Iggy Azalea's Journey: From Sydney To Global Fame

How Much Is Iggy Azalea Really Worth?

Alright, let’s talk about Iggy Azalea, the Aussie rapper who’s made a serious name for herself in the music world. With a current net worth of $25 million, Iggy Azalea is more than just a face in the crowd. She first grabbed international attention with her 2014 smash hit "Fancy," featuring Charli XCX, which hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That year also marked the release of her debut studio album, "The New Classic," which featured other chart-toppers like "Black Widow" and "Work." Iggy's confident style and unique flow quickly positioned her as a standout among female rappers. By the time we're done here, you'll know that she's sold over 50 million albums and 22 million singles worldwide.

Throughout her career, Iggy has worked with some of the biggest names in the biz, including Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, and Jennifer Lopez. Of course, like any public figure, she’s faced her fair share of controversy—whether it’s about her lyrics, accusations of cultural appropriation, or public spats with other celebs. Despite the drama, she’s kept on creating music, dropping her second studio album, "In My Defense," in 2019, along with a string of EPs and singles. She's also picked up quite a few accolades, including an American Music Award, an MTV Video Music Award, and a People's Choice Award.

Now, here’s the interesting part: Iggy has made some bold claims about her wealth and investments over the years. Some of these claims might hold water, but so far, they remain largely unconfirmed. For instance, in a May 2024 Twitter post, Iggy boasted about:

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• Making $15 million from selling her song royalties.
• Being a shareholder in Poppy soda and Magic Spoon cereal.
• Founding a tech startup that raised $7 million in venture capital.
• Owning 25% of a telecom company.
• Earning more on OnlyFans in 2023 than anyone else.
• Running an OnlyFans management agency.

OnlyFans and the Million-Dollar Rumors

In January 2023, Iggy joined OnlyFans, and by year's end, rumors were flying that she'd made more on the platform than any other performer. One widely circulated claim suggested Iggy earned a staggering $48 million on OnlyFans in 2023. This rumor, traced back to a Toronto-based lifestyle blog called Narcity, cited a website that sells adult toys. The same site claimed Cardi B makes $45 million annually and Blac Chyna pulls in $35 million per year. Spoiler alert: none of these numbers are accurate. In fact, during a 2022 lawsuit against the Kardashian family, Blac Chyna admitted she'd only made $1 million from OnlyFans after over a year on the platform.

Iggy herself has claimed she earned more on OnlyFans than anyone else in 2023, but there’s no solid proof to back that up. She also mentioned on social media that she owns an agency managing other OnlyFans models. So, while the numbers might be inflated, it’s clear Iggy’s been making waves in this space.

That Big Catalog Sale

December 2022 brought some big news when Iggy sold her portion of her song publishing royalties for an eight-figure sum. In a social media post, she claimed she "cleared $15 million" from the sale. After the deal went public, Azalea confirmed the news on her official Twitter account, addressing concerns that she might end up like Taylor Swift, who lost control of her original master recordings:

"Taylor did not profit from that sale. I sold a portion of my catalog to who I wanted, for an amount that means I don’t have to work another day in my life. I love y’all down but the masters conversation is a little beyond most of your understanding of business."

She elaborated in another post:

"I sold a portion of my catalog to who I wanted, for an amount that means I don’t have to work another day in my life."

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Tax Troubles

Back in April 2016, Iggy found herself in a tax nightmare when the IRS slapped her with a $400,000 lien for unpaid 2014 taxes. Four months later, the IRS sent another lien for 2015, totaling nearly $270,000. The exact amounts were $269,980.20 for 2015 and $391,056.55 for 2014, bringing her total back taxes to $661,036.75. Even with a net worth of $10 million at the time, a bill for over half a million dollars must’ve been a tough pill to swallow.

