Ever wonder if the famous rich people we hear about were born poor or rich? Some celebrities who are rolling in dough now started their lives without two cents to rub together. They didn’t have the money and luxury they have now when they were born to their parents. Let’s discuss the rags to riches story of poor people who became rich:
1. Oprah Winfrey – Oprah Winfrey is a good example when it comes to poor people who ended up being famous and wealthy. Winfrey will always be known as the queen of daytime talk shows born in Mississippi to young unwed parents, and raised by her grandmother until she was 6 years old. Oprah’s mother worked as a maid and relied on welfare to support the family but the worst part is Oprah was a victim of child sexual abuse. Winfrey went on to become a tireless businesswoman, transforming herself from news anchor to talk-show host to head her own multi-platform media empire to include a studio, O magazine, book club, Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) cable channel , etc.
2. Jay-Z – Shawn Corey Carter today is the leader of a financial empire and not to mention married to one of the biggest pop stars of all time Beyonce Knowles-Carter. The young rapper was raised by his mother, Gloria Carter, in Brooklyn’s drug-infested Marcy Projects and dealt drugs and flirted with gun violence. Through ambition and talet he has managed to become one of the richest men in the entertainment world and another music mogul that made his way from the bottom to the top. Carter began as a rapper which allowed him to be involved in everything from nightclubs, clothing, part ownership of the New Jersey Nets, a sports agency owner, etc.
3. Justin Bieber – Bieber grew up poor because his mom and dad had him when they were still drug-addicted teenagers and then after Justin was born his dad walked out. He and his mother, Pattie Mallette, lived in a rat-infested home with an empty fridge and had to sleep on a pull-out couch living off of macaroni and cheese. However, times have quickly changed for the superstar because he was discovered singing and dancing on YouTube and has become a very successful pop star and filthy rich. Bieber is hated and adored by many fans across the world and continues to perform for sold out crowds.
4. Leonardo DiCaprio – DiCaprio was born in Los Angeles, California, as the only child of Irmelin a former legal secretary, and George DiCaprio an underground comic artist and producer of comic books. His mother is Germany and moved to the U.S. during her childhood, while his father is a fourth-generation American of half Italian and half German descent. His parents divorced when he was one and DiCaprio and his mother lived in several neighborhoods, such as Echo Park, a particularly seedy, drug-dominated and prostitution-full area of Los Angeles. Now this Hollywood superstar with Italian and German roots has a really amazing list of roles in numerous blockbusters like “Titanic”, “The Aviator”, “Catch me if you can”, “Gangs of the New York”, “The Beach” etc.
5. Kelly Clarkson – Growing up her family was poor. They lived on food stamps in a rundown house with roaches and had a hard time financially. Kelly Clarkson moved to LA to pursue a music career but her apartment caught fire and she was forced to live out of her car and a homeless shelter. However she has become one of the most successful American Idol winners of all time.