How Foxy Brown Achieved a Net Worth of $3 Million
Known for her fierce attitude and bold personality, rapper Foxy Brown is one of those who always seem to be in the middle of the action. She is one of the most recognizable figures in hip-hop.
Whether she is taking on rivals in a rap battle or speaking out about issues that are important to her, Foxy Brown has earned a reputation as someone who isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in.
Foxy has also had an incredibly successful career as a musician, with multiple albums topping the charts and earning critical acclaim.
Foxy Brown hasn’t always been met with praise from her critics despite her many achievements. She has faced intense scrutiny for some of her controversial actions, including comments viewed as racially insensitive and several incidents of violent behavior.
Despite these challenges, Foxy Brown has continued to find success in her career and remains a role model for many young artists today. Foxy Brown has achieved an overall net worth of $3 million during her music, acting, and business careers.
Foxy’s Early Career
Foxy Brown came up with catchyname when she participated in and won a talent contest that happened in Park Slope, Brooklyn, in 1994.
In attendance were Trickmasters members, a production team that invited her to rap on their project “I Shot Ya.” The song was a remix of LL Cool J’s I Shot Ya, and it featured Biggie Smalls, Keith Murray, and Lil’ Kim. The remix propelled her to mainstream popularity.
Mainstream Success
She nextparticipated in numerous RIAA platinum and gold singles and got involved in the popular Toni Braxton’s “You’re Makin’ Me High” remix. Brown was also on the soundtrack of The Nutty Professor, a 1996 film that had her featured on Case’s work, “Touch Me Tease Me” and Jay-Z’s hit “Ain’t No Nigga.”
During this period, her career sky-rocketed, and a bidding war between record labels started, with Def Jam Records eventually winning. Initially, she went by “Foxy” but later changed it to “Foxy Brown” as she began to establish herself in the industry.
According to Hip Hop Scriptures, the name came from the popular 1974 film starring Pam Grier. Brown’s distinction as a rapper came from her ability to rap provocatively at such a young age. Despite her success, however, she experienced some personal challenges as well.
Foxy Brown’s Personal Life
Foxy Brown wasborn Inga DeCarlo Fung Marchand in Brooklyn on September 6, 1978. She is the daughter of a Chinese father and an Afro-Trinidadian mother.
Brown was raised by a single mother after her father, Keith Stahler, left to pursue his career when she was four years old. She was raised alongside two older brothers, Anton Marchand and Gavin Marchand.
Marriage, Tragedy, and Addiction
Foxy had a good relationship with her uncle Federico de la Asuncion until he died on November 12, 2001, as one of 265 fatalities in the crash of American Airlines Flight 587, according to Wikipedia.
She got engaged to a fellow rapper, Kurupt, in 1997 and Spragga Benz in 2001. She has gone through some personal struggles with depression and opioid addiction.
Legal Troubles in Foxy’s Life
In 2007, Foxy was sentence to one year in prison after a string of bizarre violent outbursts. She was originally sentenced to probation for attacking a manicurist, and was then sent to prison after violating her probation by throwing a Blackberry at a neighbor.
While serving her time in prison, she gave birth to her first child. In recent years, she had a feud with rapper Lil’ Kim and agreed to collaborate with Nicki Minaj to support her music career.
Discovery by Jay-Z
Starting as a teenage rapper with a gritty style, Foxy Brown soon found herself on the fast track to success. After being courted by several record labels, she ultimately signed with Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records and released her debut album Ill Na Na in 1996.
The album was a commercial success; during the first week of release, it sold over 128,000 copies. The album debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200 album chart and spawned a dual of hit singles, “Get Me Home” and “I’ll Be.”
The Firm Supergroup
In 1997, Brown joined forces with Nas, AZ, and Cormega to form The Firm, a supergroup of New York-based rappers. Led by producer Dr. Dre from his thuggish beginnings in N.W.A, The Firm released their debut album on Aftermath/Violator Records to high expectations.
Although the record was a commercial success, it was not well received by critics. One of the album’s singles, “Affirmative Action,” was a reworking of Nas’ previous hit “Street Dreams,” with Brown and AZ adding verses.
