar, private card room, dining space which will be available to any person from the Akron community.
A man with a heart of gold, Lebron James has used his power as a global influential figure to create change in his community to help at-risk children and fund college education to help them set goals for life. One of his most ambitious projects, the I Promise School will be operational from 2022.
Tinder Swindler’sSimon Leviev has been open about his hopes to profit off the new Netflix documentary, and given what he’s charging for club and event appearances, he clearly believes his name has a lot of star power behind it.
According to TMZ, Leviev is charging at least $20,000 for any appearances in which his name is used for promotion.
He also has a list of demands that need to be fulfilled for him to agree to an appearance. This includes being put up in a suite at a 5-star hotel along with a private jet and a black SUV car service. Leviev also reportedly expects bottle service at the club as well as two private security guards to accompany him.
The publication notes that despite his high expectations, clubs in Philadelphia, Boston, German, and Mexico have all expressed interest in booking him for appearances.
We first reported that Leviev wanted to launch a career in Hollywood off the coattails of the documentary when it became known that he signed on to work with a new talent manager, Gina Rodriguez of Gitoni Inc.
According to reports, Rodriguez hopes to help Leviev launch a dating show and podcast, where he shares his advice for wooing women. This would be ironic, given that the Netflix documentary details how Leviev was able to allegedly scam multiple out of approximately $10 million.
From 2017 to 2017, Leviev – whose real name is Shimon Hayuk – pretended to be the son of Lev Leviev, a very real diamond tycoon with a net worth close to $1 billion.
After impressing his female victims with a few lavish dates, Leviev would convince them he needed money to pay off his enemies and couldn’t access his assets or use a credit card. He would claim if he didn’t get the money soon, his life was in danger.
Through his manipulation, his love interests would give him money thinking it was a life or death situation, but then he’d ghost them shortly afterwards.
Leviev ended up spending time in jail for fraud, though he was released early on good behavior. Though it’s not entirely known what the fake billionaire is up to, he appears to be living the same luxurious lifestyle he was before the documentary exposed him.
For example, earlier this month we reported Leviev was seen shopping for Ferraris in Tel Aviv. It’s not clear if he ended up purchasing one of the designer cars, but he was seen wearing a Gucci jacket, valued in the thousands. But it’s been reported that Leviev is making a small fortune on cameo, where he managed to rack up $30,000 in three days.
With his cameo income plus what he’s charging for appearances, the Tinder Swindler may be on his way to making a seven-figure fortune, though something tells us he won’t be donating to his victims’ GoFundMe page to pay them back.
Since the Super Bowl is a big event with thousands of viewers, many companies use the opportunity to be part of the game. This year the highest price for an ad spot reached $7 million. Companies are ready to pay such a considerable sum of money for a serious reason. It's not a secret that the Super Bowl is not only a game but also a space for promotions - it's a great chance for companies to sell their products or raise awareness. Dave Sutton, CEO of marketing consultancy TopRight said to Fortune, "The Super Bowl moment has a particular value that just doesn't exist elsewhere." This year, entertainment, health & wellness, technology, automotive, and travel companies were the advertisers, but among them were completely new areas. Have you heard of crypto companies?
The crypto companies that paid for the Super Bowl ads are eToro, FTX, Crypto.com, Coinbase, and BitBuy (this one ran during the Canadian broadcast of the game.) Here's what you need to know about them.
FTX is a crypto exchange platform whose co-founder has over $24 bln net worth. He's only 29 years old, but he definitely has an entrepreneurial spirit. FTX invested heavily in sports partnerships, purchasing sponsorship from Major League Baseball, Mercedes Formula One team, the Washington Capitals, and Washington Wizards. Additionally, they paid for an advertisement with Tom Brady, David Oritz, and Steph Curry. And they made a $135 million deal to rename the Miami Heat's stadium to FTX Arena. "We want to make sure that we're painting, hopefully, a healthy image of ourselves and the industry," said Bankman-Fried to the Washington Post. FTX gave away bitcoin to the winners as part of its Super Bowl campaign.
Crypto.com introduced an ad with LeBron James and paid $700 mln to rename the Staples Center arena in Los Angeles. The cryptocurrency exchange company aims to be more visible for sure. It ran ads in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Formula One racing, and professional basketball. Also, it partnered with Matt Damon, but his ads didn't appear in the Super Bowl spot. Crypto.com, as well as FTX, rank in the top 10 crypto exchanges worldwide.
Coinbase spent $14 mln on an ad encouraging viewers to sign up for an account; until February 15, new users received $15 in BTC. This was undoubtedly a brilliant idea; even without celebrities, they managed to create the most talked-about ad. The company reported 20 mln hits on its website in one minute - that was enough to crash the app for a while. The following day the app became the #2 most downloaded iPhone app on the App Store.
