Kevin Hart is a well-known American comedian, actor, and entrepreneur. The Philadelphia native began his comedic career after performing at an amateur night at a Philadelphia-area bar. He also appeared on ABC’s “The Big House,” but his act did not resonate with his fans, and the show was canceled after six episodes.
He got into comedy, receiving influence from comedians such as Chris Tucker, among others, and then revamped his act to relaunch his career. His career took a turn for the better in 2006, when he published his debut stand-up CD, “I’m a Little Grown Man.”
This solidified his reputation as one of the top emerging young comedians of the 2000s. His second album, “Seriously Funny,” was published in 2010 and was even more successful. In 2011 and 2013, he released a series of comedies.
Hart’s prowess in comedy brought him several film roles. He rose to prominence in films such as “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Soul Plane,” and “Little Fockers.” He has since appeared in a number of films. His most recent Netflix film, “True Story,” shows the Philadelphia-based comic in his first dramatic role.
His success in humor and cinema landed him a job as an event host. He presented the MTV Awards and other high-profile events in 2012.
Aside from humor, acting, and event hosting, Hart is also a successful investor with a diverse business portfolio. Some of his enterprises are listed below.
Tommy John
Hart made an investment in Tommy John underwear in 2016. The brand was first introduced in 2008. According to PR Newswire, Hart approached Tommy John founder and CEO Tom Patterson about investing in the company.
“I wanted to be something more than just another celebrity endorser,” said Hart. “There’s something so much more authentic about investing in the brands that you love – brands that you wear, instead of getting paid to. I love this underwear. It’s comfortable, it looks good, and they say it like it is.”
Tommy John is disrupting, innovating, and marketing underwear in a far more genuine and relatable way than the world has ever seen. I’m excited to be given the opportunity to get involved,” he added.
Laugh Out Loud
Hart founded Laugh Out Loud, a comedic streaming service. A radio show is also available through the streaming service. Laugh Out Loud, which was founded in 2017, is recognized for podcasts, web series, and streaming shows such as “Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart & Snoop Dogg” for Comcast Corp.’s Peacock and the Roku series “Die Hart.”
Hartbeat
Hartbeat was also founded by Hart. The Los Angeles Times reports that Hartbeat was founded by the amalgamation of Hart’s film and television production company, Hartbeat Productions, and Laugh Out Loud. He obtained a $100 million minority investment for his newly founded company in 2022.
“The new $100-million investment comes from private equity firm Abry Partners, which gets a minority stake in the new company and two seats on Hartbeat’s board. Peacock, which has a multi-year distribution deal with Laugh Out Loud and took a minority stake in the company in 2020, will still be a shareholder, “ the Times reported.
Hartbeat Ventures
Hartbeat Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing on lifestyle, media, and technology, as well as financial inclusion. J.P. Morgan made the firm’s first institutional investment in 2019.
According to Tech Crunch, Hartbeat Ventures has made several investments, including an electrolyte beverage brand called BrightFox; an avatar platform called Ready Player Me; a sustainable bottled water brand called Path; a massage therapy device called Therabody; a sustainable packaging brand called Cleancut; a car leasing platform called Rodo; and a social food ordering platform called Snackpass.