In the world of humor, black comics have established themselves as some of the best. Their influence may be seen across numerous genres, and they have utilized comedy to communicate unabashed truths and highlight social injustice, among other things.
Despite the fact that black athletes receive more attention, these comedians have acquired fortunes in the millions of dollars by combining their comedy skills with acting and other pursuits.
HowAfrica exposes some wealthy comic book creators in this article.
1. Kevin Hart
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 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.
Hart’s net worth is believed to be $450 million, according to the Asiatimes.
2. Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby was released from jail in 2021 when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed his conviction on s**ual assault charges. In September 2018, the 86-year-old was sentenced to three to ten years in prison on three counts of aggravated assault for drugging and s**ually abusing Andrea Constand in his house in 2004.
In 2018, the seven-member Pennsylvania Supreme Court concluded that the comedian and actor had been denied a fair trial after he had spent more than two years of his sentence. According to Forbes, prior to the s**ual assault allegations, he was making millions from syndication for repeats of The Cosby Show, specials, different TV deals he was working on, appearances, and touring.
However, as a result of the sexual claims and prosecution, Cosby lost millions of dollars in profits from his once-lucrative career. According to Forbes, BET and TV Land have canceled The Cosby Show. Bill Cosby 77, a scheduled Netflix special, has also been postponed indefinitely.
An NBC family sitcom in production with Cosby serving as both producer and actor was similarly canceled. Forbes reported that NBC struck a seven-figure deal with Cosby without even seeing a screenplay, and that “Cosby’s deal with NBC for the proposed show included a penalty fee awarding him more than $1 million should nothing materialize.”
Cosby’s net worth is estimated to be $400 million. He was the highest-paid television actor in the world during the height of his career, with a basic salary of $1 million each episode for starring in The Bill Cosby Show.
3. Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry, an American comedian, actor, playwright, director, and entrepreneur, began his career in obscurity, as do many famous black people. He grew raised in a poor family with an abusive father. Perry had to create a home in his automobile at one time, but he is now a celebrity billionaire.
With a net worth of $1 billion, the seasoned Hollywood filmmaker and business entrepreneur joined the “billionaires club” in 2020. Perry’s exclusive 100% ownership of his works is acknowledged as one of the contributing elements to his success and ascension up the financial ladder. According to Forbes, he has a net worth of $1.3 billion.
4. Steve Harvey
Stephen Harvey is a comedian, broadcaster, show host, author, and businessman from the United States. He is well-known for hosting “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” and game series such as “Family Feud” and “Celebrity Family Feud.”
He tried comedy at the Hilarities Comedy Club in 1985. During his early career, Harvey was homeless at one point. When he performed at performances without a hotel in the late 1980s, he slept in his 1976 Ford.
In 1990, Harvey made his breakthrough as a finalist in the Second Annual Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search. He took over as host of the TV show “It’s Showtime at the Apollo,” succeeding Mark Curry. That is how he got his start in the comedy business, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Harvey has a reported net worth of $200 million.
5. Byron Allen
Byron Allen is a media mogul and comedian. He is the owner of The Weather Channel, which he purchased in 2018 for an estimated $300 million. His Entertainment Studios is also said to have paid $165 million for Bayou City Broadcasting.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, he also launched a $8 billion bid for TEGNA, a local TV firm with 64 stations in 51 locations across the United States, in 2021.
Allen’s ownership of numerous media platforms has elevated him to the ranks of the wealthiest African-Americans. It did, however, put him in debt. During the height of the epidemic, his Weather Channel acquired a “huge debt load” when TV advertisers withdrew, reducing their ad expenditure budget.
Still, he is said to be worth $800 million.
6. Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle is unquestionably a comic genius who has received widespread acclaim for his work as both a comedian and a social commentator. The comic does it better than anybody else in the business. Chappelle studied education at Duke Ellington School of the Arts before moving to New York to pursue a career in comedy. His debut performance at the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night was a disaster, as he was booed off the stage. He did, however, rapidly establish himself on the New York comedy circuit.
In 1992, he featured on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam and received critical and popular acclaim for his performance. He then became a frequent guest on late-night shows such as Late Show with David Letterman, The Howard Stern Show, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
At the age of 20, Chappelle made his cinematic debut in Robin Hood: Men in Tights and went on to play various roles. He debuted the ‘Chappelle’s Show’ on Comedy Central in 2003. The show’s popularity secured him a $55 million contract to continue the show for another two years. He left the program during the third season’s production, turning down a new $50 million contract from Comedy Central.
According to reports, he signed a $60 million agreement with Netflix in November 2016 to deliver three standup specials to the streaming site. “Dave made $47 million between June 2016 and June 2017. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Dave earned $35 million between June 2017 and June 2018. For his first two Netflix specials, The Age of Spin and Deep in the Heart of Texas, he received a Grammy Award in 2018 for Best Comedy Album.
He has a reported net worth of $60 million.
7. Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an actress, comedian, and daytime television personality. She began her career in comedy before becoming the moderator of ABC’s The View. Her 1983 one-woman act, Spook act, eventually appeared on Broadway under the title Whoopi Goldberg, running from 1984 to 1985, earning her her first Grammy.
In 1985, she garnered her first Oscar nomination and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for her performance as Celie in The Color Purple. According to speculative estimations from several sources, Goldberg has a net worth of $60 million.
8. Chris Rock
Chris Rock is a stand-up comedian, actor, producer, and film director from the United States. However, it is his ability as a comic that has propelled him to popularity. He began stand-up comedy in 1984 at the New York City venue Catch a Rising Star.
Rock landed a role in the TV series “Miami Vice” after his popularity skyrocketed following the episode. Eddie Murphy discovered Rock and taught him before giving him his first film job in “Beverly Hills Cop II” (1987).
Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast member Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, and David Spade joined the show in 1990. They became known as the “Bad Boys of SNL.” In 1991, he released his first comedy CD titled “Born Suspect.”