Kevin Hart has amassed a fortune off his creativity, and as his star continues to rise, he has been reminded time and time again that his words can resurface at any given moment.
In the past, Hart has missed out on opportunities, such as hosting the Oscars, for a controversial joke that made some fans feel ostracized and ridiculed. He is again receiving flack for a similar situation; only this time, his comments don’t involve a punchline.
The comedian became a trending topic on Sept. 26 as a clip pulled from Hart’s 2021 appearance at the 10X Growth Conference hosted by Grant Cardone began circulating.
In the video, the “Jumanji” actor attempts to address how the government and big business exploit the lack of financial literacy in low-income communities.
“If you look in the hood, there’s liquor stores and check cashing places. You know why? Because they know the people in the hood aren’t smart enough to open up bank accounts. They’re gonna get a check, they gon’ cash it, and it’s a liquor store right next to it,” Hart said.
“Let’s just put that around them. Let’s also put a bunch of s–t that’s easy and cash available,” Hart continued. “We don’t want you to gain credit. We want you to be cash-driven. That’s how we keep the poor poor. It’s not until you understand, that you get out.”
Kathia I like @KevinHart4real but this is a real "I forgot where I came from" moment! Very much a response without acknowleding facts. I guess some folks leave the hood (or never been) and altogether forget the plight. He's in position to actually do something. Like Jay-Z and…
— Stacy Brown Media (@StacyBrownMedia) September 26, 2023
One X user reacted to the post, saying Hart had “a real ‘I forgot where I came from’ moment!'” The social media user added that his commentary was “very much a response without acknowledging facts,” and that “some folks leave the hood and altogether forget the plight.”
Another user wrote, “I need people to stop blaming us for systematic oppression. We aren’t the ones that opened up the liquor stores or opened all the payday loan places.”
On Instagram, a user commented, “Doesn’t he have an alcohol company?”
Hart has a reported net worth of about $450 million. He is also a co-founder of Hartbeat, a multimedia entertainment company that has an estimated valuation of $650 million. In 2022, the budding mogul launched his tequila brand, Gran Coramino, in partnership with Juan Domingo Beckman, an 11th-generation tequila producer.
“I wanted something different in the market to tell a story that hadn’t been told before for my fans, for my culture, and a generation who has never tasted a Cristalino before,” said Hart in a statement.
In August, the brand unveiled a cinematic campaign portraying Gran Coramino as the personification of hard work while paying homage to old Hollywood. According to the company, $1 from the sale of every 750ML bottle is donated to help entrepreneurs in the U.S. and Mexico.
