Net Worth | $1million |
Full Name | LaRon Louis James |
Stage Name | Juelz Santana |
Birth Date | February 18th, 1982 |
Age | 40 |
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Wife | Kimbella Vandehee |
Height | 1.7m (5ft, 8inches) |
Source of Wealth | Rapping |
YouTube | YouTube |
Juelz is well-known for his contributions to Chris Brown’s 2005 triple-platinum hit single, “Run It!” which ranked highest on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks straight! He was also involved in the success of Cam’ron’s 2002 singles (‘Hey Ma” and ‘Oh Boy’), which made it to number 3 and 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In this article, check out all the exciting details about his early days, career, personal life, income streams, and other hidden life facts.
What Is Juelz Santana’s Net Worth
LaRon Louis James, aka Juelz Santana, is a famous rapper in the United States of America with a huge net worth of $ 1 million. He is a member of the epic East Coast hip-hop group, The Diplomats (Dipset). Since he stepped on the scene in 1995, Juelz has done a great job retaining his popularity and success.
Early Life
Juelz was born to African American and Dominican parents in New York City. At age 5, he started rapping as he grew up in Manhattan’s Sugar Hill, Harlem neighborhood.
Juelz was raised in Harlem and spent most of his youth perfecting his rap abilities, even to the extent of giving up his education.
At age 12, Juelz Santana and his neighborhood mate Malik started the rap group Draftpick.
After several performances throughout New York City, including Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater, where they won two weeks in a row, the trio first came to public attention.
As soon as James turned 15, the two were signed by Priority Records. They put one track under the label “Play Ruff,” together with Memphis Bleek and Tracey Lee.
Career And Lifestyle
Juelz earns a substantial income by collaborating with other musicians on their songs. Additionally, he makes tens of thousands of dollars per episode of the reality television shows he and his wife appear on, such as “Love and Hip-Hop: New York.”
Juelz primarily profits from the sales of his records. Although he has yet to put out many albums, each one has earned positive feedback from fans and reviewers.
His albums and songs have gold status in the recording industry and have topped the charts. Santana also earns a sizable sum of money through his appearances and the concerts he organizes. He also makes thousands of dollars via his performances in movies and television shows.
Juelz’s music videos are so catchy and loved by many, which is why he also makes great ads on websites like Youtube. He signed records with companies like Diplomat, Lil Wayne’s CA$H MONEY, and others between 2000 and 2010.
Despite the numerous legal troubles he encountered with his home and the jail sentence he received, he could still release his second studio album, ‘What’s the Game’s Been Missing,’ in November 2005. He also released several mixtapes, the most recent being #FREE SANTANA in March 2020.
In addition to all of his work in the music industry, Santana is well-known for his numerous appearances in independent, television, and movie projects. Juelz has made so much impact in the entertainment world that he has had multiple nominations for awards, including three Grammys.
Major Contribution’s To Juelz’s Success
Juelz Santana plays different roles in the entertainment industry, contributing to his success. He signed records with companies like Def Jam, Skull Gang, Diplomat, and CA$H MONEY Records, owned by the famous rapper Lil Wayne between 2000 and 2010.
Despite the numerous legal troubles he encountered and the many months of sentencing he received, he could still release another studio album in November 2005. Santana also released several mixtapes, the most recent of which was #FREE SANTANA in March 2020.
In addition to all of his work in the music industry, Santana is well-known for his numerous appearances in independent, television, and movie projects. In the middle of the 2000s, he made his television debut while appearing in several documentaries.
Personal Life
During Santana’s performance at the Apollo Theater on November 23, 2018, He proposed to urban model and video vixen Kimbella Vandehee. On January 10, 2019, they got married. The marriage happened two months before Juelz’s impending prison sentence for a firearms and drug charge.
Santana and Vanderhee have been in an and off relationship since 2009, but they have three beautiful children, Juelz, Bella, and Santana. Their third child, Santana, was born while the entertainer was in jail. The entertainer also has a son from a past relationship, LaRon (Jr), born in 2003.
Calling It Quits
In 2022, Juelz Santana and his wife, model Kimbella Vanderhee, decided to call it quits.
Kimbella Vanderhee revealed the news in a series of social media posts on Wednesday, December 29.