Well, it seems cryptocurrencies have reached their goal. According to the survey conducted by Morning Consult, 44% of Super Bowl viewers are familiar with cryptocurrency. Additionally, 1 in 4 adults owns at least some cryptocurrency, and over 36% are "likely to invest in or trade cryptocurrency in the next six months."
Not really. In 2000, during the Super Bowl XXXIV, internet companies ran advertisements. 20% of the 61 ads were purchased by dot-coms. Although the web companies purchased $44 mln worth of ads, they failed, as their revenue dwindled, and some "went defunct by the end of the year." Still, the 17 dot-com companies sparked a furor. "The first major brands born online were getting their first taste of mainstream marketing's highest peak. THIS WAS THE FUTURE. The internet had arrived. Business would be transformed forever,"writes Fast Company.com. Today, many compare the Crypto Bowl with Dot-Com Bowl. Will cryptocurrency companies survive?
Even though Super Bowl is popular among advertisers, it's questionable whether its huge price is worth it. "No one has yet come up with a good way to measure [the] ROI of a Super Bowl ad. It's very difficult to convert most factors gained from the broadcast to a dollar value," said Fortune.com Simon Antil, the University of Delaware's professor. Indeed, it's more about the ads, not the money paid for a Super Bowl spot. For example, Apple's "1984" ad boosted the sales of Macintosh computers to $3.5 million.
Let's be honest, cryptocurrency isn't a safe thing. Crypto investors can become millionaires only because of luck. "If and when the bubble around some of these hyped investments bursts, a lot of people are going to get hurt and lose money," writes Vox, "Since so much of the crypto landscape is speculative, venture capitalists and hedge funds are more likely to win the speculation game than the little guys caught in the mania."
Today, Bitcoin is worth $50,000, and that's not the final worth, as it's constantly fluctuating. To exchange dollars into Bitcoin, you need to get validation in the network, and that's where the game starts. As The New York Times writes, "All around the world, companies, and individuals known as Bitcoin miners are competing to be the ones to validate transactions and enter them into the public ledger of all Bitcoin transactions." If you got validated, congrats, you get a Bitcoin and become rich.
Crypto business is similar to gambling or sports betting. Companies want users to sign up and invest, and ads are an effective method to give it a try. "If you don't try now, you'll lose big money," that's the message they have, but will it work or not, is not yet clear.
Many people are looking for ways to help amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including celebrities. One famous couple looking to make a difference is Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, who have promised to match donations of up to $1 million to support refugees being affected by the crisis.
Posting to Twitter, where he has 18.9 million followers, the Deadpool actor shared a post from USA for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "[Ukrainian refugees] need protection,” he wrote. “When you donate, we'll match it up to $1,000,000, creating double the support.”
Ryan included a link to the United Nations’ refugee donation website through which people can make contributions.
Blake shared a similar message to Instagram. Posting a UNHCR image of a child feeling the conflict, the mother-of-three explained in the caption they’ll match every dollar donation to the organization, tagging her husband’s handle.
“@usaforunhcr is on the ground helping the 50,000+ Ukrainians who had to flee their homes in less than 48 hours,” the actress wrote in the caption.
She added that UNHCR has been providing “lifesaving aid” since the start of the crisis and is actively working with neighbouring countries.
Blake’s post has been liked over 780,000 times, while Ryan’s tweet was shared by over 23,000 accounts and like almost 80,000 times.
As per PEOPLE Magazine, Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this week in a situation that continues to evolve. Various airstrikes and explosions have targeted the country, and there’s growing concern Ukraine’s capital Kyiv (which is home to 2.8 million people) will face more violence.
Ukraine’s health minister, Oleh Liashko, said in a statement on Saturday that at least 198 people have been killed, including 3 children. At least 1,115 people (33 of whom were children) had been injured. Liashko added that, at least for now, Ukrainian hospitals remain operational and are providing care to those wounded.
"We have been left alone to defend our state," Zelensky said."Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don't see anyone. Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid.”
It’s been reported that the White House is seeking $6.4 billion in aid, aid which could help provide food, security, and aid to refugees. This would be a part of a broad government spending package that Congress is trying to finalize before March 11th, though debates remain ongoing.
Lionel Messi was only 17 years old when he became the youngest player in the La Liga tournament for FC Barcelona in 2004. Over the next four years, he transformed into the most dominant player in soccer and earned upwards of $100 million per year on the field. As a talented player who broke many records each season, Messi has always been in the spotlight for his professional and personal life. Along with playing on the field, he is also the face of many expensive brands worldwide. With a net worth of over $600 million, he likes to spend his fortune buying luxury items, including timepieces.
