Before They Were Famous

Joshua Charlie Joseph Bradley makes up one-seventh of the extremely popular content collective known as the Sidemen and even by his lonesome he’s still a creative force to be reckoned with known the world over as the YouTuber, ZERKAA -- a career that’s filled his bank-account with boatloads of cash to the tune of around $2 Million according to sources like Sportskeeda. Ribbed by the other guys for being the oldest member of the crew, Josh is often referred to as the “Daddy” of the Sidemen, and, in a sense, this title has carried over into his spending habits. While other members of the Sidemen will flaunt their earnings by showing off some of their biggest purchases to their online audience, Zerkaa doesn’t engage in that type of showmanship very often. Sure, he’s occasionally touted his own good fortune by inviting fans to take a look at the dream car he purchased for himself a few years back but for the most part, when Josh spends money, it’s usually on other people. Such as buying anything his fans dare him to and then pawning some of those purchases off on others -- like his unsuspecting girlfriend. Or even picking up a few gifts for his fellow Sidemen, WroteToShaw, some of which are much more... well, let’s just say “sensitive” than others. Hey – when you’re an integral part of one of the biggest digital empires of recent memory, you’ve got to find inventive ways to spend all that cash. And with Josh pulling in money not only from his multiple YouTube channels but also his assorted variety of Sidemen properties like a Vodka line, food delivery service, brand-new subscription package, and two separate clothing lines, he’s found himself with more money than most of us would know how to spend. So today, we’re going to take a closer look at how he manages to both make and spend this cash as we investigate the Rich Life of Zerkaa.

We’re back with yet another entry in our continuing coverage of Sidemen here on Before They Were Famous! Today, we’ve got an episode entirely dedicated to the man who’s often referred to as the “Daddy” of the Sidemen – I’m of course talking about the oldest member of this super group, Zerkaa – aka, Josh -- who often gets teased relentlessly about his age, even though he’s not exactly running away with that distinction considering he’s only a few days older than Miniminter. But here’s another thing Zerkaa has done that his associates have not – complete his post-secondary education! What degree did he earn and how has it impacted his career as one part of the most popular YouTube collective of all time? You’re about to find out that and a whole bunch more!

Tobi Brown is probably best known by his YouTube handle TBJZL and as one-seventh of the collective known all around the world as the Sidemen. And while he might not be the most notorious or well-known member of the supergroup, it’s safe to say that Tobi is doing more than fine for himself with an estimated net worth of just over a Million dollars according to sources like Nail Buzz.com but I got a feeling that’s a massive understatement. Similar to a few other members of his group, when it comes to spending his money, Tobi is pretty damn sensible. In fact, when asked what he’d do with his first million dollars earlier in his career, he quite clearly stated that he’d make sure to secure housing for both himself and his parents. And while he might not be capable of doing those two things just yet, he’s still earning enough bank to buy a dream-car and then get it wrapped in some customized and very on-point branding. Otherwise, Tobi -- who was raised in a Christian household -- is mostly spending his money on other people. Like that time, he spent over $10,000 on complete strangers to help them get their Christmas shopping done. He’s also not one to forget his good friends and the people that helped him become so successful – as such, he’s spent a bundle buying gifts for the Sidemen as well, including some expensive kicks for each member. As for how Tobi makes his money – well, like the majority of the Sidemen, the bulk of his income is coming straight from YouTube. But let’s not discount the extra cash he’s pocketing along the way on things like his individual clothing line, a litany of Sidemen side-hustles – I mean didn’t these guys just open up a fried food chain, then there are social media sponsorships, and even a music career. So, today, we’re going look at each of Tobi’s business ventures before checking out some of the priciest-items he’s bought along the way on our latest edition of the Rich Life!

We’re hitting the halfway point here on Sidemen week at Before They Were Famous and today we’re putting the trailblazing social media influencer known as TBJZL – aka, Tobi – under the microscope. Like so many other members of his super-group, Tobi made a name for himself by streaming a ton of popular FIFA content across the pond. But it wasn’t always something he dreamt of doing. In fact, for a period of time, Tobi had his eyes set on a career in the aviation industry. But after becoming a literal sideman to Josh – aka, Zerkaa – and seeing how much fun someone could have while also being successful on YouTube, he decided to give it a try for himself. Now, he’s following in another one of the Sidemen’s footsteps by shooting his shot in the music industry. Where did this multi-threat influencer come from and what shaped him into the creative force he is today? You’re about to find out that and a bunch more here in our latest edition of Before They Were Famous!

