Kevin Hart has announced that he’s entered into a strategic partnership with Authentic Brands Group.
Hart’s new agreement with the company consists of him co-owning and managing his brand with Authentic, with Hart in return becoming a shareholder in the company.
“This partnership is about acceleration, growth, and diversification,” said Hart in a statement. “I’ve spent years building businesses and creating opportunities, and joining Authentic gives me the platform and global infrastructure to take my brand to the next level. Becoming a shareholder allows me to co-own some of the most recognizable IP of all time while building my own brand legacy. I want the Hart name to live on for generations to come and be something that my grandkids and their grandkids will be able to be proud of.”
Authentic founder Jamie Salter also released a statement about the partnership, saying, “Kevin is one of the most dynamic entertainers and entrepreneurs of our time. His creative vision, business instincts and cultural impact are unmatched. Kevin sees what we see: the power of brand ownership and the opportunity to build a global, long-term business. His investment in Authentic also reflects our mutual confidence and shared vision for that growth.”
Authentic is responsible for managing the brands of some of the most popular celebrities in the world, such as Shaquille O’Neal and David Beckham. Their roster also includes major companies like Sperry, Sports Illustrated, and Nautica.
On Instagram, Hart gave his props to Shaq and Beckham for seemingly inspiring him to make the partnership official.
“This is a massive moment for me in my career… I am extremely thankful for my team. Joining @authentic is MAJOR!!!!! Shoutout to my brothers @shaq & @davidbeckham for leading the way and helping with this massive move!!!!! Our partnership will be game changing…. Major shoutout to @michaelrubin for just being a mentor and a brother!!!!! With that being said…. It’s time to get to work 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾 Let’s build something epic!!” Hart wrote.
Hart’s major move will surely boost his fortune a considerable amount. If that’s the case, he probably wouldn’t tell anyone, considering he dodged the question of whether he's a billionaire last November when being interviewed by Speedy Morman.
“I don't really think you can trust a lot of that stuff that you read on the internet, right? The internet is weird. So some people just say stuff,” Hart responded when asked about his net worth.