Celebrities earn a lot from endorsing companies or becoming brand ambassadors. Aside from endorsing brands, celebrities are also becoming business owners themselves, and black celebrities in the USA and across the world are no exception. They have founded some of the most thriving businesses in the world bringing in millions of dollars and employing hundreds, which need our support to continue to thrive.
Below are some businesses owned by black celebrities that need our support.
Rihanna’s brands
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, 35, is considered one of the greatest musicians worldwide. The Barbados singer was recently certified by Forbes as the richest female musician globally with a net worth of $600 million.
Rihanna is the founder of the makeup brand, Fenty Beauty. It was launched in 2017 in partnership with LVMH, the French luxury goods giant run by billionaire Bernard Arnault. She is also behind the clothing brand for LVMH called Fenty as well as the founder of Savage X Fenty lingerie line.
KINLÒ by Osaka
Tennis star Naomi Osaka is the highest-paid female athlete in the world, retaining the top spot for the third straight year. She first made history as the world’s highest-paid female athlete in 2020 after earning a staggering $37.4 million.
Osaka is an investor in the skincare line known as KINLÒ, purposely for melanated individuals. She created the product with Ghanaian-born dermatologist Dr. Naana Boakye.
Snoop Dogg Empire
Snoop Dogg is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur. His versatility has won him many hearts and followers not only in the United States but across the world. His career in music started after he was discovered by millionaire musician, rapper, and music producer, Dr Dre. In recent times, he mixes music with entrepreneurship. He has built a business empire with a number of subsidiaries.
The rapper’s first economic venture was a pet wear line called Snoop Doggie Doggs. Snoop Dogg co-founded the venture firm, Casa Verde Capital, which is one of the first venture firms established to focus on the cannabis industry.
The rapper is also a wine investor; he recently released his first brand, Snoop Cali Red, and is now out with a new Rosé.
Beyoncé’s fragrances
Beyonce is arguably one of the most influential female musicians in the world. Her influence cuts across music and entrepreneurship. Forbes recently named her the 76th most powerful woman in the world and the 7th most powerful Black woman.
Aside from her co-investing in a number of businesses with her celebrity husband Jay-Z, she is also a sole investor in some businesses that deserve support. She is behind Parkwood Entertainment and fragrances including Beyonce Heat.
TPH by Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson is one of the most talented Black actresses who has grown to become a mainstay on screens for over two decades. Aside from acting, she is also an entrepreneur. She is behind the beauty line TPH by Taraji. She reportedly started with hair care products made to nurture scalps and later added a luxurious body care range.
The business was born out of the lack of attention the American haircare industry gave to Black people wearing their hair in natural styles. Although, in the last decade, the situation has improved due to the proliferation of Black-owned haircare products, she joined the industry to offer something different.
Monogram by Jay-Z
Twenty-two (22)-time Grammy award winner and business mogul Jay-Z recently launched his own cannabis brand, Monogram, in collaboration with the largest vertically-integrated cannabis company in California, Caliva.
Ten To One Rum by Ciara
Ciara Princess Wilson, affectionately called Ciara, is an American singer turned entrepreneur. She has a number of businesses, recently venturing into the spirit industry with the launch of To One Rum. She gives credit to Marc Farrell, the founder, for his incredible vision and the product. While strategizing on how to compete with the tequilas or the gins of the world, Ciara says her vision is to elevate how one envisages rum.
With Ten To One Rum, Ciara ventured into an industry where Blacks have been underrepresented. Blacks represent 12% of the drinkers, 7.8% of the workforce, and 2% of the executives and account for none of the acquisitions in the space, Forbes reported in 2022.
Happy Viking by Venus Williams
Happy Viking is a plant-based superfood nutrition company that Williams started after she was diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome, which causes inflammation, dry eye, and extreme fatigue.
She worked with a team of nutritionists to formulate superfood plant-based protein shakes in her kitchen to boost her immune health and get back on the court, according to Nutraingredeint.
“Because of my autoimmune disease, I’ve had the experience of not being healthy, of suffering from pain that impacted my ability to function each day,” said Williams. “It’s not a great place to be. Since adopting a plant-based diet and exploring superfood nutrition, I’ve seen the benefits for my body, my mind, and my performance firsthand.”
Serena Ventures by Serena Williams
Serena Ventures is the venture capital fund backed and founded in 2017 by Serena Williams. Through Serena Ventures, she has invested in several startups that needed capital to expand or stay afloat.
Kanye West’s Skims
West is set to cash in big from Kim Kardashian’s Skims which is now valued at $4 billion thanks to his 5 percent stake in the lucrative shapewear brand. West’s stake in Skims was captured in a report by Forbes in 2022.
The apparel company was co-founded by Kardashian four years ago and has become a unicorn four times over. According to the New York Times, the latest value of the company came after it raised $270 million in a new funding round, that is from the $3.2 billion valuation investors gave the company last year.
Once a billionaire, West now has a reported net worth of $400 million. His investment in Skims also accounts for his current net worth. The musician, entrepreneur and one of the few richest self-made Blacks in U.S. history, rose to fame in 2004 when he released The College Dropout album. Since then, he has been a celebrated music icon.
