“Greatness is defined as ‘the quality of being great, distinguished, or eminent. Legend is defined as ‘a person or thing that inspires’. These two terms describe people of incredible talent and abilities but rarely do they used at the same time to describe a person.”
Back in early 2020, these winged words were used generously by ESHE magazine to describe the Grammy winner, singer, and songwriter Faith Evans. If you are not familiar with her music, you probably are frowning right now. Well, trust me when I say, they have a point. It doesn’t matter which term you want to use – skills, game, even je ne sais quoi – the Florida star simply has it. It’s been fifteen years since she created a sensation in the music industry with her powerful soprano, lyrical prowess, and an inclination to, intentionally or not, make some scenes on and off-stage.
No matter what kind of scandal she involves, her talents and charm are irresistible. Looking at her success today, with a Grammy Award, millions of albums sold, and a best-selling autobiography featured by The New York Times, we can’t help but wonder, ‘How much is Faith Evans net worth?’. Read on to know more about her and how she achieves success in her music career!
Table of Contents
Faith Evans’ Early Days
Faith Renee Evans was born June 10, 1973, in Lakeland, Florida. Her father, Richard Swain, was a musician, so perhaps she inherited her musical talents from her dad. However, he left the family when she was very young, just like Keanu Reeves’ father. The girl lived with her 18-year-old mom Helena, who was “barely out of high school”, and three aunts.
Being a single mother soon turned out to be difficult for Helena. Seeing how much she struggled, two older cousins, Mae and Bob Kennedy, offered to take care of Faith. They were a compassionate couple who fostered many children, and she began to live with their large family in the Weequahic neighborhood of Newark. Although Newark was suffering economically due to the 1967 riot, the Kennedys tried their best to give Faith a fulfilled upbringing.
The first time Faith sang in front of a crowd, she was only three years old. It took her every ounce of courage to perform “Let the Sunshine In” to the congregation at the local church, just like the young Ariana Grande singing the National Anthem at a very young age, these girls are born to be a star. According to the singer, that moment was an epiphany: She realized what she was meant to do.
Faith became obsessed with her mother’s record collection as she grew older, rummaging through Donna Summer and Anita Ward’s album. From Jimi Hendrix and Joni Mitchell to 1980s house act like Gwen Guthrie or CeCe Rogers, her first contact with contemporary music is through her mother.
At 18, Faith enrolled at Fordham University, received a full scholarship, and became an honor student. She took part in several musicals and was named Miss New Jersey Fashion Teen.
About Her Music Career
A year later, though, the young girl dropped out to kickstart her music career. She met artist and producer Kiyamma Griffin, who helped her to work as a session singer with Al B. Sure. Thanks to this opportunity, Faith caught producer Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attention. Combs eventually offered her a contract with his then-fledging label Bad Boy Records.
Faith Evans in her early days – Source: Biography
The singer released her debut album, “Faith”, in Autumn 1995. Based on the popularity of the tracks “Soon as I Get Home,” “You Used to Love Me,” and “Ain’t Nobody,” it became a smash and sold more than a million copies worldwide.
Although the album sent her off to a great start, fans had to wait long for her next work. Three years later, Faith Evans published the second album, ‘Keep The Faith’. In contrast to the previous one, which was dark and depressing, this album was full of positivity and romance. 1998 also marked her first Grammy when the track ‘I’ll Be Missing You’ collaborated with Puff Daddy won the Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group, breaking the chart along with the Motley Crue‘s Generation Swine and Spice Girls’ Spice.
‘I’ll Be Missing You’ – Faith Evans ft. Puff Daddy
The third album, ‘Faithfully’, was launched in 2001. It featured two notable songs, ‘You Gets No Love’ and ‘I Love You’. To promote the new record, Faith lost over 50 pounds and acquired a sexier image.
Following were three years of scandals and legal issues, which we will dive into in a minute. Nevertheless, the Florida singer still held a special place among fans. She stroke back in 2005 with her fourth album, ‘The First Lady’, which quickly became multi-platinum. Faith Evans’ latest album was released in 2014, namely ‘Incomparable’. The album also gained her some Grammy nominations for the best R&B album.
Personal Life & Scandals
Aside from her musical career, a controversial private life is another thing people remember about the 48-year-old star.
