Michael Lamont Bivins is a popular American rapper, singer, producer, and actor who has a net worth of $40 million. The Boston, Massachusetts native made his wealth through his career in the American entertainment industry.
Bivins rose to fame as a singer and rapper but has spread his influence to other areas of the entertainment industry to augment his earning powers. Beyond rapping and singing, Bivins is a music manager and producer who has worked with other popular acts over the years.
His career extends to the movie industry as he is a bit of an actor and film producer who has provided the soundtracks for many television shows. His career dates back to 1978 and has been financially rewarding as much as it has popularized his name across the United States of America and beyond. Bivins is mostly known as a founding member of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe.
The former is an R&B group that originated from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, and the latter, also known as BBD, is a music group consisting of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe who are all members of New Edition. It was through his musical exploits with New Edition that Bivins attained the status of a millionaire.
Summary of Michael Bivins’ Biography
- Full Name: Michael Lamont Bivins
- Nickname: Biv and Sporty Rich
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: August 10, 1968
- Michael Bivins’ Age: 55 Years Old
- Ethnicity: African American
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac Sign: Leo
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Marital Status: Married
- Michael Bivins’ Wife: Teasha Bivins
- Children: Five (Shi, Savi, Star, Sanaah Amani, and Michael Bivins, Jr.)
- Michael Bivins’ Parents: Shirley and Gerard Bivins
- Siblings: Tanya Bivins
- Michael Bivins’ Height In Inches: 5 Feet 6 Inches
- Michael Bivins’ Height In Centimetres: 168 cm
- Michael Bivins’ Weight: 85 kg
- Michael Bivins’ Net Worth: $40 Million
- Famous For: Entertainment Career as a Singer, Rapper, and Music Manager
- Michael Bivins’ Instagram: 617mikebiv
- Twitter: @617MikeBiv
The 55-Year-Old American Entertainer Was Born and Raised In Boston, Massachusetts
No one needs to be told that the American music figure is of African American extraction. Records have it that he was born on August 10, 1968, in Boston, Massachusetts, which is also where he was raised. The singer was born to Shirley and Gerard Bivins; he is not their only child as he has a sister named Teasha Bivins.
Much is yet to be learned about his upbringing just as his career has cast a shadow over his family life. Nonetheless, it is said that Michael Bivins is very fond of his mother who taught him how to be diligent with his works. He also has a good relationship with his father even though the man didn’t live with his family. He was always busy with his work in the Navy. Michael’s parents never got married.
Apart from the family he hails from, he has built one with his wife, Teasha Bivins. It was on the 14th of October 2006 that the couple got married. Michael and Teasha’s union has been blessed with four daughters thus far: Savannah, Shilah, Starlah, and Sanaah Bivins. The singer has a son named Michael Bivins, Jr. from another relationship before he got married to Teasha.
Revenue From Record Sales Laid The Foundation for Michael Bivins Net Worth of $40 Million
With the many years he has been active in the music industry, it comes as no surprise that Michael Bivins has an extensive body of work. He began his career as one of the founding members of New Edition. The American R&B/pop group has released seven studio albums, two holiday albums, and eight compilations.
Apart from their first album, Candy Girl, the rest received certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America. Their 1984 album New Edition, Heart Break (1988), and Home Again (1996) were all certified platinum twice. In all, it is estimated that New Edition has sold over 20 million records across the globe.
When New Edition went on hiatus in 1989, Bivins teamed up with Ricky Bell and Ronnie DeVoe to form Bell Biv DeVoe (BBD). This music group has released four studio albums thus far and has equally sold millions of records.
Their debut studio album titled Poison was released in March 1990 and went on to pull platinum certification four times. In all, New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe have made millions of dollars from record sales. It was through this that Bivin first became a millionaire.
Is He The Richest Member of New Edition?
The original lineup of New Edition consisted of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, Johnny Gill, and Ralph Tresvant. Due to behavioral problems, other members voted Brown out in December 1985.
He would embark on a solo career and record a huge breakthrough that reportedly made lead singer Ralph Tresvant consider a solo career as well. It was around this time that Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe voted Johnny Gill into the group.
Michael Bivins is the richest member of New Edition. This is so because he has not limited himself to only being a music artist. He works in other areas of the entertainment industry and capitalized on his fame to build other lucrative ventures. Below is a look at his net worth compared to other members of New Edition.
- Michael Bivins’ Net Worth – $40 Million
- Ricky Bell’s Net Worth – $15 Million
- Bobby Brown’s Net Worth – $2 Million
- Ronnie DeVoe’s Net Worth – $15 Million
- Johnny Gill’s Net Worth – $10 Million
- Ralph Tresvant’s Net Worth – $8 Million
Michael Bivins Works As a Music Manager and It Has Been a Cash Cow for Him
Rather than just working with his musical groups, Bivins has involved himself in other areas of the music business. He is a music entrepreneur who serves as the A&R personnel of his music groups. More than that, he is known to look out for talented individuals to manage, alongside producing for other acts. This has been a steady source of income for Bivins.
It is said that the salary of music managers in the United States of America ranges from $16,338 to $440,037. Most managers prefer to take commission, a percentage of the income the artist they manage generates. While the percentage is negotiable, it is usually around 15 and 20 percent. Considering the crop of acts Michael Bivins has worked with over the years, it is not difficult to see how this has been a huge source of income for him.
What Artists Has Michael Bivins Managed?