While many celebrities stick to a few brands for their watches, Lionel has varied tastes and likes to collect timepieces from high-end watchmakers around the world. From Jacob & Co. to Rolex.
8 Porsche Design Huawei Watch 2
Released in July 2017, Huawei began collaborating with Porsche in February of the same year and introduced the $925 timepiece with Lionel Messi as the face of the campaign. The timepiece, designed in all-black for a classic appearance, has a hybrid strap with red stitching and a stainless steel case, as mentioned byThe Verge. The watch is installed with Porsche’s custom watch-face configuration that allows the user to use any color scheme and give a personal touch to their timepiece.
As a brand ambassador for Audemars Piguet during the early 2010s, Messi was often spotted wearing a timepiece from the brand. One of his most-worn watches was a Royal Oak “Leo Messi” Chronograph limited to 1,000 units. Sized 41 mm, he owns the watch in steel/tantalum and comes with a lacquered dial than the Tapisserie dial, as seen on Audemars Piguet timepieces. It retailed at $25,990, the watch sold at a Sotheby’s auction for a whopping $81,850.
6 Rolex Yacht-Master Everose
One of the latest watches in his collection, made from 18-carat Everose Gold, costs a whopping $26,000. Lionel Messi was first spotted wearing the Rolex Yacht-Master in August 2021 when he greeted his new fans of Paris St.-Germain at the airport. As stated by GQ, it is a durable watch with a usable ceramic bezel and a black rubber strap. The collection has gained popularity ever since he wore it as it was a historic moment for the football player who had moved to a new football club after playing with Barcelona for nine years.
5 Rolex Datejust 36
Introduced in 1940 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Rolex, Datejust was released in 18-carat yellow gold. Over time, the brand has evolved its timepiece and launched it in various shades. Designed with a sleek Jubilee bracelet, it has a dark rhodium dial and baton hour markers surrounded by rose gold. Messi owns a $45,000 Datejust in a combination of steel and Everose gold from the collection released in 2018.
4 Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon
A stunning combination of elegance and technology, the Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon is a stunning watch that costs $94,700 and is produced every two years. The collection was introduced in 2005, and the timepiece has been through several transformations to become an iconic design that makes Big Bang Tourbillon stand out. The unique piece comes with a sapphire bezel glass and a Super-LumiNova, a raised section over the hour and minute hands.
3 Patek Philippe Nautilus
A watch meant for a formal occasion, The player owns the Patek Philippe Nautilus in steel with a white dial, as mentioned by the Swiss Watch Expo. He owns the time and date version of the watch, which features an integrated bracelet and a simple grove dial and baton unique to the moniker Nautilus. One of the most desirable watches, the steel Nautilus has a long waitlist. It is an expensive and rare timepiece with a retail price of $119,000.
2 Jacob & Co. Epic X Chronograph
In 2019, Messi joined hands with Jacob & Co. to become the face of the brand for its watch collection. The soccer player collaborated with the watchmaker to introduce the Epic X Chronograph ‘Messi’ collection, produced in limited numbers. According to Forbes, Jacob & Co. launched a diamond-baguette set version worth $150,000 in March 2019. The 47 mm watch has 27 jewels with Messi’s jersey number 10 printed in dramatic red color.
1 Jacob & Co. Grand Complication Epic
A watch that defies traditional watches, Jacob & Co. experimented with a new design when they inaugurated the Grand Complication Epic SF24 Tourbillon worth $236,000. Dubbed as the world traveler’s watch, it comprises 163 components and comes with a split-flap time display to indicate the city and date of the location on the dial. Equipped with a 48-hour power reserve, it has a self-winding mechanism in a cutting-edge shape.
Being one of the most famous players in the world, Lionel Messi has received a lot of traction from the beginning of his career. Every brand promoted and timepiece worn by the soccer star has gained popularity. With several watches in his collection being rare and hard to attain, the value of his collection increases over time.
On January 31, 1999, an animated comedy debuted on Fox. Family Guy, a situational comedy, introduced Peter and Lois Griffin and their three children, Chris, Meg, and Stewie as well as the talking family dog, Brian, all living in Rhode Island along with a supporting cast of zany characters. Animator and voice actor Seth MacFarlane created the series from his two earlier projects titled The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve and then developed the concept along with David Zuckerman.
MacFarlane has stated that the pilot episode took six months to create and produce. Fox executives gave MacFarlane a budget of $50,000 to produce a 15-minute short. Since the show's premiere, it has gained a fiercely loyal following of diehard fans and has become a staple of American comedy television. But what does it cost to produce this popular animated show?
