Flava Flav : Net Worth, Money And More
net worth of $9 million
The all time flavor boy, ‘William Jonathan Drayton, Jr.’, more popularly known by his stage name ‘Flavor Flav’, has topped the list of richest rappers with a whooping estimated net worth of $9 million dollars. 2011 saw this rapper’s career in a pitiable condition, but sudden miracle pulled his drowning career to the highest peak when Flava Flav was recorded as the highest paid rapper with a $58 million in between April 2013 to April 2014. Popularly known for his yelling words ‘Yeah boy!’ and ‘Flavor flav!’ in between his stage performances, Flavor Flav is the element behind popularizing the role of hype man in stage shows.
Early Life
Born as ‘William Jonathan Drayton Jr. on March 16, 1959, Flavor Flav had registered his presence in multiple platforms – as musician, actor, rapper, television figure and comedian. Born in Roosevelt, New York and brought up in Hempstead, New York, Flav began playing piano at the age of five and eventually became capable of playing 15 instruments. He was school dropout and has been on a jail stroll for many robbery and burglary.
He met Carlton Ridenhour, popularly known as ‘Chuck D’, in Adelphi University from where they first collaborated in Chuck D’s hip hop college radio show and moved on to rapping.
Career
1982 witnessed the entrance of some hot blooded American talents like Chuck D, Flavor Flav, DJ Lord, The S1W group, Khari Wynn and Professor Griff into the rap world with an American hip-hop group ‘Public Enemy’, that criticised the American media and sang the frustrations of Afro – Americans. Within a short span of time, this group was able to attract much audience and get gold or platinum certification for its album released in between 1980s to 1990s.
In 1984, the group got attention of Def Jam Records with their ‘Public Enemy #1’ track and released their first album in collaboration with Def Jam Records – ‘Yo! Bum Rush the Show’ (1987). In 1988 the group came up with another track ‘It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back’, that shooted to double platinum and 1989 saw the release of political single ‘Fight the Power’. ‘Life of a Nigerian’ was Flav’s first solo rap track. In 2006, Flav appeared with a first solo album that was released during the second season of ‘Flavour of Love’.
Taking some time away from the music world, Flav tried his luck in television too, where he participated in the third season of VH1’s reality show ‘The Surreal Life’ and developed a relation with actress Brigitte Nielsen. With the end of ‘The Surreal Life’, Flav and Brigitte were casted in VH1’s another reality show named ‘Strange Love’. This one hour 11 episodes show focused solely on the love and relation of Flav and Brigitte. But throughout the episodes the duo went on constant fights and yells due to mutual jealousy and ended up in separation. After separation, Brigitte Nielsen patched up with her Italian boyfriend Mattia Dessi and Flav set out to find his love through his another reality show ‘Flavour of Love’. It is an American reality show where 20 different ladies compete for Flav’s love living together in a home. To find his lady love Flav is assisted by his mother, ex-girlfriend Brigitte Nielsen (only for first season), his bodyguard named Big Rick and Tiffany Pollard (second season).
Personal Life and Legal issues
In 1991, Flav was sentenced to 30 days jail for assaulting his then girlfriend – Karen Ross. This led him to deep addiction. In 1993, Flav was charged with 90 days imprisonment for murder attempt and domestic violence. Flav’s father died of diabetics in 1997, followed by which Flav decided to re-join the rehabilitation centre at Long Island for recovering from drug addiction.
Flav dated Beverly Johnson and moved to a small apartment in the Bronx with her and her two children from her previous marriage. In 2002, Flav was jailed for driving with a suspended license, numerous parking tickets, and showing up late for appointments with his probation office. After released from jail, Flav broke up with Johnson and moved in with his mother on Long Island.
Flav has seven children. Shaniq, Karen, William Jr. were with were with Karen Ross; Dazyna, Quanah and Kayla were with his ex-girlfriend Angie Parker and Liz is the mother of his youngest child, Karma. As of at least October 2012, Elizabeth Trujillo, then 39, lived with him in Las Vegas and had been his fiancee for eight years. Flav’s lost his mother Anna Drayton, on December 31, 2013.
Net Worth
His fortune paved way to riches with his earnings from his TV shows. For ‘The Surreal Life’ he bagged $25000, for ‘Strange Love’ he got $50000 and for ‘Flavor of Love’ he got $100000. His cashed his fortune from smart stock investments, substantial property holdings and lucrative endorsement deals with Cover Girl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants in Washington. In March 2012, on his 53rd birthday, he inaugurated his another restaurant – House of Flavors, in Las Vegas. He owns a Football Team – Roosevelt Angels, has his own brand of Vodka – Pure Wonderflav, and a top-selling perfume – With Love from Flavor Flav and a fashion line called Flavor Flav Seduction.