Kim was in a photo in Miami Beach, spotting a cute bikini, while she captioned her post: “Next chapter … S I N G L E.” She continued to expound on the breakup story through her Instagram Stories and mentioned how she dealt with multiple arguments because Santana only cared about his feelings.
The model also went on about how she begged him to change so they could make it work, but her efforts were futile. Kim wrote alongside movie clips, according to VIBE. Vanderhee said she felt numb because Juelz made her feel like the problem, and she watched him mess up again when he promised he would change.
Other comments she made were based on how she felt alone after keeping up with Juelz’s lies throughout the relationship.
Kim still loved her man though she knew it was best to give up on the relationship. The breakup story was so tragic for now single mum that she felt her husband dragged her down, and now she has to figure out how to fix herself up.
Juelz’s Reaction to the Breakup
Juelz was more focused on music then and didn’t comment on the breakup. The rapper stated earlier that he would release a new collaboration with D.J. Drama called: We In Motion’.
He shared this information in an Instagram post on Monday, December 26, 2022, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. It has yet to be discovered if the song will be included in Drama’s renowned Gangsta Grillz discography because Juelz hasn’t made any further comments.
Dark Times?
January 2011 was the beginning of Juelz’s dark times due to his collision with the law for crimes associated with drug abuse and illegal arms. The issue started when the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Gang Unit searched significantly around his studio.
In March 2018, Santana left the Newark Liberty International Airport without taking his passport, identification, or luggage after T.S.A. inspectors searched his carry-on bag and discovered a 38-caliber revolver and eight oxycodone pills inside.
On March 12, Santana surrendered to the Port Authority Police Department’s custody after being on the run for three days, and he was also declined bail. The story, thankfully, didn’t end up all bad because Santana’s mother was able to secure a $500,000 bail on April 16, 2018. To get the bail, Santana’s mum has to put up her house for sale.
The rapper went under house arrest at his mother’s home in New Jersey and was required to stay there and wait for a federal trial. Santana received a sentence of 27 months in jail in December 2018 for bringing an unconcealed weapon into an airport in his suitcase.
On August 5, 2020, Santana was released from prison after serving 19 of his 27-month term.
Juelz’ Faces Lawsuits – New Jersey Home and JP Morgan
The talented rapper lives in a Northern New Jersey housing complex once home to Biggie. Juelz and his wife bought the condo in 2005 for a whopping $540,000 and made a part payment with an agreed $486,000 mortgage of 8.5 percent interest rate. However, in June, Juelz Santana and his now ex-wife Kimbella were involved in a lawsuit connected to their home.
The ‘Dipset rapper’ agreed to make monthly payments of $3,754 for 30 years to cover the total amount for the home. The condo is now valued at $410,000, and the couple no longer lives in the house.
Sadly, Juez’s foreclosure wasn’t the only home-related lawsuit he faced. JP Morgan Chase sued the rapper in 2019 to evict his ex-wife, Kimbella, and their three kids from the $865,000 Mansion they had been renting.
JP Morgan accused Santana and his family of wrongly taking possession of the property and refusing to leave after the bank bought it at a foreclosure auction in 2018.
At a point, Chase and Santana settled with an agreement that his family would pay $40,000 in back rent, and future payments would be made to purchase the place eventually. However, the deal ended because JP Morgan sued the rapper again, according to court papers.
The court hearing happened in November 2019, and both sides agreed that Kimbella and her kids would leave the house and pay their debt. Before Thanksgiving, the family moved out, and it’s still being determined where they presently live.
Juelz Santana Quotes
Summary
40-year-old rapper Juelz Santana didn’t have an easy life growing up. There are a few details about his family life as he is very private and has not released much information about his upbringing. His mother was from Puerto Rico, and his father was African-American.
The young rapper loved music so much that he gave up his education to pursue his dreams.
He began working in the music business in 1995 when he and his best friend formed a rap group. Despite being young, the group found quite a deal of fame.
He joined the well-known hip-hop group The Diplomats in the 1990s. Since then, his affiliation with famous artists like Lil Wayne, Jim Jones, Cam’ron, and Freekey Zeekey, has allowed him to amass a projected $1 million in net worth via his music endeavors.
Juelz Santana is accustomed to controversy and prestigious venues, which is why despite all the difficulties he faced, he was still able to bounce back.