Family Guy gets its laughs. But with so many shows available to watch today, like many comedy shows, the animated sitcom has the burden of making each episode funnier and funnier. The show's writers have occasionally taken to getting laughs by poking fun at random communities. To be fair, it does seem that the show has gone under fire for "picking on" several different communities, not just one or two in particular. Over the years, Family Guy has successfully managed to offend religious and LGBTQ communities as well as several races. Nevertheless, the show and its "creative liberties" have been able to stay on the air.
There are two major costs to think about when it comes to Family Guy: animations costs and the wages of the voice actors. Many of the voice actors are well-known, successful actors and actresses in their own right which only increases their worth to the show as well as the cost to have them perform. There are four main actors excluding MacFarlane himself who voices the characters, Peter, Chris, Stewie, Brian, and Quagmire, as well other various and smaller characters. These actors are Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, Seth Green and Mike Henry. Back in 2013, they all reportedly were in negotiations to up their salary to $175,000 and $225,000 per episode. When negotiated successfully, these pay raises typically are set in stone for two seasons but may last for five seasons.
Just a few years ago, it was known that it costs approximately $2 million to create one episode of Family Guy and it's believed that the cost is still accurate today, with normal inflation not taken into account. This is largely due to the high costs of the stars of the show. Though the costs of the show are known to be kept under wraps as much as possible, it was made public that MacFarlane took a salary of just $50,000 for several years for his voice acting skills. He still may take this salary as a voice actor for the show though he has an estimated net worth of around $250 million. In 2021, he signed a deal with a new network for the show, NBC. NBC reportedly agreed to pay MacFarlane $40 million per year. He is listed for series writing credits for 383 episodes and listed as talent for 382 episodes.
While MacFarlane's "discounted" pay for voice acting may help to keep the costs of the show down somewhat, producing an animated show this popular has a high amount of costs. One such fee goes to the orchestra. The show employs a live orchestra to create custom emotion in each episode. The group of musicians perform at the Newman Soundstage on the 20th Century Fox lot in Los Angeles. Other important costs go to the script writers, directors focusing on the various aspects of the episodes and storylines, production crew, key animation supervision, editing and finishing, photography, sound and a myriad of other crucial crew members and tasks that require funds.
For all of the hard work from so many people, Family Guy has received numerous awards including eight Emmy awards and has been going strong since 1999.
While the show has had its fair share of controversy due to jokes and remarks written into the script that may seem insensitive to certain communities, there's no denying that Family Guy has made an impact on the American sitcom line-up. Paying up over $2 million per episode today may seem like a staggering amount at first glance. However, after considering that the comedy is still going strong with backing from an entire fandom from all over the world and all of the awards received, the price per episode may seem slightly more reasonable.
With a massive net worth of $8 million, Joji has proven that he has great amount of talent and creativity. Miller has began his career as an entertainer through his now defunct Youtube channels. The most popular among his YouTube channels which made him millions is TVFilthyFrank. The channel consisted of him performing rap songs, extreme challenges, playing ukulele and sometimes just ranting. The channel has a shock humor show with a title The Filthy Frank Show.
Born as George Kusunoki Miller, Joji is of Australian and Japanese descent. He was born on September 18, 1992 and is currently a singer, songwriter, comedian and YouTuber. After living in Japan for 18 years, he went to the United States. With his growing popularity, he made attempts to maintain his private life secured since he’s afraid of not being able to get a job along the road because of the nature of his content.
Joji initially found success and fortune through his viral Youtube persona. He first used his Youtube channel to gain some audience to his music. However, what started off as a channel to release his music, ended with him playing different personas such as Pink Guy and Filthy Frank. These two characters are the most popular characters he's ever made and has inspired numerous meme worthy moments that is still evergreen to this day.
Joji has been actively dedicating his time and effort from 2011 until 2017 to his Youtube career. With his hard work and creative mind, he was able to accumulate 13.1 million subscribers combined from all his channels. Due to his popularity, his videos were viewed over 2.4 billion times around the world. From his Youtube venture alone, Joji has estimated to have gained around $10 million. With this success, he felt that it is time to move on and try to do other ventures which made him decide to quit Youtube altogether in 2017. He stated that he has grown out of his character and that his humor had changed over time. He also thought that if he does not do this now then he will be stuck on doing Youtube contents his entire life which is not something he would want to do.