Foxy’s Followup Solo Album
After The Firm’s album release, Brown left the group due to creative differences. She soon began work on her second album, Chyna Doll. The album was released in early 1999 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. It sold over 173,000 copies during its first week of release, making Brown the second female rapper to achieve this feat.
The album’s sales quickly declined in subsequent weeks, but it was still certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Commercial Success with Broken Silence
In 2001, Brown released her third album, Broken Silence. The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, selling over 130,000 copies in its first week and over 500,000 copies overall. It was eventually certified Gold by the RIAA. The album’s lead single, “BK Anthem,” was a tribute to her hometown of Brooklyn and quickly became a hit on urban radio.
In the same year, she recorded a soundtrack for the film Rush Hour 2, a piece that she worked with Hikaru Utada, a Japanese singer, and Pharrell Williams. The soundtrack debuted at #11 on the Billboard 200 and at the top of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Her next album was supposed to be Ill Na Na 2: The Fever, but it was never released due to disagreements with her record label. After leaving, she took a break and started recording again in 2004.
Comeback with Jay-Z
Her most significant achievement would come after rejoining JAY-Z. She joined hands in producing an album, the Black Roses, that featured a lot of big names. But before she could release it, she had sudden hearing loss, putting the album on hold. Later in 2006, she decided to start her record label Black Rose Entertainment.
But to continue working with JAY-Z, she had to leave Def Jam Recordings and join S. Carter Records. After years of working with JAY-Z, Foxy Brown finally released her album Black Roses in 2007.
The album was a massive success, topping charts pushing her success up.
After all that happened during her previous album and her delayed prison sentence, she decided to release Brooklyn’s Don Diva, a street album, on May 13, 2008. It contained two previously unreleased songs from her shelved album Ill Na Na 2: The Fever. The album peaked at #83 on the Billboard 200 chart, #8 on the Independent Albums Chart, and a respectable #5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. Four years later, she released the diss track “Massacre” in response to Lil’ Kim’s “Black Friday.”
Later the same year, she appeared as a special featured guest on Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday Tour in New York City. She did reunite with her group, The Firm, who performed at the Paid Dues Festival in California. She is currently back to work on her fourth studio album, which is expected to be released in late 2019.
Her estimated record sales for 1996 to 1997 are $190,000, while that of 1999 is $844,000. In 2001, her sales increased to $553,000. Finally, in 2008, she sold 24,800 copies of her album Brooklyn’s Don Diva, earning her $24,800.
Acting Career
Besides being a rapper, Foxy Brown has also tried her hand at acting. Her first role was in the 1998 film Woo, where she played the girlfriend of a pimp, played by rapper Redman. She later appeared in the films Belly (1998), Rush Hour 2 (2001), and This Means War (2012).
She has also made guest appearances on television shows such as New York Undercover, One Life to Live, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Awards, Nominations, and Achievements
Brown hasn’t won any award yet, but she has received three nominations besides her music career earnings. The first nomination came in 1997 when she was nominated for the Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Song. The second one came in 2002 when she was nominated for the BET Award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist.
The last one came in 2003 when she was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. These nominations show that she is well respected in the hip-hop community. Her peers have recognized her talent, receiving some endorsements.
Endorsements and Business Ventures
Brown has been able to use her platform to score some endorsement deals. She has done endorsement work with Tommy Hilfiger, Reebok, and Coca-Cola. Brown has also launched her line of beauty products called “Foxy Brown Beauty.”
She has also been a spokeswoman for “Dark and Lovely” hair care products. Even though actual figures are not publicly available, these deals have had a significant impact on her net worth.
Setbacks: Health and Legal Issues
As mentioned before, Brown has been through some tough times in her career. In particular, she has struggled with opioid addiction, depression, and hearing loss.
She also ran into legal trouble on many occasions, which led to her spending time in jail. During this period, she lost touch with her fans, and many people wrote her off as a has-been. She also paid a $5,000 fine in 2010 after being arrested for criminal contempt.
Despite all of these setbacks, Brown has managed to pick herself up and dust herself off. She has re-emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
Conclusion
Foxy Brown has earned a net worth of $3 million. It’s made up mostly of her music sales and acting salary. She has also made money from her business ventures and endorsements, but the exact amount is unknown. Despite some setbacks, Foxy Brown’s career is still going strong.
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