Everyday They’re Hustling: These Celebs Quietly Hold Down 9-5 Jobs

By Jasmine Browley ·Updated July 12, 2022

‘Celebrity’ is synonymous with glitz, glam and fortune, but many public figures are still maintaining secondary careers out of the spotlight. This is always a smart move, and a popular one.

Millions of Americans can attest to being “slashers” or someone who holds multiple professional identities. The Great Resignation proved what was possible for many workers. According to recent Pew Research, about 53% of employed U.S. adults who quit their job in 2021 has either shifted or pulled an additional occupationat some point last year. This reportedly added to their overall life satisfaction.

So, if it worked for them, we surely understand why these celebrities have decided to quietly pursue 9-5 jobs out of the limelight. Check them out.

01MonicaThe superstar singer built a successful career that spans decades but recently took to Instagram to announce her latest professional move: forensic science. “I’m not studying to be a nurse. I have a great respect for nurses. Especially, seeing first hand all that they do & how they selflessly give of themselves. It is mandatory that we wear scrubs in my field as well. I’ve always had an interest in forensics. In my field we focus on giving the family much needed answers and closure in the event that they lose a loved one. I enjoy helping families during one of the most difficult times in their life.

02Phaedra ParksBefore gaining fame as a reality star on the hit show Real Housewives of Atlanta, Phaedra Parks, esq. was working behind the scenes as an attorney, representing the likes of Bobby Brown and Ludacris among others. Ever the hustler, Parks tapped into another industry that surprised her fans, but made perfect business sense to her: funeral services. A few years ago, Parks became a funeral director and has enjoyed immense success.

03MC HammerThe ‘Too Legit To Quit’ rapper made a name for himself as a hit artist in the 90s, and shortly after as one of the biggest stars to experience financial challenges. Fortunately, the visionary quickly pivoted and built a career as a consultant and founded two tech startups while quietly investing in a dozen startups in the space according to Moguldom.

04Al GreenEveryone’s favorite soul singer cemented his musical legend in the 70s, but pivoted to mission work as a Reverend shortly after. He has been the pastor of Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis, TN for more than 40 years.

05Karyn ParsonsKaryn Parsons made us fall in love with her back in the 90s when she portrayed the bubbly Valley Girl on the hit sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for six years. Her character, Hillary Banks lived her life in the lap of luxury, mostly concerned about her looks. Parsons, however, couldn’t be further from that in real life. In 2005, she founded and runs the creative non-profit Sweet Blackberry. The foundation writes stories of unsung figures in Black culture through kid-friendly animations.

06Kareem Abdul-JabarSports legend Kareem Adbul-Jabar has had one of the most diverse post-NBA careers to date. Pivoting from the league in 1989, he has been an actor, TV writer, author, pop culture commentator, and most recently, columnist. He frequently contributes content to publications as well as his own blog, discussing social happenings.

07Kurtis BlowKurtis Blow is considered one of the grandfathers of hip-hop who burst on the scene in the 1980s with his hit ‘The Breaks.’Through the years though, he balanced his secular roots with the word of God and founded The Hip Hop Church in 2005. He is also the vice president of Hip Hop Alliance, a non-profit organization aiming to help arm rappers with union benefits, while fellow rap legend Chuck D is the president.

08ShyneShyne was introduced to us in 2000 as a new deep-voiced, gritty hip hop artist on Bad Records with his debut self-titled album. After a few hits, he was sentenced to prison and years later reemerged a new person. Now he has embraced another career as a politician of his home country Belize.