When Joji first heard the song A Milli by Lil Wayne, he decided right there and then that he would love to create music as well. At the time he made an effort to recreate the beat of the song using GarageBand. He tried drum lessons for about a month and did not learn anything from it. He also tested playing the piano, guitar and ukulele however he thinks that he is not just good enough to play such musical instruments. He has always been making music but his Youtube channel succeeded first so he had to utilize that.
When he finally grown out of style to the content he is creating and decided to retire, the first thing he did was to look for ways to finally pursue music. After quitting Youtube, he decided to sign up with 88rising, a record label that supports artists of Asian descent. With an enormous support from his label, he finally was set to make and release the kind of music he always wanted to create.
When he quit his Youtube channels, he decided to make a comeback as a serious musician and has succeeded. He claims that music has always been his first love. Growing up, he has taught himself how to produce dope beats at a very young age. He once tried to promote his music through his Youtube channel but his comical characters just overshadowed it. From time to time, Joji is making comical music on the side with the use of his one persona, Pink Guy. He has dropped numerous bodies of work which even includes a full-length album with a title Pink Season which landed on the No. 70 on the Billboard 200.
As an effort to reinvent himself, he stopped releasing songs as Pink Guy the same time he quit his Youtube channels. He wants people to see his serious side which he also succeeded. He is creating music with a R&B genre. He had a massive success as an artist with his hit singles titled Yeah Right and Slow Dancing in the Dark selling 560,000 copies. His success did not stop there as his second album reached no.3 on the Billboard Album Chart and has charted in the top 5 for New Zealand, Australia and Canada. His music as Joji has also been streamed over half a billion times on Spotify. It was estimated that he earned about $2 million from his music.
Rich Paul has become one of the most successful modern day NBA and sports agents. Coming a long way from his beginnings in Ohio with his childhood friend LeBron James. With how Paul has been able help James throughout his 19 year career, this is bound to attract other high profile players to select him as their agent. These are All Star players outside of LeBron James who are currently clients of Rich Paul.
7 Ben Simmons
Although Ben Simmons has not played a game yet in 2021-22 NBA season, he has his fair share of accomplishments during his five seasons in the league. This includes winning Rookie of the Year in 2018, and three consecutive All Star Game appearances from 2019 to 2021. Just like LeBron James, Simmons was selected as the number one overall pick in the draft and has been compared to James as well. Rich Paul definitely has done right by Simmons if he was able to receive a five year, $177 million contract extension after only his second NBA season and the ability to afford a mansion worth just under $5 million.
6 Anthony Davis
His and LeBron James connection to Rich Paul is potentially one of the reasons why Anthony Davis got traded from the New Orleans to the Los Angeles Lakers to pair up as teammates. After winning the championship in 2019-20, Davis made a long term commitment to the Lakers by signing a five year, $190 million contract extension. This contract made him one of only four players to have signed contract over $100 million in Lakers history. In celebration of the NBA's 75th season, Davis was named one of the 75 best players of all time.
5 Draymond Green
Draymond Green didn't let his rivalry with LeBron James and four match ups in the NBA Finals against him affect the agency he decided to sign with. Less than a year after the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2018 NBA Finals, Green signed with Paul's agency Klutch Sports in March of 2019. Green's contribution to Golden State's three championships since 2015 didn't go unrecognized as he got rewarded with a $100 million contract extension only five months after signing with Paul's agency.
4 Darius Garland
Cavaliers guard Darius Garland is having a breakout year in his third NBA season exceeding team expectations so far and looking to make their first playoff appearance since 2018. As a result to the impressive performance halfway into the season, he was selected to this year's All Star Game in Cleveland. A place that Garland has called home during his young NBA career. Assuming he can continue this level of play before his rookie contract expires, he's bound to be added to the long list of wealthy Rich Paul clients' and could use the money to buy a $32 million mansion like Anthony Davis.
Before becoming a two time All Star, Zach Lavine was a young Minnesota Timberwolves player with potential and known for his out of this world athleticism. His first major accomplishments in the NBA was winning the slam dunk contest back to back years in 2015 and 2016. He didn't realize his full potential until he got traded to the Chicago Bulls in the 2018 off-season. Lavine is on the last year of his four year, $78 million million contract and is expected to have a even bigger pay day when he hits free agency. Whether that's with the Chicago Bulls or not is a question that will be answered in the summer.
2 Dejonte Murray
Dejonte Murray dealt with trials and tribulations by suffering a torn ACL before the start of the 2018-19 season. Regardless of the age, it's a injury that has derailed rising careers and typically prevents a player from seeing time on the court for about a year. Despite Murray's injury, Rich Paul showcased his negotiating skills by getting him a four year, $64 million contract extension. Murray is in a similar position with Paul's client Darius Garland as both of them are young players who became first time All Stars this season and have their sights on larger paying contracts if they keep at their current pace.
