Popular podcaster and former rapper Joe Budden is making sure he’s staying relevant in pop culture and rich in his bank account at the same time. And now, we’ve got insight into how he’s doing just that.
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Fans of “The Joe Budden Podcast” got a closer look at how he’s been able to build his brand into a multi-million dollar entity, thanks to a new New York Times interview. The piece breaks down the fact that he’s raking in a little over $1 million a month on Patreon thanks to his 70,000 paying subscribers and is set to make $20 million by the end of the year.
Folks who tap into his Patreon offerings can pay anywhere from$5 to $50 with different tiers and can expect to get exclusive content like more episodes and spinoff shows.
With the Patreon alone, Budden is forecasted to bring in at least $12 million, a figure that was also confirmed by a spokeswoman for the popular crowdfunding app. But if Patreon only makes up $12 million, where will the rest of that $20 million come from?
Well, according to Ian Schwartzman, a chief executive for The Joe Budden Network, Budden also brings in millions by selling ads on their podcast, branded merchandise and content licensing.
These official figures come a little under a month after Budden himself “accidentally” leaked his monetary figures from his podcast in a post to social media. Though he tried to (unsuccessfully) blur out the numbers, it was clear to see that he was bringing in nearly $1 million in “membership earnings,” so to see that figure essentially confirmed just a few weeks later is saying something.
Moreover, Budden’s popularity and success could signal a further shift into the landscape of rappers diversifying their creative endeavors. That’s not to say that every rapper needs to pick up a podcast mic, but that is to say that the landscape is changing due to all these different mediums.
If you want to keep up and stay up, you might ought to go along with the way the tide is turning.
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