One of the things that have stood Michael Bivins apart from other members of his music group is the successes he has recorded with developing new acts. As a music manager, he has worked with many music artists over time. Some of the most popular ones are listed below:
- Subway
- Mc Brains
- Val Young
- Another Bad Creation
- Yvette Nicole Brown
- 702
- Boyz II Men
- Hayden
- P-Nutt
- Lil’ Nique & DJ Jus
The Music Manager Made Good Money From Biv 10 Records Which He Founded
It was sometime in 1992 that Michael Bivins founded his record label, Biv 10 Records. From what we gathered, it was created as a joint venture with Motown Records. It started as Biv Entertainment and recorded multiple successes working with Motown.
Because of this, Motown helped Bivins to create his own imprint rebranded as Biv 10 Records. This afforded him more creative freedom to work with artists and he would go on to record some success with acts like 702 and Subway.
While he never pulled any significant success with the label before it was dismantled in 2012 and folded into Motown, one can’t deny he made good money from the venture. The financial records of the label have never been disclosed to the public but there are no doubts that Biv 10 Records was profitable, at least for a while, and contributed a meaningful amount to Michael Bivin’s $40 million net worth.
Michael Bivins’ Net Worth Sources Also Include His Career In The Movie Industry
The music artist from Boston isn’t the first to crossover to the movie industry from music and he wouldn’t be the last. Bivins has been involved in various aspects of the motions pictures business and it has buoyed up his earnings. Below are the various ways he makes money from the competitive industry.
Paychecks from Acting
The New Edition member probably has no plan to pursue this career path. But then, it remains a fact that he is a bit of an actor. What he has earned from his acting roles may not have contributed anything significant to his massive fortune but it is one of his known sources of income.
Oftentimes, people tend to think that Michael Bivins is only considered an actor because of the appearances he has made in music videos, this is not so. He has been seen in regular movies and TV series. Most recently, he made a cameo appearance in Girls Trip, a 2017 adventure comedy-drama film directed by Malcolm D. Lee. Before this, he played an uncredited role as Detective Rich Watkins in The Perfect Guy, a 2015 thriller starring Sanaa Lathan, Michael Ealy, and Morris Chestnut.
Back in 2006, he played Heart Attack in Crossover, an action sports film written and directed by Preston A. Whitmore II. You also find the singer as Lil Chris in 2002’s Friday After Next and in the “Knight Song” episode of the TV series, Knight Rider.
Earnings from Providing Soundtrack for TV Shows and Movies
Given his years of experience in various capacities in the movie industry, it is not difficult to see how Michael Bivins became involved with this area of the motions picture industry. He has been making money as a soundtrack composer since 1990 when he worked on the soundtracks for “The Green Room” episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. For the rest of the decade, he provided soundtracks for House Party 2, Full House, Mo’ Money, and Mrs. Doubtfire.
The 2000s saw him create soundtracks for 40 Days and 40 Nights, Tropic Thunder, and the video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The 2010s were busy for him: he composed multiple soundtracks for Community, The X Factor Philippines, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Think Like a Man Too, Todd’s Pop Song Reviews, The Breaks, Lip Sync Battle, and The Mindy Project.
That’s not all, there were also The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Tag, The Craig Caddell Show, Long Shot, Homecoming: A Film by Beyonce, and Pose. Bivins has never disclosed what he charges per soundtrack but one can expect the figure to be on the high side given the caliber of artist he is.
Income As A Director and Producer
Michael Bivins does not only produce songs and soundtracks, he is also a movie producer. Back in 2000, he executed the production of Ghetto Laws, a short video directed by Zodiac Fishgrease.
Over a decade and a half later, he co-produced The New Edition Story, a biography drama that revolves around the exploits of his music group, New Edition. His only work as a director is the 1996 music video of “You Don’t Have to Worry”, a song by his group New Edition, featuring Missy Elliott.
Michael Bivins Owns a Clothing Company Called SportyRich Apparel
The New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe member has a flair for business. He has embraced every opportunity that comes his way to consolidate on his clout as an entertainer, to remain relevant in the cut-throat world of showbiz, and then capitalize on it to make wise business decisions that have kept his wealth soaring.
Bevins owns a clothing company called SportyRich Apparel. It was in 2009 that he established the business which has been operating till date. The company has an online store where it retails everything from premium tees to custom snapback, zip-ups, crews, hoodies, and what have you.
This has been a stable source of income for the singer and must have added a significant amount to his $40 million net worth.
List of All The Sources of Michael Bivins Net Worth
- Revenues generated from record sales
- Earnings from working as a music manager
- Profit from his record label Biv 10 Records
- Proceeds from his exploits in the movie industry
- Paychecks from acting
- Income generated from composing soundtracks
- Returns from his works as a director and producer
Where Is Michael Bivins Now?
The versatile American entertainer is still active in the industry and doesn’t seem to have plans to retire anytime soon. In 2021, he appeared in “The Boyz II Men Effect” of the TV series, This Is Pop. That same year, he was also seen in the documentary, You’re Watching Video Music Box, and the TV special, A very Boy Band Holiday.
When he’s not working, you will find him spending quality time with his wife and kids. Pictures of his family life are littered all over his social media pages.
Frequently Asked Questions About Michael Bivins
What is Michael Bivins’ Net Worth?
Michael Bivins’ net worth is currently estimated at $40 million.
Who is Michael Bivins’ Wife?
Michael Bivins wife is Teasha Bivins. The couple tied the knot on October 14, 2006, and they have four children: Savannah, Shilah, Starlah, and Sanaah Bivins. The singer also has a son named Michael Bivins, Jr. from another relationship before he got married to Teasha.
How Old is Michael Bivins?
Michael Bivins is currently 55 years old. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 10, 1968.
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