The current lifestyle of a successful singer includes a slew of glitzy trappings, including red-carpet appearances, fan clubs, and millions of fans. Marketers are always seeking new methods to capitalize on a musician's reputation, while fans are counting down the days until their next song or album drops. Regarding their enormous careers, it is safe to assume that most musicians have a respectable past. You would be tempted to believe that these celebrities were born into wealth and have never had to work "strange" professions.
They put in long hours, didn't sleep much, and didn't care if producers thought they were any good. However, some famous singers got their start as strippers. Some people regret those times, while others recognize them as pivotal turning points in their development.
1. Joseline Hernandez
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Joseline has been a stripper at one point in her life in addition to having a large family, lying about being married (yes, she did that), and caring for an autistic sibling. Joseline worked odd jobs beginning when she was 16 to support her family before she found fame on Love & Hip Hop. She had to use her dance skills to make ends meet after growing up in a poor family. Substituting the name "Shenellica," she also participated in a failed stripper reality program.
2. Eve
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Eve was born into a typical Philadelphia family in 1978. From there, she moved on to singing with choirs and then an all-girl group. But this isn't the complete backstory to how she got her start. At the age of about 18, Eve worked as an exotic dancer to help support herself and her family. The rapper has never shied away from discussing her brief but successful career whenever given the chance.
3. Courtney Love
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In an interview, Courtney revealed that before becoming a singer, she worked as an exotic dancer at several bars and clubs, including Jumbo's, a Century Lounge near an airport, and Seventh Veil. Though she claims she didn't have to be particularly thrifty to raise enough cash to support her band, the fact remains that she did.
4. Amber Rose
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Amber Rose has never been afraid to talk about her time as a stripper, in contrast to many other celebrities who would likely jump at the chance to brush such past experiences under the carpet. She had the best times of her life as an exotic dancer, she said in an interview and offered advice to anyone considering a career in the field.
5. Azealia Banks
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Azealia credits her upbringing before she became a musician for shaping her into the fierce lady she is now. The rapper discussed her stripping past and her history of sleeping with older, married guys for money in an interview with The Sunday Times. She used extreme measures to "cure" her traumatic childhood experiences to keep from becoming broke.
6. Lady Gaga
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Lady Gaga, who comes from a wealthy family, admitted as much in an interview with fabulous, saying that she began engaging in exotic dance at 18. She was not lacking in self-assurance, and she claimed that her strong sexuality and appreciation of the nude contributed to her outgoing personality. You probably already knew that she wore black leather and danced to rock 'n' roll as part of her act, but it bears repeating.
7. Cardi B
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The now-famous rapper used to perform as an exotic dancer when she was just 18 years old. She started the career because she needed the money and had heard that it paid more than any other option. The person she met when she was 20 who scammed her left her with a lifelong scar, even though she made a lot of money. At age 23, she gave up dance to focus on rapping, and now she is a worldwide phenomenon. She married fellow musician Offset and has not stopped talking about her history.