Owning multiple businesses is a goal that many entrepreneurs across the world have thought of at one point or another, and a good portion of that population is currently doing whatever they can to make their dreams of big biz come to fruition. Sometimes we even use the success of celebrities as our motivation, especially the ones that’ve successfully put their proverbial eggs in more than one basket.
Veteran music entertainers 50 Cent and Alicia Keys are great recent examples of that ambidextrous ambition, with the Queens-bred rap icon reportedly opening a strip club in Detroit and the “Fallin’” singer launching her own line of tea called — wait for it! — Alicia Teas.
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The G-Unit head honcho is known for being a man of many hats, whether getting his Hollywood on as creator of television’s hit Power universe or racking in millions from his now-legendary Vitaminwater deal back in the early 2000s. Keys on the other hand has kept things musical for the most part, save for a dive into skincare recently with her Keys Soulcare product line. Their separate ventures find both GRAMMY-winning artists diving into a field completely outside of their respective claim to fame, but surprisingly they aren’t alone in those aspirations by a long shot.
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Many public figures throughout history have tried their luck at other businesses outside of their main gig, with some a bit more surprising than others. Kanye West may be one of the most vilified people in the industry currently, but his viral take on pop diva Lady Gaga being appointed as creative director of Polaroid from 2010 to 2014 wasn’t a lie: what the fuck does she know about cameras?!
While we can’t exactly answer that decade-long question, what we can do is count off some of the most WTF celebrity side hustles so you can see what we mean. Some were winning ideas that are still making profit, while others didn’t have as successful of a stint. As we all know though, scared money don’t make no money — we give props to each of these celebs just for trying!
Keep scrolling for a look at 10 of the most surprising celebrity side gigs, and let us know which ones you think better set themselves up for success:
1. Snoop Dogg, Hot Dog Manufacturer
The trademark for “Snoop Doggs” hot dogs was filed last year in January 2022 according to Billboard, but we’re still waiting to see if these will be a foodie fave of the future. Frankfurters crossed!
2. Akon, Diamond Mine Owner
We’re glad Akon saw the moral side of things on his own, because those diamonds might’ve been too bright for a weaker-minded individual to walk away from.
3. Venus Williams, Interior Designer
Venus has been vocal for years about becoming a full-time interior designer with her brand V Starr following her retirement from professional tennis. We love that she’s already setting herself up strong!
4. Madonna, Children's Book Writer
For a woman who humped the 1984 MTV VMA stage and released a NSFW coffee table book in the ’90s titled Sex, a turn to being a children’s book author is one that still has us scratching our heads.
5. Jason Derulo, Car Wash Owner
You heard the value of that car wash correctly — get those dollars, Derulo!
6. Frankie Muniz, ARCA Professional Race Car Driver
If you’re hoping for a Malcolm In The Middle reboot at some point in the near future, you’re definitely in the wrong lane, buddy.
7. Erykah Badu, Doula
The better question is, what can’t this Queen do?!
8. Rupert Grint, Ice Cream Man
As legend goes, the Harry Potter star used his money from the popular film franchise to finance the Mr. Whippy ice cream truck, tricking it out with all the treats and now riding around periodically to give out ice cream to local kids for free.
9. Damon Dash, Art Mogul
Although Poppington Gallery was a thing in NYC’s Lower East Side at one point, sadly it fizzled away sometime around 2017 without a trace.
10. Queen Elizabeth II, Ketchup Connoisseur
The Queen may be gone, but her legacy will live on forever in fancy kitchens across the United Kingdom.
