Getty James Kennedy DJ’s at Lala Kent’s “Give Them Lala Beauty” party on June 30, 2021.
James Kennedy is a Bravo reality television star with a net worth of $4 million, as reported by Wealthy Persons and Full Celebs. He is a DJ and producer best known for appearing on “Vanderpump Rules,” which returns for its ninth season on September 28, 2021.
Speaking with E! News about the upcoming season in May, Kennedy told the publication, “I think this season will be entirely different than every other season, just like every past season has been different than the one before that.”
At least one major difference comes after the cast’s shakeup. Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were fired in June 2020 and new parents Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright announced their departure in December 2020.
“I think that the story continues,” Kennedy added. “And I think that post-COVID, everyone has got a lot, a lot to catch up on. There were friendships that didn’t exactly see the light of day until pre-COVID and then I haven’t been able to chat it up with some people that I’ve wanted to chat it up with. So I just feel like this season is going to bring just a refreshing, refreshing new look.”
Here is what you need to know:
1. Kennedy Makes $10,000 to $15,000 Per Episode of ‘Vanderpump Rules’
Kennedy made his debut on “Vanderpump Rules” in season 2, eventually joining the main cast by season 4. He started working at SUR after his father, Andros, asked for a favor.
“I met James’ parents through Bruno Tonioli a few years ago just before he started work for us, who’s the judge on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ who’s an old friend of mine,” Lisa Vanderpump explained on The Daily Dish Podcast. “Prior to that, I had met Andros and Ken knew Andros vaguely. I’d met Andros with George Michael and Andros had been around the scene in London, so we knew him a little bit.”
The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum continued, “But then we had dinner that night and they both said, you know, could you give one of my sons, James, a job, maybe as a busser or a barback? He probably, because we’d started ‘Vanderpump Rules’ by then, I think maybe we were in the first season, thought, ‘OK, I want to get involved in this,’ and obviously then he started sleeping with Kristen Doute, and he was well in there like a rat up a drain pipe.”
Kennedy earns $10,000 per episode, according to Radar, though Full Celebs reported it could actually be as much as $15,000.
2. Kennedy Has 499,000 Instagram Followers
Kennedy is also a social media influencer, with approximately 499,000 followers on Instagram, 65,600 followers on TikTok and 151,000 followers on Twitter as of September 28, 2021.
Through his online presence, he promotes his music and DJ appearances, as well as his role on “Vanderpump Rules.”
While it is unclear how much he earns through social media, he does occasionally feature sponsored content on his accounts — including Ashoc Energy Drinks and Oreo Snack Pop.
3. Kennedy Is a DJ & Producer
Kennedy is a DJ and producer, often performing in clubs and at festivals.
He announced in a September 2020 interview with Page Six that he is retiring his old moniker, “White Kanye.”
In a 2016 appearance on The Daily Dish Podcast, he explained that like the famous rapper “he never doubted himself.”
“I think I’m like him in the sense that I explore sound,” he continued telling the podcast. “I want to create something nobody has ever heard or seen before and I have nothing stopping me, the only thing that could possibly stop me is myself.” Though he admitted, “It’s all a bit of a joke.”
Moving forward, Kennedy is using his own name. As he told Page Six. “I’m just going to be James Kennedy — the best producer that I can be, myself, but his music still lives within me.”
The outlet reported Kennedy released a mix of Jason Derulo’s “Coño” with singer Puri and rapper Jhorrmountain for Atlantic/Spinnin’ Records – his first release for a major label.
4. Kennedy Went on Tour in 2021
On August 9, Kennedy released his tour dates for the 2021 summer. They included appearances in August and September in Texas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Washington, Iowa, Kansas, Georgia and Ohio with the promise of more shows to come.
He announced on Instagram on September 22 an upcoming performance as part of the Blended Festival in San Diego on October 15, 2021.
He revealed to Page Six last year that he had to scrap his tour plans, including his Las Vegas debut, amid the coronavirus pandemic. But it appears he got his wish just a few months later, announcing his appearance at Tempo Ultra Lounge in November 2020.
5. Kennedy’s Fiancée Raquel Leviss Is Worth $30 Million
Kennedy and his fiancée Raquel Leviss announced their engagement on May 16, 2021.
As she wrote on Instagram, “James proposed at the Iconic Empire Polo Fields of ‘RACHELLA’ Friday night… and I said YES! I’m over the Coachella moon.”
As it turns out, Kennedy’s bride-to-be has amassed quite the fortune. The Famous Info reported her net worth to be approximately $30 million, thanks to her role as a reality star on “Vanderpump Rules” and as a model.
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