Justin Irvin Rivera, a.k.a. JI the Prince of NY or simply JI, is one of the most popular rappers in the United States today. He is best known for his 2019 breakout single Need Me, which already has over 204 million streams on Spotify. What makes this milestone extra special is the fact that he’s still in his early 20s, so he has a lot of time to improve his skill as a musician and create more songs that will further help him make a mark in the industry. Although he is younger than most of his peers in the music scene, it is believed that he’s already earning hefty bucks as a singer-songwriter. Read on to know JI the Prince of NY net worth and learn about his personal struggles that led him to take another shot at music.
What is JI the Prince of NY’s net worth?
According to various online reports, JI has an estimated net worth of $1 million as of April 2024.
JI the Prince of NY’s music career
The biggest portion of JI’s net worth comes from his earnings as a musician. As a singer-songwriter, he makes money from music sales, including sales of physical albums, digital downloads, and streaming royalties. JI also earns a significant amount of money from touring and performing live shows. His earnings are also boosted by the sales of his official merchandise items, including hoodies, t-shirts, and hats, which are available on jimerch.com.
JI the Prince of NY on The Rap Game
JI first gained recognition in 2016 when he appeared as one of the contestants of the second season of Lifetime’s The Rap Game, a reality talent competition series hosted by Jermaine Dupri. JI became one of the show’s contenders when Dupri discovered his freestyle videos on Instagram. During one of the challenges on the show, JI came first and as a result, he got featured on the cover of Hip Hop Weekly magazine. Although he did not end up as the competition’s grand winner, JI’s remarkable performance helped him get a significant fanbase.
JI the Prince of NY’s second shot at music
Later in 2016, shortly after his stint on The Rap Game, JI, as an independent artist, released his debut single No Static. The following year, his three-track extended play titled Barely Famous came out. While Barely Famous received generally positive reviews from critics, his clout from The Rap Game eventually died down. JI admitted that during that period he lost his motivation to pursue his music career.
After spending all his money from The Rap Game on marijuana, JI thought of taking up a job in construction. But when he got kicked out of his mom’s house, he decided to give music one last try and connected with his future manager Gabi Acevedo to revive his career.
JI the Prince of NY’s breakout single Need Me
In October 2019, JI dropped his mixtape Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 1, which included his abovementioned breakout single Need Me. A melodic, punch-line-laden track sampling the 2000 song Best of Me, Part 2 by Mýa featuring Jay-Z, Need Me became so popular that he signed a deal with Interscope Records via G*Starr Entertainment. Fast-forward to November 2020, JI received his first career plaque when Need Me was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. As of March 2023, the official music video for Need Me remains JI’s most-viewed video on YouTube with over 141 million YouTube views.
JI the Prince of NY’s sold-out shows
Just two months after the debut of Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 1, JI released Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 2 in December 2019 and embarked on his first headlining national tour the following month. He held the final shows of his first U.S. tour in his hometown of New York and became the first artist in history to sell out the legendary SOB’s venue on three consecutive nights. In March 2023, JI toured Europe in support of his most recent mixtape called One Way or Another, which came out in February of that year.
JI the Prince of NY’s collaborations
JI has collaborated with a number of musicians over the years. This includes his fellow American rapper Lil Tjay in his State of Emergency EP and in the single Hood Scars 2, which both came out in 2020.
In the same year, JI also teamed up with Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers for the single Spanglish, which features verses in mixed English and Spanish. This track served as the lead single to JL’s Welcome to GStarr Vol. 1 EP, which also features American rapper Lil Durk.
Also in 2020, JI was announced as one of the partner musicians for Spotify’s RADAR program, which aimed to promote top-tier talent through the music streamer’s marketing and editorial teams with worldwide reach. The partnership included placement of JI’s music in official Spotify playlists, a short documentary, collaborations with other brands, a recording of Spotify Singles, and support during the release of his EP.
In 2020, JI released Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 3, which includes a sole guest appearance from A Boogie wit da Hoodie on the track R&B Shit. In March 2023, JI appeared as a guest on A Boogie wit da Hoodie’s ongoing Me vs. Myself Tour.
JI has a relatively big following across all social networking sites. And like most celebrities with thousands of online followers, it is believed that JI also makes some money from sponsorships and brand endorsements.
As of April 2024, JI has 1.9 million followers on Instagram, 1.63 million followers on YouTube, 142,000 followers on Facebook, and 5,700 followers on X (formerly Twitter).
JI the Prince of NY’s personal life
How old is JI the Prince of NY?
JI was born on September 23, 2001, in Brooklyn, New York. That makes him 22 years old as of April 2024. He grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and because he takes a lot of inspiration from famous New York City and Brooklyn rappers, it makes sense that he considers and promotes himself as a Brooklyn rapper. Some of his biggest influences are famous rappers from New York, including Jay-Z, Biggie, Nas, Big Pun, and DMX.
What is JI the Prince of NY’s ethnicity?
Although he was born in the U.S., he is of Puerto Rican descent. This gives him dual nationality as both an American and a Puerto Rican.
Who are Jl the Prince of NY’s parents?
JI’s mother is Yovanka Serrano, while the name of his father is not known to the public. According to reports, JI was introduced to old-school hip-hop early on by his parents, who were both big fans of the genre.
Does JI Prince of NY have siblings?
JI has a sister named Nia and two brothers. He credits his beginning in rap to improvising with his brothers during their middle school days, playing with lyrics and beats, until it eventually became his passion, and decided to pursue a music career.
Is JI Prince of NY dating someone?
It’s not clear if JI is currently in a relationship. But according to Stars Offline, JI uploaded a photo of him and his anonymous girlfriend on Instagram back in 2019.