1 John Wall
John Wall may not be in the prime of his career anymore, but his All Star performance is how he was able to sign to a $170 million contract extension with the Washington Wizards in 2017. Wall is the third highest paid player even with his sporadic appearances on the court in recent years and not suiting up for a single game this season. Whether Wall plays another game during the remaining span of his contract or not, he's still going to be reaping the benefits until it expires in 2023.
Kanye West has done it again. The rapper, fashion icon and music mogul has turned up the heat in the music industry with the launch of his highly anticipated Donda 2 Listening Party. The guest list was exclusive, the music was astounding, and of course, Kanye West drummed up some drama as he raked in millions of dollars. This is far from being an average music release, as Kanye has implemented a variety of new elements to this launch, and to the album as a whole. One thing is for certain - Donda 2 is poised to generate millions of dollars that will pad Kanye West's already impressive $1.8 billion net worth.
Fans that are excited to obtain the Donda 2 album are in for a shock when they discover that this highly anticipated music release won't be readily available through popular streaming sites. For all those that thought they'd easily download the album on Youtube or Spotify will have to think again. In true Kanye fashion, the rapper is taking matters into his own hands and releasing his music in his very own way. Donda 2 has proven to be an expensive and exclusive listening experience that is available only to those wishing to purchase his Stem music device. This means having to shell out $214.00 to purchase the Stem device, which comes already loaded with Donda 2. Well, sort of. That price only provides fans with four tracks at this time, which is a hefty price to pay for a snippet of new music. With their Stem purchase, fans are able to access the tracks; Security, Pablo,Open Road and We Did It Kid.
Kanye's fresh, entrepreneurial skills are on full display as he effectively isolates his audience and forces them to purchase is Stem product in order to access his music. Ye has partnered with Kano Computing and launched this listening device, while swiftly dismissing all other streaming platforms and cutting them out of this album's profits. Kanye West is so serious about this matter that he turned down a $100 million deal with Apple Music, taking the objectively wild approach of releasing his tunes in a more innovative way. He's intentionally causing waves by disrupting music streaming by fully and absolutely controlling the manner in which they are able to access his work.
Fans that are willing to purchase this pricey device will be able to access all the cool features it offers, inclusive of their ability to play four different track elements: vocals, drums, bass and music. "It allows users to manipulate songs using touch-sensitive sliders built into its shell. The device lets users control and isolate different elements of the song, and add effects. There is also a real-time loop and speed control, and users have the ability to save, play back and download mixes." This device is currently available in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and the UK. Fans in other regions are fresh out of luck.
When strictly isolating the financial and monetary aspects of the Donda 2 album, it has a lot to live up to, as the first Donda release had set the bar very high. Some fans deemed the first Donda album release and listening party to be a sloppy, directionless, abysmal failure by music standards, while others raved about the unique approach that West had taken to generate interest in his brand, and earn millions of dollars.
Whether you love his approach, or are completely put-off by it, the fact remains that the Donda experience is a wildly lucrative one and from a financial perspective, it was a huge success for West. His listening parties generated $12. million, with 42,000 fans ramming Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz stadium in July, dishing out $25-$100 a ticket to simply be there. The cost of food and drinks was astronomical, and of course, West arrived well over 2 hours late, ensuring that his food, beverage, and merchandise sales were fully explored by all those in attendance. The second listening party for the first Donda release was equally successful, and there were well over 5.4 million views on Apple Music, shattering all records previously set, and making it the most watched live stream in Apple Music history. Kanye made well over $7 million in merchandise sales, alone.
The Donda 2 listening party was an exclusive, star-studded event that attracted some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, and beyond. Big stars and famous faces were seen in abundance, with appearances from rapper Jack Harlow, Pusha T, Alicia Keys, and West's long time pal Elon Musk was also there. Migos, DaBaby, and Marilyn Manson, rounded off the list of celebrities to join this exclusive event. Also in attendance were The Game, Playboi Carti, Rick Ross, Diddy, and French Montana. This VIP event took place at LoanDepot Park Stadium in Miami, Florida on Tuesday, February 22nd.
The highly choreographed performances were dark, gothic, and even included the artists wading through water and low-key performing amid a dramatic backdrop.
In spite of all these big names in attendance, one very important person was missing. Kim Kardashian did not attend this event, but West's children were there to cheer their father on.
