The problem with being a child star is not understanding how the business works. After all, they’re kids. They weren’t meant to have to think about the money they’re bringing in. Really, they’re not supposed to have to worry about being an entertainer in general. So when the people in their corner handling the money aren’t trustworthy or reliable with it, the kids in question are left with nothing to show for their work.
This was the case for Zay Hilfigerrr of “Juju on That Beat” fame. Alongside fellow Detroit rapper Zayion McCall, they crafted one of the biggest dance trend of the 2010s. They were just 16 years old entertaining the masses with a catchy craze. Then, essentially, they vanished.
Moreover, rather than being able to eat off of the success of “Juju on That Beat”, he allegedly never saw a dime from his work. In a video posted on TikTok, Zay Hilfigerrr told fans that his mother and Atlantic Records made all the money from him.
“Y’all be thinking I’m so rich,” he shrugged. “My mama took that money… Atlantic Records took that money. They always doing that to Black people. It’s whatever though. That was like $17 million I lost but it’s all good.”
Zay Hilfigerrr Said He Never Made Any Money From His One Big Hit
Fans in the comments were extremely supportive for the Detroit bred artist. “They can take your money but not your creativity. Whatever you do next we will support youre priceless!!” one fan commented.
Another fan joked that $17 million would be a valid enough reason for Zay Hilfigerrr to crash out against everyone. “Somebody would have to call the police DAILY, it’d be like Gotham City round this mf bout that bread,” another person wrote.
The rest of his TikTok shows that he’s still hard at work. He’s constantly teasing new music and sharing clips of his streams.
For the uninitiated, Zay Hilfigerrr’s “Juju on That Beat” is essentially a freestyle over the classic Southern rap song “Knuck If You Buck” by Crime Mob and Lil Scrappy. Currently, the song sits at 496 million views on YouTube, a relic of 2016, which has become an increasingly nostalgic time for Gen Z adults. At the time, Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall won the 2017 Kids Choice Award for Favorite Music Video and peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
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