These Celebrities Were Dirt Poor Growing Up

Reported by Victor O.

Many of us are inspired by our favorite celebrities and keep tabs on the happenings in their lives. But one fact we often fail to pay attention to is that for a good number of these popular figures, the path to success has not been a rosy. Some of them have had first-hand experiences of what it fells like to be poor before experiencing an inspiring turnaround in fortune.

Here are some celebrities who have risen from rags to riches. Be inspired!

Oprah Winfrey

This name is familiar virtually everywhere around the world. Oprah Winfrey’s story is indeed an inspiring one of hope. She grew up on a small Mississippi farm with her poor single mother and grandmother. At one point, Winfrey was said to have lived in a boarding house, depending on welfare for a living. Here was a woman who had to wear clothes made from potato sacks by her very poor granny. This same woman, with such a humble background, has become someone with a massive net worth of $2.9 billion!

Sean Combs

Call him Puff Daddy, P. Diddy or just Diddy. It is the same Sean Combs. This entertainment mogul also came from a humble background. Growing up in a Harlem housing project, Combs lost his father in a drug-related shooting when he was still young. But he was not discouraged by his past, going on to become a key figure in the entertainment industry. Combs’ net worth is now around $700 million.

Jay-Z

The secret is already out there about the hard childhood of this music star and entrepreneur. Raised by a single mother, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter grew up in Brooklyn’s Marcy Housing Projects. He soon found it somewhat impossible to keep himself away from crime while a teenager. But he managed to turn a new leaf and went on to become one of the most popular and influential figures in the entertainment industry. He can now boast of $560 million in net worth.

Halle Berry

Who would have thought the stunning Halle Berry had an encounter with poverty while growing up? But she did! Berry was raised by a single mother in Cleveland, Ohio. After moving to New York City in pursuit of her modeling dreams, she soon became broke and was forced to stay in homeless shelters. Berry eventually encountered her big break and today has a net worth of $80 million.