We hear the term "gone viral" a lot these days, thanks to the rise of social media sites like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. These internet celebrities are recognized by their faces, work, or names and live a life of stardom based on something they said or did on the internet.
Of course, many things or individuals become viral on the internet, but what the public may not have expected was for someone to become a viral sensation for what they said during an interview about their sister almost being raped.
And yes, we are talking about the "hide yo kids, hide yo wife and hide yo husband too cus they raping everybody out here" catchphrase quoter Antoine Dodson. Antoine accidentally became a meme for this exact quote he said in an interview in 2010. Dodson then decided to capitalize on the popularity he was gaining and launched his own career, a very successful one at it.
While many recognize him as the "hide yo kids, hide yo wife" meme guy, few know what transpired after the celebrity went viral. So, today, let us look at how Antoine Dodson's career and lifestyle altered once he became an internet celebrity.
Estelle Berglin Biography - Social Media Star
Early Life And Family
Kevin Antoine Dodson was born on June 27, 1984, in Chicago, Illinois, to American parents. Kevin is the eldest of nine children, and one of his sisters is named Kelly Dodson. Even though Antoine was born and raised in Chicago, he relocated to Hunstville, Alabama, in 2004.
Antoine Dodson grew up in a large family and is the oldest of nine children. Image Source: Antoine Dodson Instagram.
The internet celebrity attended Virginia College and pursued a degree in Business administration. However, whether or not he completed his studies is not known.
Helped Raise Money For His Family
Following the 2010 interview, Antoine utilized his fame to seek funds to help his sister and mother, who have Type 1 Diabetes. His efforts to assist his family, however, were not fruitful. Dodson's fundraising attempts received only $766 out of the pledged $38,000 with just 26 backers.
However, at present, the celebrity has made a steady career for himself, which must have tremendously assisted his family. Antoine Dodson's parents and siblings must be pretty proud of his achievements.
Antoine Dodson Net Worth And Career
Antoine Dodson became an instant Internet phenomenon after his interview with Elizabeth Gentle for NBC affiliate WAFF-48 News. His public speaking skills left a lasting impression on the audience. Following that, Dodson teamed with The Gregory Brothers on a song called "Bed Intruder Song."
The song was a significant hit and appeared on Billboard's Hot 100 and selling millions of copies. Following this, the artist released two more singles, Gucci Bag in 2011 and Lovesick Lullaby in 2012, both of which became highly popular. Antoine Dodson's net worth of $50,000 must have come from the sales of his songs and successful music career.
However, the artist did not just limit himself to only singing and tried his hand at acting and business.
Earnings From Acting
After Bed Intruder Song went viral, Antoine got an opportunity to work in the entertainment industry. So, in 2011, he made his first television appearance in the TV series B-Sides. Following this, he appeared in the musical comedy series Dr. Fubalous.
Soon after, he got his big break on the big screen, starring in Tyler Perry's 2013 comedy romance film A Madea Christmas. Then, following a four-year break, Antoine once again appeared in The TDM HNIC Ghetto News Network as one of the lead characters.
Antoine Dodson's net worth of $50,000 comprises his earnings from acting profession, as well as his musical and commercial endeavors. Image Source: Antoine Dodson Instagram.
Additionally, in 2019, the actor bagged the role of Head TSA in the comedy movie Airplane Mode that starred famous YouTubers like Logan Paul, Juanpa Zurita, Lauren Swickard, and Lele Pons. The film reportedly had a budget of $2 million. So, Antoine Dodson must have made a fortune working with such talented artists.
Talking about YouTubers, Dodson is one of them and has 94.8K subscribers on his channel. Even if it is not much, Antoine Dodson's fortune includes the earnings he makes from his channel.
Earnings From Business Ventures
The internet star's first business venture was a line of T-shirts and merchandise featuring the original album art. However, after a licensing dispute between the artist, his manager, and the photographer, Antoine decided to launch a storefront through districtlines.com with an unrelated line of merchandise.
Since then, he has collaborated with entrepreneur Fam Mirza to create and sell a Bed Intruder Costume for Halloween 2010. In addition, he also endorsed a sex offender tracker application for both iPhone and Android users.
Hence, Antoine Dodson's net worth is also benefitted from the sales of his merchandise.
Moreover, in a 2018 interview with al.com, Antoine revealed that he was working at Huntsville City Schools as a substitute teacher. The average salary of a substitute teacher in the States is $33,245 per year or $15.98 per hour. So, the celebrity must have earned a considerable sum as a part-time teacher. However, it is unclear if Dodson is still working in the educational sector.
Nonetheless, we hope to see more of the artist as time passes and that his career prospers.
Has Been Arrested Numerous Times
Despite becoming famous after bringing claims against his sister's rapist, Antoine himself has not been without controversy. Throughout his life, the artist has been charged with and arrested for a variety of offenses.
On April 24 of 2011, Antoine Dodson was arrested on charges of marijuana. Additionally, Dodson was arrested on suspicion of speeding and charged with illegal second-degree marijuana possession and failure to appear in court on previous warrants.
Despite facing a year in prison, the musician showed no remorse, instead took on Twitter telling his followers he had been released from jail in a week's charge and that he had never been to prison except the one time in grad school.
Similarly, in September of the same year, Antoine was charged for violating the town noise code for the second time. Unfortunately, during the incident, cops ran his name and discovered a warrant out for his arrest.
According to the local cops, Dodson allegedly failed to appear in court following his arrest for marijuana possession in April, prompting authorities to arrest him on the scene and transport him to a nearby station. After paying a $516.00 bond, the singer was eventually released.
At present, Antoine seems to have learned from his mistakes. He has not been involved in any legal troubles since his last arrest, and let's hope Dodson continues to exhibit good behavior in the coming days.
Is Antoine Dodson Gay?
Many people wanted to know who Antoine Dodson's girlfriend was after his rise to popularity, but the celebrity came out as gay, putting an end to the suspicions about his relationship. Moreover, in an online video chat with his fans, Antoine stated that he was gay rather than bisexual when asked about his sexuality. Nonetheless, no rumors of Dodson being romantically involved with a man have ever surfaced.
However, in May 2013, Dodson denounced his homosexuality after he became a member of the Black Hebrew Israelite. Later, he married and welcomed a son named JaCobie Dodson with his wife.
Antoine Dodson, who previously identified as gay, denounced his homosexuality in 2013, married, and has a son. Image Source: Antoine Dodson Twitter.
Furthermore, while the artist uploads multiple videos of his son on his Instagram, his baby mama's identity remains secret. As a result, we may have to wait a while to find out who Antoine Dodson's wife is.
Faced Backlash From The LGBT Community
Antoine's marriage was not much highlighted in the media, but he was once again in the center of a scandal after making comments about his son's sexuality. When Dodson said, "If he couldn't be repaired," in response to a query about whether his son could be gay, the LGBT community was outraged, and rightfully so.
Later, the musician and actor acknowledged his error and eventually apologized to the LGBT community on his YouTube channel. Soon after, he admitted to being bisexual and asserted that his life still has much to offer him.
Despite the many controversies surrounding his view and sexuality, Antoine is still popular among the netizens. For the time being, we wish Dodson and his spouse all the best in their lives.
Trivia and Facts
- Rashaad Cooper, the suspected rapist of Antoine Dodson's sister, was reportedly his good friend, despite the internet star's assertions that he had no idea who the intruder was.
- The internet sensation has an Onlyfans account.
- As per his interview with CBS News, Antoine has been a rape victim.