Simon Edward Minter is probably best known to all of you watching this video as YouTuber Miniminter, one of the UK’s most successful content creators and an original co-founder of the Sidemen. Today, he’s now the third most subscribed-to member of the group and has a net worth estimated to be somewhere in the ballpark of around $10 Million by sites like Celebrity Villa. Now when someone like Miniminter is granted a blank cheque for a bank account that big, he’s probably going to spend that money on some monumentally cool purchases -- like say -- a $140,000 Tesla X. Or even a wholly unique and very much on brand Gold-Plated PS5. And even after that, he’s still got enough money left-over to drop a bag or two -- or okay, like five – on shoes that he’s wanted for his entire life. But when you’re getting paid to live your dream life while hanging out with your mates and shooting content for YouTube, money is no object. Since its inception in 2013, the Sidemen brand has become a runaway freight train of success, and these dudes have found clever new ways to capitalize on it – including the creation of a subscription service, distilling their own Vodka, opening up a restaurant chain, and, of course, establishing their entirely mandatory Merch line. In other words, we sure got a lot to cover in this newest episode of the Rich Life that shines a spotlight on the one and only Miniminter.

Welcome back to Sidemen week here on Before They Were Famous. Today, we’re going to dive deep into the past of a young man who made his claim to fame while streaming on YouTube alongside one of his oldest childhood friends. I’m talking of course, about the man known as Miniminter – someone who went from being your quintessential UK nerd to recently getting engaged to his long-time girlfriend, fellow social media star, and absolute total knockout, Talia Mar. How did Simon go from getting into fist fights with JJ during class hours to living the kind of life that fills most other people in his age-group with irrational envy? That’s exactly what you’re about to find out as we continue with our look into the come-up of this extremely talented crew.

When the young man named JJ Olatunji first started recording himself playing video games from his parents’ home in Watford, England, he never imagined he’d one day wind up becoming the man we know as KSI -- someone who has created a media empire worth an estimated $25 Million according to sources like Celebrity Net Worth and WealthyGorilla. And believe it or not, that estimate might actually be on the lower side of things, after all, KSI himself has insinuated in multiple interviews that his net worth could be much higher than that. In fact, he once told The Guardian in a 2020 interview that money tends to just gravitate towards him, which has put him in the enviable position of no longer having to worry about finances. I mean how else do you think he’s dropped more than £10 Million on a combined dozen properties? Not to mention Millions more on some stylish and unbelievably fast cars. And then there’s all that jewelry, including quite possibly the coolest damn “Dragonball Z” chain you’ve ever laid eyes on worth an estimated £400K! Who thought YouTube could pay so well? And for the most part, that’s exactly how KSI makes the majority of his money. But this man has also transformed himself into a musician, actor, businessman, and occasional professional boxer as well. So, today, we’re going to break down the Rich Life of KSI as we continue to embark on our week-long celebration of the Sidemen. But before starting, please take a moment to like, subscribe, and ring that bell for notifications to make sure you’re alerted with each and every drop. Alright, let’s stop the housekeeping and get on with the show!

As if having nearly 40 Million combined subscribers between his main channel and his Sidemen project wasn’t enough, the YouTube icon known as KSI has proven time and time again that he’s a man of many talents. While streaming might be his bread and butter, he’s just as talented a rapper, actor, and boxer as he is anything else! Look, career pivots aren’t easy, that’s why so few of us actually attempt them – but KSI has shown he’s more than just a novelty act in each one of those fields. So, how did he become a pioneer and accomplish damn near everything he’s ever set his mind to? Today you’re going to find out!

Knowledge, strength, and integrity, are three very important things that can ultimately define whether or not you make it in this world. These are also the three words that comprise the acronym for one of the greatest and most influential creators of all time, of course, I'm referring to the YouTube legend, the U.K’s own KSI. But even making an introduction for this man and calling him a YouTube legend almost does this guy a disservice, because while KSI is undoubtedly a YouTube legend he is quite literally much more than that, he is also a boxer, musician and entrepreneur, and not like in a hobby sort of way, KSI’s music and entrepreneurial career are very much on the same level as his social media. From making tracks with some of hip hop's heavy hitters to selling out literal stadiums and coming up with products that are taking their respective markets by storm, and he is undefeated as a pro boxer, I mean KSI’s hustle and grind are truly unmatched and there is more than meets the eye with this gentleman. However, nobody just starts off as a revolutionary content creator that changes the landscape of social media as we know it, that would be really cool but things don't happen that way. There is obviously a starting point, and while we may all be more familiar with the endpoint, I think it's important to examine those humble beginnings, the journey, and the end result to truly understand the full scope of what a man like KSI has done with his career, so today that's exactly what we will be doing. Talking about how exactly KSI went from FIFA YouTuber to Boxer / Rapper & Multi-Millionaire right here on Before They Were famous.

A once fan-favorite member of Navarro College’s legendary cheer squad and the subject of Netflix’s reality series, “Cheer”, will not be joining his teammates in any potential upcoming seasons. Instead, Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris will be spending the next dozen years inside of a prison cell. At one point Jerry was most well-known for his infectiously positive attitude, but now that’s most definitely changed because Harris has been sentenced on charges relating to the possession of inappropriate material involving children and the exploitation of five minors. Look, when we talk about things like the Dark Side of Fame, it really doesn’t get much darker than this -- with Federal prosecutors claiming Harris is a serial child lover who enticed boys as young as 13 to send him explicit videos and photos. How did Harris find himself in the spotlight of fame while at the same time committing some truly atrocious acts hidden in the shadows? You’re about to find out on The Dark Side of Fame.