Straight No Chaser: K. Michelle Admits Jack Daniel’s Deal Brought In More Money Than Music

Kimberly Michelle Pate, known by her stage name as K. Michelle, got real about bringing in more money from her 2015 deal with Jack Daniel’s than she ever has with music.

The singer and television personality from Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta, told The Shade Room, “I made more money and learned more business from Jack Daniel’s than I made with any music.” She did not share the amount she actually bagged as the first Black brand ambassador for the brand of Tennessee whiskey. Although, K. Michelle shared that she doesn’t have any “ownership” of her music and because of that, she has made most of her money from ventures outside of the music industry.

A couple of years after becoming an ambassador for the whiskey brand, her partnership grew into an opportunity to make a Southern Peach drink with the company. She revealed the reason she always dreamed of working with the brand, according to Finurah and a press release: “Jack Daniel’s is a brand with rich history.” On top of that, the artist says she was also excited to work with the brand because she’s from Tennessee, the same hometown where the whiskey was produced. K. Michelle said, according to Finurah, “Also being from Tennessee, I’ve always appreciated how JD falls in line with my Southern values. This collaboration with Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails is a celebration of all those values, and I’m excited to share that with my fans.”

The artist also opened up about not liking the industry, despite her musical talent. She also said to The Shade Room that she had a candid conversation with herself, “It’s not that you don’t like music, K. You don’t like the industry. You don’t do well with it. You do great in the studio. You do great on stage, but you don’t do great in no other part.”

The R&B and soul singer reportedly has a net worth of $2.5 million, Finurah noted. She is also the owner of Puff and Petals restaurant in Atlanta.