Her Early Days

Born Amethyst Amelia Kelly on June 7, 1990, in Sydney, Australia, Iggy Azalea is one of the few white female MCs to make a splash in the hip-hop scene. Growing up in Mullumbimby, New South Wales, she lived a humble life with her dad, Brendan Kelly, a painter and comic artist, and her mom, Tanya, a hotel cleaner. Iggy started rapping at 14, inspired by TLC and rapper Left Eye Lopez, even forming a group with two neighborhood girls. However, when her bandmates lost interest, she decided to forge her own path.

Determined to make it big in America, Iggy dropped out of high school and began working with her mom. At 16, she moved to the U.S., originally for a holiday but decided to stay, telling her parents she wasn’t coming back. She worked illegally in the U.S. until she secured a five-year O visa in 2013. To remain in the country legally, she returned to Australia every three months to renew her visa. Her stage name, Iggy Azalea, combines her dog’s name, Iggy, with the street she grew up on, Azalea.

A Career on the Rise

In 2010, Iggy settled in Los Angeles, California, where she still calls home. She met rapper Jefe "Wine-O" Wine, who became her boyfriend and signed her to his independent label, Wine-O Music. Even after they broke up, Wine-O continued releasing her music via iTunes. In 2011, Iggy began uploading freestyle videos to YouTube, and her career took off when her controversial tracks "Pussy" and "Two Times" went viral. She released her first mixtape, "Ignorant Art," in September 2011, followed by "TrapGold" a year later.

In 2012, Iggy made history as the first non-American female rapper to grace the cover of XXL’s "Top 10 Freshman" issue. She hinted at her debut studio album, "The New Classic," and signed with Grand Hustle Records, working closely with rapper T.I. on the project. She embarked on a North American tour with Rita Ora and headlined a European tour to support "TrapGold." In February 2013, she signed with Mercury Records and released her debut single "Work" in March, which became an instant hit.

A month later, she dropped her second single, "Bounce," on BBC Radio 1. In July 2013, she joined Beyoncé on the 17-date Australian leg of her "Mrs. Carter Show World Tour." BBC Radio 1 premiered the third single from "The New Classic," "Change Your Life," in August 2013, and the hit single "Fancy" in February 2014. "Fancy" shot to the top of the U.S. Billboard chart, becoming her most successful single to date.

"The New Classic" was finally released in April 2014, debuting at #3 on the Billboard chart and selling 52,000 copies in its first week. That same year, she collaborated with Ariana Grande on "Problem" and with Jennifer Lopez on "Booty." In December 2014, she announced plans for a world tour in 2015 and a second studio album.

In May 2015, Iggy released "Pretty Girls" with Britney Spears. She canceled her world tour to focus on her next album, titled "Digital Distortion," announced in October 2015. The lead single, "Team," came out in March 2016. She became a judge on "The X Factor Australia" in 2016, delaying her second album further but releasing two singles, "Mo Bounce" and "Switch," in 2017.

In February 2019, Iggy revealed she'd finished her second studio album, "In My Defense." The first single, "Sally Walker," debuted at #62 and sold over 82,000 copies. The album was released on July 19, 2019, peaking at #50 on the Billboard chart. Despite the success of her first album, her second received mixed reviews.

Awards and Recognition

Iggy Azalea has been nominated for and won numerous major awards. In 2015 alone, she was nominated for four Grammys, including Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Best Rap Album. She was nominated for eight MTV Video Music Awards in 2014, winning Best Pop Video for "Fancy." To date, she's been nominated for 128 awards and has won 39.

Her Personal Life

Iggy became a permanent U.S. resident in March 2018. She dated rapper A$AP Rocky for a year, getting matching tattoos before removing hers. She started dating LA Laker Nick Young in 2013 and announced their engagement in June 2015. However, a leaked video of Young allegedly bragging about cheating on her led to their breakup in June 2016.

She began dating rapper Playboi Carti in 2018, and they have a son together. Iggy confirmed to Vogue and Seventeen magazines that she's had breast augmentation and a nose job.

Real Estate Adventures

In June 2021, Iggy splashed $5.2 million on a home in Hidden Hills, California. Shortly after moving in, she clashed with a neighbor over construction noise, even calling them out