In case you don’t know, ‘The First Lady’ had three children, resulting from one relationship and two marriages. She had her first child and only daughter, Chyna Tahjere Griffin, in 1993 with music producer Kiyamma Griffin. The three moved to LA and lived together for a short time, but soon fell apart as Faith Evans took her daughter back to Newark.
Just like Apollo Bowie and Angel Iris Murphy Brown, Chyna is one of those celebrities’ children who embraces the spotlight of their famous parents. The young girl is now an upcoming star in the American music industry, credited with songs like ‘Grown Lady’ and ‘Alright’ which she co-wrote with her father.
Faith Evans’ daughter Chyna – Source: Ice Cream Convos
In the summer of 1994, Evan met up-and-coming artist Christopher Wallace, best known by his stage name Notorious B.I.G, on the set of a photoshoot. Both of them were 21 at the time, and only nine days later, they got married. She recalled the proposal in an interview: “We both said ‘I want to marry you, and we did it.”
From then on, the couple was surrounded by controversies. Many assumed that Faith took advantage of her husband to achieve fame. In fact, she signed the record with the Bad Boy before Notorious B.I.G, but she launched her debut album months after his.
To make things worse, Wallace, as it would later transpire, was unfaithful to his wife. His infidelity with rapper Lil’ Kim was well-publicized, as well as rumors of an affair between Faith and rapper Tupac Shakur, who confirmed it in his songs.
The couple separated in 1996. A year after, Wallace was murdered in a drive-by shooting. Even though Faith had moved on to new relationships at that point, she was still devastated by the news. During the ensuing months, she gave birth to Wallace’s son, Christopher Jr, and went through a deep state of depression.
In 1998, Faith got married to Todd Russaw, a record company executive. To commemorate her marriage, the R&B singer had a tattoo on her chest that read “Faye & Todd Forever. Unfortunately, their bond was not forever as the tattoo stated. Maybe she would need another one like Post Malone to cover her heart’s scar.
The rose covers Faith Evans Biggie tattoo was “BIG ❤ Faye” for her late husband The Notorious B.I.G – Source: StealHerStyle
During 14 years of this marriage, her music career reached its peak. Still, Faith and her husband made a scandalous couple after being arrested for drug possession and driving under the influence. Following the case, they received a three-year probationary period and a fine. They had two sons together, Joshua Jahad Russaw and Ryder Evans Russaw. The couple divorced in 2011.
Evans spent more than 6 years enjoying her single life until she remarried for the third time in 2018. This time, her husband was Stevie Jordan, AKA Stevie J, a 46-year-old reality TV producer. Stevie happened to be her closest friend, and rumor said that he was also Christopher Jr.’s godfather.
Faith Evans And Stevie J – Source: HiphopDX
However, it appeared that friendship and love are not enough for a successful marriage. In June 2020, Evans was arrested for domestic violence following a police call from Jordan. It has been reported that Evans was released since Jordan did not seek any charges against his wife. As seen on their social media, the Jordan-Evans marriage has reached its end, but there seems to be no bad blood afterward.
How Much Is Faith Evans Net Worth?
How much is Faith Evans net worth? – Source: Grammy
As seen on Celebrity Net Worth and other credible sources, Faith Evans net worth is $3 million as of 2021. She made most of her wealth from music, with some of her albums making record sales of over 18 million worldwide and receiving platinum certifications.
Aside from that, the multi-platinum singer also appeared on movies and television shows. Some of them are MTV’s comic movie Fighting Temptation, Notorious, Step It Up, and Blondie. Notably, in 2013, she also made income as an executive producer of the reality show R&B Diva: Atlanta and its sequel Los Angeles.
A question is, did Faith Evans net worth also come from the inheritance as the window of Notorious B.I.G? Well, the answer is no. The one who inherited Biggie’s whopping $10 million dollars is their son Christopher Jr. Therefore, Faith Evans’ net worth is not directly impacted by the fortune of her late husband.
Faith Evans Net Worth – To Wrap Up
“People recognize me, but it’s all about my music, my songs”, said the Florida singer in an interview. For those who have been following her since the early days, it is an undeniable fact. Indeed, Faith Evans has led a controversial life, filled with romance scandals and legal issues, but she managed to rise from a tough childhood and become a wealthy celebrity thanks to her musical talents.
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