The listening party for Donda 2 packed a lot of punch, not just because of the exclusive guest list, but also thanks to the incredible effort that went into the production of the event. The two hour entertainment spectacle included performances by The Game, on the Eazy track, Migos on the Kid We Did It track, and Pusha T on Diet Coke. Jack Harlow, Marilyn Manson, Alicia Keys, Fivio Foreign, DaBaby and Playboi Carti also lent their voices to the performance, which also happened to feature lyrics by the late XXXTentacion. Adding to the all-Kanye-everything theme of the night, was the fact that all performers wore fashions from Balenciaga and Yeezy x Gap.
West isn't just making waves by forcing fans to buy the Stem device to hear his music, he is also stirring up some serious controversy with his selection of performers. He brought embattled rapper DaBaby to the stage, along with accused rapist Marilyn Manson, making fans wonder why he was going out on a limb by associating these individuals with his brand. Even the presence of XXXTenacion's voice on top of the track served as a reminder that the late rapper was accused of violently abuse.
Those who could see past the bizarre association with artists that cancel culture had previously omitted, were disappointed by the technical difficulties that marred the second half of the party. There were deeply concerning issues with technology, and the sound was way off during the second half of the event, which frustrated West so much that he chucked the microphone out of anger.
Even in comedies, Pesci portrays a sketchy character with dangerous intent, such as in the family-comedy series, Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), starring a young Macauly Culkin. Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1943, the Raging Bull actor grew up around numerous wiseguys and was acquainted with The Italian-American Mafia, which is likely what largely influenced his often tough and violent on-screen character. In addition, due to their Italian descent, Pesci has collaborated with other Italian actors like Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Paul Sorvino, and film director Martin Scorsese. Without any further delay, here are 10 of the highest-grossing movies of Joe Pesci's career.
10 Home Alone
With a reputation as one of Hollywood's original Italian bad boys, the last place anyone would've expected to see Joe Pesci was in a Christmas family comedy, especially since the movie released just a few months prior in the same year, Goodfellas, was anything but humorous...or family-friendly. However, what may not have come as a surprise to fans regarding Pesci's character in the 1990 release of Home Alone was one of the main antagonists - a thief. The movie highlights the life of Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), the last child of Peter and Kate McCallister (John Heard and Catherine O'Hara) who is accidentally left alone in their suburban Chicago home after a bad headcount before the family's trip to Paris. After departing, career thieves Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) target the McCallister's house for some Christmas presents, but Kevin makes them wish they hadn't. On an $18 million budget, the film raked in a healthy $476.6 million at the box office.
9 Home Alone 2: Lost In New York
After the monumental success and positive reception from viewers from the first Home Alone installment, it was decided to produce a second film reprising all the main characters, which included the clumsy "Sticky Bandits," Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern). It's been two years since Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) had Harry and Marv arrested for robbery. Released in 1992, Home Aone 2: Lost in New York yet again shows the negligence of Kevin's parents when he mistakenly boards a plane heading for New York City while the rest of the family heads to Florida for Christmas. Kevin must rely on his cleverness and wit to survive the cold New York streets. He eventually bumps into Harry and Marv who have been released from prison, and, seeing Kevin, are craving revenge. Other celebrities involved include Tim Curry and Rob Schneider. The film grossed a little less than its original, earning $358.9 million globally.
8 Lethal Weapon 3
The year 1992 was a busy one for Joe Pesci. He has at least four movies released simultaneously in circulation, one of them being Lethal Weapon 3. As the movie title suggests, the film was the third installment of a very lucrative franchise and grossed a whopping $321.7 million against a $35 million budget. Pesci plays the role of Leo Getz, a good friend of Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), who is also helping Murtaugh to sell his home as he is planning to leave the police force. The three are in pursuit of an ex-cop named Jack Travis (Stuart Wilson) who is running an illegal arms trafficking ring, who eventually gets shot by Riggs with his own armor-piercing bullets.
7 Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 4 was released in 1998 as the franchise's finale, six years after the third installment, and featured many of the same actors as the previous movie series with a few additional surprises. Pesci reprised his role as Leo Getz, as did Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, respectively. This time around, Riggs is preparing for fatherhood, as his girlfriend, Lorna Cole (Rene Russo), is pregnant. Simultaneously, Murtaugh is dealing with the marriage of his daughter, Rianne (Traci Wolfe) to Butters (Chris Rock), a cop on the team with who she is also pregnant. All the while, they are being hunted by a ruthless Chinese Triad smuggling gang, headed by Sing Ku (Jet Li). On a budget of $100-$150 million, the action movie grossed $285.4 million at the box office.
6 Lethal Weapon 2
Although his character was not cast in the first Lethal Weapon series in 1989, Pesci has made a considerable amount of money from the subsequent movie installments he was a part of, starting with Lethal Weapon 2. He was introduced for the first time as Leo Getz, a former money launderer for dangerous drug smugglers. Getz is forced to be kept in witness protection under the care of Riggs and Murtaugh as he is being hunted for cooperating with police and leading them to South African drug smugglers Arjen Rudd (Joss Ackland) and Pieter Vorstedt (Derrick O' Connor). The dramatic film grossed $227.9 million worldwide.
