It's true about the absolutely biggest ones to date Whitney and Michael.

If we started listing the others we'd be here all day so could someone share the success stories?

DJ R-Tistic, you are in LA. Do you know a bunch of old retired black entertainers living the good life with their children prospering? I once went to a pool party in Ladera Heights and Ike Turner was there with a young white woman and a Versace Short Set. He seemed to be living good before his death.


Seeing someone like Vanity needing to do a gofundme for 50k is a bit heartbreaking (sadder she only raised 5k).

It seems a life time of hard living and no health insurance is starting to catch up with the first wave of young rap & R&B artist I grew up listening as they start to hit 50 & 60 years old. I bet we will be seeing alot more gofundmes for our favorite artists.


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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

Maybe BG is asking about _famous_ entertainers.

And if so I don't agree that most of them die tragically or broke.

Can't spend it dead.

Now living broke. That sucks.

Plus the phrase assumes the person lived in poverty at least toward the end.

I don't think *most.* Several? Of course. Too high a number? Yes. I don't think most, though.

I used to see Billy Dee Williams posted up the bar of this Italian joint near us. Scarf on, sipping martinis, living the life. Clarence Williams III too. He used to buy me and my wife drinks on some old "Look at this young brother out here, doing it" type shit.

Verdine White from EW&F goes to my gym. He's pushing a Benz coupe and wearing expensive work out gear.

At least those who reached a certain height or longevity.

Billy Dee was in Star Wars for jimmney' sake. He has got to be in good shape.


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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

He may be paid for public appearances talking about SW but he's not receiving royalty payments. He doesn't own any piece of SW.

I suspect entertainers who own some piece of their work where the work still generates revenue are in the best shape. Like entertainers who also write or produce (if we're talking movies or tv). Or music acts who write and own their publishing rights. The rest of them are paid on the front end (if they're lucky) and that's it AFAIK.

>He may be paid for public appearances talking about SW but
>he's not receiving royalty payments. He doesn't own any piece
>of SW.
>
>I suspect entertainers who own some piece of their work where
>the work still generates revenue are in the best shape. Like
>entertainers who also write or produce (if we're talking
>movies or tv). Or music acts who write and own their
>publishing rights. The rest of them are paid on the front end
>(if they're lucky) and that's it AFAIK.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001850/

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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

He's definitely getting those Lando checks in this day and age.



Since 1976

when i said he's not still getting paid off SW i meant he's not getting royalty checks from his appearance in the original SW movies AFAIK. like Fox/Disney ain't sending BDW a check every time someone buys a SW DVD or movie ticket, et al.

http://static.vibe.com/files/images/bigl6.jpg

are still selling. And for EWF's hits, they are getting paid even more off of their music being used in films and on TV. Any entertainer who is getting big residuals from writing is gonna be doing well for life.

most entertainers end up with little to nothing, especially is they weren't the big anyway. sucks for Vanity, but I didn't think she got much cash being in the group. they didn't control anything and while she was the girlfriend, she wasn't THE STAR.

along with that, we will always here when celebs don't have or lose money more than the opposite. success stories aren't as exciting unless its a comeback type.

Buddy Holly Plane Crash

John Lennon shot down cold

Ricky Nelson free base plane crash

Stevie Ray Vaughan plane crash

Kurt Cobain i think he got wacked personally,

anyway alot of white acts went out tragic as well.

alot of horror on both sides of the ice cream truck.

...it's really sad.
A lot of them were involved in some classic songs that still get played today. Can't help but thinking had they been more astute businessmen and women they'd have been a lot better off.

like, those dudes in the sugar hill gang.

I was watching unsung the other day, they were doing ok after the group broke up, they just had to go work doing other stuff. they weren't broke and strung out on drugs or whatever.

you just don't hear from people like that ever again.


www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

people have the most issues.

Also the more successful they get they start to surround themselves with "yes" people and don't have anybody around to tell them when they're fucking up.

the public might think. And most that did get good money at some point aren't getting it regularly in their old age. So yeah, unless they had ownership in something they did so they can still get paid, I think it's reasonable to say that most either die broke if they are living to an old age, or tragically if they die young.

They have to keep hustling in part bc they're not receiving residual payments and may not have 'retirement' money saved.

Like that BDW example above. Or look at Betty White. She's working in her 90s probably bc she loves the work. But she's also not getting residual payments from the repeated airings of The Golden Girls or the Mary Tyler Moore Show or most of her other sitcom/game show appearances. Bc AFAIK she doesn't own a piece of any of those projects. I wonder how much she would work if she were collecting residual payments.

I don't think it's a ton of money but they do get it without being owners of the show.


http://www.sagaftra.org/content/residuals


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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

I'm glad to learn that.

are living great. Especially those who were never HUGE, but either worked with huge artists, or were moderately known in their time, and knew how to save/invest.

My dad's main crew is the whole Locke High camp, and while the only one that was a star on her own was Patrice Rushen, the rest of them are all doing great. A few have health issues, such as how George Duke recently passed from his issues, but overall, they stayed clean, saved their money, and are still involved in music.

With the actors, I know some who you haven't seen in years, but they're still living good. What's surprising is that some of the celebs we know of actually came from rich/well to do families, so they were good even before they got the money.

Now, with rappers, most of the ones in their 40's and 50's that aren't the major names (Snoop/Dre/Quik) there's some who are living and doing decent/good, while some are doing horrible. I'm talking about...Skee-Lo, AMG, Second II None, Big Hutch, Ahmad, Fatlip, etc etc..some of them are living good enough, but most aren't necessarily thriving. They ALL still make music, too LOL.

>A few have health issues,

Main I don't know any black folks over 60 without health issues. The soul food eating catches up on you.

>
>With the actors, I know some who you haven't seen in years,
>but they're still living good. What's surprising is that some
>of the celebs we know of actually came from rich/well to do
>families, so they were good even before they got the money.

It's kind of just like White People but a lot of black celebs don't come from nowhere. Like so many of them at least have like an uncle or aunt who worked in the business. Not even the Jayden Smiths, you got people like Sanaa Latham whose pops is a big time TV person.




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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

from money beforehand. And it makes sense..the richer kids are more connected and can afford the classes and whatever else it is that's necessary.