Kevin Jerome Gilyard, better known by his stage name Kevin Gates, is an American rapper, singer, and entrepreneur.
Famous for his popular hit studio album ‘Islah’, which was released in 2016. Over the past decade, he's proven to be a successful American hip-hop rapper.
In this article, you will find everything you need to know about Kevin Gates' net worth and wealth, including his music sales, merchandise sales, brand deals, endorsements, and more.
This article also covers his legal issues and their impact on his net worth.
What is Kevin Gates' net worth?
Kevin Gates' net worth is estimated to be $1 million.
Who is Kevin Gates?
Kevin Jerome Gilyard was born on February 5, 1986, in New Orleans, U.S., to a Puerto Rican mother and an African American father.
He and his family relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana, before settling in Baton Rouge, the U.S., where he grew up. Kevin had a rough upbringing and was arrested for the first time in 1999 at 13 for joyriding in a stolen vehicle as a passenger.
At the age of 17, he briefly attended Baton Rouge Community College.
He started rapping in 2007 when his career began with Baton Rouge folks, Webbie and Lil Bossie. He started by signing to the local label Dead Game Records.
When it seemed like everything was flourishing for Kevin, In 2008, both Gates and Boosie were incarcerated separately, effectively pausing Gates' music career.
He spent 31 months in prison between 2008 and 2011. Gates claimed he earned a master's degree in psychology through a prison program during his time in prison. He was released early from prison for good behavior.
Gates got his career back on track in 2012. He earned some public hype with the mixtape Make 'Em Believe. This stint caught the attention of Lil Wayne's record label, Young Money Entertainment, and he got signed up to the management wing of the brand later that year.
On February 15, 2013, it was announced that Kevin Gates signed with Atlantic Records.
He was also featured on Pusha T’s 2013 and Gudda Gudda’s mixtape. On July 16, 2013, Gates released a street album titled Stranger Than Fiction, and the street album was supported by the single “4:30”.
He married his longtime girlfriend, Dreka Haynes, in October 2015, and they are happily living together with their two children.
What are the sources of Kevin Gates' net worth?
- Music Sales
- Merchandise Sales
- Endorsements
- Film and Television
- Web Series
- Concerts
- Apparel
- Investment Properties
- Branding Deals
- Other Business Ventures
FAQs
What kind of music is Kevin Gates known for?
Kevin Gates is known for singing genres like Hip Hop, pop rap, and southern hip hop.
Here are some of the top songs:
- Big Gangsta
- Me Too
- 2 Phones
- Really Really
- Thinking with My Dick (feat. Juicy J).
How has Kevin Gates gained popularity in the hip-hop industry?
At first, he rose to popularity in the late 2000s, along with rappers Webster Gradney, known popularly as Webbie, and Torrence Hatch, popularly known as Boosie Badazz. The three together released their first mixtape, ‘Pack of Da Litter’ in 2007.
He gained more popularity after the release of the platinum-certified Islah, his debut studio album. This album song in 2016 was listed at #2 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Before the release of his album, Islah, he released many mixtapes, including Stranger Than Fiction, By Any Means, and Luca Brasi 2, that peaked in the top 40 on the Billboard 200 chart.
How did Kevin Gates' upbringing influence his rapping career?
Kevin Gates had a strict upbringing, and it had a significant influence on his early rapping career. While he was just 14 years old, he lost his biological father to the deadly impact of AIDs.
He was psychologically abused and assaulted several times as a teenager, and he found rapping as a means of escape. He stayed in a physically draining and violent environment.
In fact, the atmosphere of his environment made him more vulnerable, making him take up every kind of martial arts available. He did boxing and anything else he could lay his hands on to feel strong.
He said, “I wanted to be the toughest person on earth. Music was an escape for me”.
Music was indeed an escape, and it was reflected in his lyrics. He found deep expression whenever he related his life struggles to his music.
What are some of the accolades and awards Kevin Gates has achieved?
Here are some of the accolades and awards Kevin Gates has achieved so far in his career:
- BET Hip-Hop Awards, 2019 Best Mixtape, works: Luca Brasi 3
- Billboard Music Awards, 2017 Top Rap Album, Islah
- iHeartRadio Music Awards, 2017 Best New Hip-Hop Artist
What kind of merchandise does Kevin Gates sell?
As we stated earlier, Kevin Gates is also an entrepreneur. He owns Kevin Gates' stores.
He sells merch, shirts, posters, hoodies, and album stores.
Here are some of his famous products:
- Big Lyfe Bucket Hat
- Khaza Hoodie
- Khaza Signature Trucker Hat
- Big Lyfe Summer Shorts
- Big Lyfe Graphic T-Shirt
- Fatima knitted scarf
- Khaza Digital Album (Explicit)
- Big gangsta safe
What were Kevin Gates' legal issues?
Kevin Gates started having legal issues when he was still a minor. The first, when he was 13, he was arrested for being a passenger in a stolen vehicle.
In 2003, he was involved in an altercation outside a movie theater and stabbed his opponent multiple times. And in 2008, he was convicted of drug possession and spent two years in prison.
In the summer of 2015, he was charged with battery for kicking a fan while performing on stage at an event in Lakeland, Florida.
He was convicted of the charge on October 26, 2016, and sentenced to 180 days in jail.
The same year, in December, he was reissued a warrant he refused to submit to in 2013, and he was sentenced to a 30-month prison term at the East Moline, IL correctional facility for gun charges. He was released on parole on January 10, 2018.
What collaborations has Kevin Gates done?
Kevin Gates has collaborated with some great artists in the industry. He has collaborated with Renni Rucci, Mo3, Migos, Juicy J, G-Eazy, e.t.c.
What kind of endorsements does Kevin Gates have?
Kevin has signed endorsement contracts with Bread Winners’ Association as well as Atlantic Records.
He caught the eyes of Lil Wayne when he began producing hits. His mixtape, Make Ém Believe, was released in 2012 and attracted a lot of attention. Young Money Entertainment, Lil Wayne’s record label, was impressed with his performances.
He has endorsement deals with companies like Nike and Beats by Dre.
Takeaway
Where you start from shouldn't be a limitation to where you want to be. You have all it takes to surpass the expectations of people who downplay your capacity. A rough childhood never stopped Kevin Gates from following his dreams and succeeding.
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