Who’s the boss? From models and TV personalities to movie stars and talk show hosts, many celebrities have branched out from the medium that made them famous and started their own successful companies. Kylie Jenner was only 21 when she became the youngest-ever self-made billionaire, according to Forbes’ 2019 list. The makeup mogul was criticized for the title, as she was born into a famous family, but she ultimately stood by it. “There’s really no other word to use other than ‘self-made’ because that is the truth,” the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star said in the Spring/Summer 2019 issue of Interview Germany.
“That is the category that I fall under.” At the time, Jenner did admit that she “had a huge platform and lots of fans” before she became a businesswoman, which helped her become successful. The Life of Kylie alum topped Forbes‘ list once again in 2020 but the outlet later revoked her title, alleging in a lengthy exposé that Jenner’s publicists started “a campaign to ‘get a Forbes cover for Kylie’” and that her business earnings were fabricated to make the brand seem more successful.
In May 2020, Jenner clapped back at the claims via Twitter. “What am I even waking up to. I thought this was a reputable site,” she wrote at the time. “All I see are a number of inaccurate statements and unproven assumptions lol. I’ve never asked for any title or tried to lie my way there EVER. period.” Her attorney, Michael Kump, further slammed the Forbes article titled “Inside Kylie Jenner’s Web of Lies — and Why She’s No Longer a Billionaire.” In a statement to Us Weekly, the lawyer claimed that the tell-all was “unequivocally false” and demanded “that Forbes immediately and publicly retract” their story. Despite facings criticism, the E! personality turned her love for beauty into a billion-dollar empire. Likewise, Dr. Dre and Jay-Z took their knowledge and passion for music and made it into something huge. Dre, for his part, cofounded Beats Electronics a.k.a Beats by Dre, in 2006. Apple bought the electronics company in May 2014 for $3 billion and was the largest acquisition in the tech company’s history. For his part, the “Empire State of Mind” rapper founded the record label Roc Nation in 2008. The label, which has a multi-year partnership with Live Nation, currently represents artists including Big Sean, Jaden Smith, Rihanna and Shakira. Keep scrolling to read more about stars who are also CEOs of successful business ventures!
