What Is Bobby Brown's Net Worth?
Bobby Brown is a renowned American R&B singer and songwriter with a net worth of $2 million. He started his career as a member of the pop group New Edition before achieving stardom as a solo artist. His solo debut album, "King of Stage," featured the hit single "Girlfriend." However, it was his second album, "Don't Be Cruel," that skyrocketed him to fame with chart-topping singles like "My Prerogative" and "Every Little Step," earning him a Grammy Award. Despite his musical success, Brown's personal life, including his tumultuous marriage to singer Whitney Houston and struggles with substance abuse, often overshadowed his career. Whitney Houston passed away in 2012, and their daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown died in 2015 at the age of 22.
Whitney Houston's Estate
At the time of her death, Whitney Houston owed $20 million to her record company, Sony/Arista. Her estate managed to repay this debt through the sale of singles, albums, and merchandise, eventually generating an additional $20 million for her heir, 19-year-old Bobbi Kristina Brown. Upon Bobbi Kristina's death in 2015, she had collected around 10% of the trust, worth approximately $2 million, which went to her closest living relative, Bobby Brown. Houston's mother and two brothers now manage the remaining estate.
Early Life
Born Robert Barisford Brown on February 5, 1969, in Boston, Massachusetts, Bobby grew up in the Orchard Park Projects in Roxbury as one of eight siblings. His dream of becoming a performer was ignited at the age of three when he saw James Brown perform in his hometown. He later joined his church choir.
Brown had a difficult childhood beset by violence and poverty. His parents, a substitute teacher, and a construction worker could not afford many of his desires, leading him and his friends to resort to stealing. A turning point in his life was the tragic stabbing death of a close friend at the age of 11.
New Edition
Bobby Brown co-founded the band New Edition in 1981 with two childhood friends at the age of 12. A year later, the group officially became a quintet. Their debut album, "Candy Girl" (1983), reached #20 on the "Billboard" R&B singles chart. Despite numerous successful tours, albums, and singles, Brown claimed he only earned "$500 and a VCR" while with the group. He left New Edition in 1986 to pursue a solo career.
Solo Career & Other Work
Brown's solo career began with the release of his first album, "King of Stage" (1986), which sold moderately well. True stardom came with his second album, "Don't Be Cruel" (1988), produced by notable R&B songwriters/producers Teddy Riley, L.A. Reid, and Babyface. This album sold over 12 million copies.
Bobby became famous for hits like "Don't Be Cruel" and "Humpin' Around" during the 1980s and 1990s, though his relationship with Whitney Houston drew as much attention as his music.
In 1989, Brown made his film debut with a cameo in "Ghostbusters II." He also appeared in the HBO show "Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme" in 1990.
Brown reunited with New Edition for the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards, leading to the group's 1996 album "Home Again." They also performed together at key events like the 2005 BET 25th Anniversary Special and the 2009 BET Awards in honor of Michael Jackson. New Edition continues to perform to this day.
In 2005, Brown starred in the Bravo reality series "Being Bobby Brown," which, despite poor reviews, garnered high ratings. The show was canceled after one season as Houston refused to participate further. Bobby later appeared in season five of "The Masked Singer" in 2021 and in "Biography: Bobby Brown" and "Bobby Brown: Every Little Step" on A&E in 2022.
Originally planning to release a tell-all book "Bobby Brown: The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing But" in 2008, Brown backed out after controversial statements about Houston were leaked. The book was later published after Houston's death by its author, Derrick Handspike.
Via Getty Images
Personal Life
While Brown's music career soared, his personal life was turbulent. Known for his hard-partying lifestyle and womanizing, Brown's marriage to Whitney Houston on July 18, 1992, was fraught with difficulties. They had one daughter, Bobbi Kristina, in 1993. Brown faced numerous arrests for drunk driving, battery, and other charges. The couple's issues provided ample fodder for tabloids until their divorce in 2007.
In 2009, Brown had a son, Cassius, with his manager and girlfriend Alicia Etheredge. They got engaged in 2010 and married in 2012 in Hawaii. They have since welcomed two daughters, Bodhi Jameson Rein in 2015 and Hendrix Estelle Sheba in 2016.
Before his relationships with Houston and Etheredge, Brown fathered three children with two different women: Landon in 1986 with Melika Williams, and La'Princia and Bobby Jr. in 1989 and 1992, respectively, with Kim Ward.
Tragedy struck Brown multiple times; Whitney Houston passed away on February 11, 2012, under accidental drowning conditions complicated by heart disease and cocaine use. Bobbi Kristina later died at 22 under similar tragic circumstances in 2015, and in November 2020, Brown's son, Bobby Brown Jr., was found dead at 28.