Released in 1991, JFK is more than likely every conspiracy theorist's favorite film about the alternative possibilities surrounding the death of United States President John F. Kennedy. The drama film focuses on the investigation of the assassination of JFK, which took place on November 22, 1963, by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin Cosner). It challenges the mainstream narrative suggested about Kennedy's suspected assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, as Garrison begins to make undiscovered connections to New Orleans and a private pilot named David Ferrie (Joe Pesci). His revelations go deeper, as the CIA, Secret Service, and FBI, are seen as missing pieces to the puzzle. However, his findings are rejected by the federal government, and that may be for nefarious reasons. Among the cast of characters is Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman, and Tommy Lee Jones. The eye-opening film grossed $205.4 million at the box office.
4 Casino
Directed by Italian film director, Martin Scorsese, 1995's Casino was released based on Nicholas Pileggi's non-fiction book, Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas - which describes true events. The film follows the life of a small-time mobster and Mafia syndicate associate, Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert De Niro) who is promoted by the Chicago Mafia to head the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas. After a successful turnover of profits, things seem to be looking good for Ace. But when Ace's childhood friend, Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), is sent by the mob to keep things in line, his criminal activity attracts unwanted police attention. Ace then meets a beautiful ex-prostitute named Ginger (Sharon Stone) who he marries and bears a daughter with. But she also becomes a liability by maintaining a relationship with a past lover named Lester and eventually turns to drugs and alcohol. The mob bosses eventually put a hit on Nicky and his younger brother, Dominick, because of his recklessness which has now drawn FBI investigators. This classic mob movie grossed $110.4 million worldwide.
3 The Good Shephard
We see the Italian acting duo paired together again in the 2006 spy drama, The Good Shephard, directed and co-produced by Robert De Niro. The film centers on the life of Edward Wilson (Matt Damon), a CIA officer who has joined the Skull and Bones secret society. He is caught in a web of passion, deception, and betrayal both in his personal love life and as a spy. He starts a relationship with a deaf student named Laura (Tammy Blanchard) but is soon seduced by Margaret "Clover" Russell (Angelina Jolie) and they have a son together named Edward Wilson Jr. (Eddie Redmayne), who also becomes a Skull and Bones member and is approached by the CIA for recruitment. After years of undercover work and exposing double agents, Edward is made the first head of counter-intelligence. This film also marked Pesci's return to the screen as a Mafia boss named Joseph Palmi after an eight-year hiatus. Against a budget of $80 million, the film grossed $100.3 million globally.
2 My Cousin Vinny
Who would've ever thought that the defiant and often ruthless Joe Pesci would be acting on the other side of the law in My Cousin Vinny? It definitely was a 360 from his role as a petty thief in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York released the same year. In a severe case of mistaken identity and being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Bill Gambini (Ralph Macchio) and Stan Rothenstein (Mitchell Whitfield) are college students with a bright future at UCLA. After the convenience store, they have stopped at is robbed and the store clerk shot and murdered, they are charged with first-degree murder for accidentally stealing a can of tuna. Bill's mother remembers that his cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci) is an attorney, albeit only with experience as a personal injury lawyer. However, cousin Vinny surprises Bill, Stan, and his fiancee, Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei) by winning the case and getting the murder charges dropped. The film was a critical and financial success, grossing $52.9 million worldwide.
1 Goodfellas
If there is a movie Joe Pesci is remembered for apart from Home Alone, it's Goodfellas. Released in 1990, the biographical crime film was again directed by Martin Scorsese and based on Nicholas Pileggi's nonfiction book, Wiseguy. The film highlights the life of a young Brooklyn native named Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) who becomes enticed by the glitz, glamor, grandeur, and power of the Mafia lifestyle. Henry starts small but quickly works his way up the crime chain under the Italian crime-family capo, Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino), along with Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), and gangster Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro). He meets and marries a young Jewish darling named Karen Hill (Lorraine Bracco) who isn't fond of Henry's violent mob lifestyle. From robberies to millions in the cocaine business with Jimmy, he hits his prime as a self-made gangster but quickly declines due to cocaine addiction. He eventually leaves the gangster life and enrolls in the witness protection program to safeguard himself and Karen. Tommy is murdered, Paulie dies in jail, and Jimmy serves 20 years to life for murder. Goodfellas remains a classic mobster flick, grossing $47 million at the box office.
