Oscar, Golden Globe and multiple Grammy winner, American singer/songwriter John Legend has a reported net worth of $40 million.
Born John Roger Stephens in Springfield, Ohio to factory worker/former guardsman Ronald Lamar Stephens and seamstress Phyllis Elaine on December 28, 1978, John Legend was a church choir singer at four and a piano player at seven.
Mostly homeschooled, Legend graduated from North High School as salutatorian at 16 and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in English, in 1999, where he was musical director and president of the jazz/pop a cappella group Counterparts.
While working for Boston Consulting Group as a management consultant, he released two independent albums—his self-titled demo (2000) and Live at Jimmy’s Uptown (2001).
How did Legend make his fortune?
In 2001, using the stage name Dorrough, Legend started singing for Kanye West. He subsequently received the sobriquet ‘Legend’ after poet J. Ivy remarked that his singing reminded of “old school legends”.
Get Lifted, his first album (2004 release), earned global success, besides seventh place on the Billboard 200 and Gold certification.
A highly prized collaborator, Legend’s partnerships include the likes of Kanye West, will.i.am, Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Jay Z, Alicia Keys and Fergie.
His second album Once Again (2006 release), another global success, topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, peaked at third on the Billboard 200 and earned Platinum certification.
Awarded the Hal David Starlight Award, in 2007, he released the third album Evolver, foreshadowed by its hit single “Green Light”, in 2008.
Love in the Future, Legend’s fourth album (2013 release), claimed fourth place on the Billboard 200. His third single, “All of Me”, ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for three successive weeks along with six other national charts.
Legend’s collaboration in 2014 with rapper Common and a part of the film Selma’s soundtrack, “Glory”, won the Oscar and the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, in 2015.
In 2016 came his fifth album, Darkness and Light.
Crooning his way to 10 Grammy Awards, Legend’s wins comprise: two for the album Get Lifted and one for “Ordinary People” in 2006; one for “Heaven” and one for “Family Affair” (with Joss Stone and Van Hunt) in 2007; one for “Stay with Me (By the Sea) [with Al Green]” in 2009; one for “Shine”, one for “Hang On In There” and one for the album Wake Up in 2011; and one for “Glory” in 2016.
Legend’s other awards include: one MOBO Award (2005), two BET Awards (2005 and 2015), one American Music Award (2014), two Billboard Music Awards (2015) and one MTV Video Music Award (2015).
Legend’s acting ventures include the TV shows Sesame Street (2006), Las Vegas (2007), A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All (2008), Royal Pains (2011), Duets (2012), Underground (2015-present, producer) and Master of None (2017); and the films Sesame Street: Elmo Loves You! (2008), Soul Men (2008), The People Speak (2009), Southside with You (2016, producer) and La La Land (2016).
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