Juelz Santana Net Worth

Juelz Santana, a rapper and member of the East Coast hip hop group the Diplomats, has a net worth of $1 million. Santana gained mainstream recognition in 2002 for his appearances on Cam’ron’s singles “Oh Boy” and “Hey Ma,” both of which reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100. His solo albums, “From Me to U” and “What the Game’s Been Missing!,” were both top-ten hits on the Billboard 200.

Juelz Santana Net Worth	$1 Million
Date of Birth	February 18, 1982
Place of Birth	New York City
Nationality	American
Profession	Rapper

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Early Life

Juelz Santana was born LaRon Louis James on February 18, 1982, in New York City. Of Dominican descent on his father’s side, he was raised in Harlem, Manhattan. Santana began rapping at the age of five. At 12, he formed the rap duo Draftpick with his friend Malik. They performed around the city, including at the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night, winning for two consecutive weeks. Subsequently, they were signed to Priority Records and released the single “Play Ruff,” featuring Tracey Lee and Memphis Bleek.

The Diplomats

In 1998, Santana was introduced to rapper Cam’ron and soon joined his hip hop group the Diplomats, alongside Freekey Zekey and Jim Jones. Santana’s first work with the group was a remix of “What Means the World to You.” The Diplomats made an appearance on Cam’ron’s 2000 album “S.D.E.,” which peaked at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

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The Diplomats released their debut album, “Diplomatic Immunity,” in 2003, which topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA. Their second album, “Diplomatic Immunity 2,” was released in 2004, featuring new members 40 Cal., Hell Rell, and J. R. Writer. After a hiatus due to artistic differences, the group signed with Interscope Records and later E1 Music. In 2018, they embarked on a national tour called Dipset Forever and released the album “Diplomatic Ties.”

Solo Career

Santana gained mainstream recognition as a solo artist in 2002, contributing to Cam’ron’s album “Come Home with Me” on tracks like “Welcome to New York City,” “Hey Ma,” and “Oh Boy.” The latter two tracks cracked the Billboard Hot 100, with “Oh Boy” earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

In 2003, Santana released the mixtape “Final Destination” and his debut album “From Me to U,” which peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The single “Dipset (Santana’s Town)” from the album earned another Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

Santana’s second album, “What the Game’s Been Missing!,” released in 2005, debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold. The album featured the hit single “There it Go (The Whistle Song),” which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.

Further Career and Collaborations

Despite working on his third album, “Born to Lose, Built to Win,” since 2008 and releasing several singles, the album was never completed. Santana collaborated on Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter III,” earning a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year in 2009. In 2013, he released the mixtape “God Will’n,” his first solo work in eight years, along with the singles “Bodies” and “Soft.”

Skull Gang

Santana formed the hip hop collective Skull Gang in 2008, releasing the mixtape “Takeover,” the Christmas-themed album “A Tribute to Bad Santa Starring Mike Epps,” and their self-titled debut album in 2009.

Legal Troubles

In 2011, Santana’s recording studio in Bergenfield, New Jersey, was raided, leading to charges related to firearm possession and intent to distribute a controlled substance. In 2018, he was arrested for carrying a loaded handgun and oxycodone pills at Newark Liberty International Airport. He fled the scene and turned himself in after three days. Santana was sentenced to 27 months in prison and one year of supervised release but was released early after serving 17 months.

Personal Life

Juelz Santana began an on-and-off relationship with hip hop model Kimbella Vanderhee in 2009. They married in 2019 and have three children: Juelz, Bella, and Santana.