Famous American Entrepreneurs
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Ask an entrepreneur who had the guts to cast off corporate shackles and kick start his own business, and he will tell you that it is the most fulfilling and perhaps the most nerve-racking thing that he has ever tried. For those with entrepreneurial minds, nothing beats the sense of freedom that comes with breaking away from the routine job and becoming one's own boss. But such freedom always comes with a price. Nearly all accomplished entrepreneurs will amuse you with long, inspiring stories long nights, lean times and near-catastrophes. Becoming an entrepreneur warrants diving in all the way, because you cannot just waddle into it half-heartedly and do well. Entrepreneurial success is not always about business as much as it is about one's ability to innovate and create value. America, the land of opportunities, where hard work and intelligence never goes in vain, has borne scores of entrepreneurial heroes, who have contributed heavily in the wealth building of the country. Explore all about the timeline, trivia, and interesting facts about American entrepreneurs in their biographies here.
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Birthdate: June 28, 1971
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Pretoria, South Africa
Entrepreneur, engineer and industrial designer, Elon Musk, is famous as founder of the electronic payment firm PayPal, and the SpaceX spacecraft company. He is also the CEO of Tesla Motors. Elon Musk has plans to revolutionize transportation on earth as well as to space through futuristic technology.
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Steve Jobs(Co-Founder, Former Chairman and CEO of 'Apple')
Birthdate: February 24, 1955
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: October 5, 2011
A college dropout, Steve Jobs, went on to be regarded as the Father of the Digital World. The founder/co-founder of Apple Inc, Pixar Animation Studios and NeXT Inc was a passionate visionary who was responsible for the development of iMac, iPod, iTunes, iPad and the iPhone which ushered in a new era in the computer, music and film industries.
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Jeff Bezos(The Founder & Executive Chairman of Amazon)
Birthdate: January 12, 1964
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
The founder and CEO of the multi-national technology company Amazon, Jeff Bezos is the wealthiest man in the world. Jeff, who left his lucrative job at an investment firm to fulfil his entrepreneurial ambition, also owns the newspaper, The Washington Post, and its affiliate publications along with a spaceflight company, Blue Origin.
Birthdate: May 14, 1984
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: White Plains, New York, United States
The co-founder and CEO of the popular social networking website, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg is also amongst the richest men in the world. Fascinated by computer since his early life, Zuckerberg co-created TheFacebook while still in college and later even dropped out to devote more time to it. At 23, he became the youngest self-made billionaire in history at that time.
Birthdate: June 10, 1972
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc. An alumnus of IIT, Stanford and Wharton, Pichai has come a long way, from innovating Google’s products such as Chrome, Google Drive and Google Apps to leading the software giant and being one of the most sought-after names in the tech industry.
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Walt Disney(Pioneer of the American Animation Industry)
Birthdate: December 5, 1901
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: December 15, 1966
Walt Disney is considered to be the forerunner of the American animation industry. He has won 22 Oscars and holds the record for most Academy Awards earned by an individual as a film producer. His The Walt Disney Company has produced many successful animation films. He later established amusement theme park, Disneyland, in 1955, which has since grown manifold.
Birthdate: August 30, 1930
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska, United States
American investor, business tycoon and philanthropist Warren Buffett is considered one of the most successful investors in the world by the media. The chairman and largest shareholder of the firm, Berkshire Hathaway, he is often called as the ‘Oracle’ or ‘Sage’ of Omaha. Notably, he has pledged to give away a sizable portion of his wealth to philanthropic causes.
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Colonel Sanders(Founder of the Fast Food Chicken Restaurant ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken’ (KFC))
Birthdate: September 9, 1890
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Henryville, Indiana, United States
Died: December 16, 1980
Colonel Sanders is the man who revolutionized the American fast food industry by founding the restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). Establishing a style trademark by wearing a white suit and black string tie, Sanders went on to become a symbol of the KFC brand. Such is the popularity of the brand, the symbol is recognized all over the world.
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P. T. Barnum(Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut from 1875 to 1876)
Birthdate: July 5, 1810
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bethel, Connecticut, United States
Died: April 7, 1891
P. T. Barnum was an American politician, showman, and businessman. He is credited with founding the famous Barnum & Bailey Circus, which ran for 146 years. He is also credited with co-founding the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company, which is one of the oldest American ferry companies. His life and work have inspired many films, including The Greatest Showman.
Birthdate: October 5, 1902
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Oak Park, Illinois, United States
Died: January 14, 1984
Ray Kroc was the man who helped expand McDonald's into a global franchise, eventually turning it into the most successful fast food corporation. Not surprisingly, he was mentioned in Time magazine's Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century list. He was also the owner of the popular baseball team San Diego Padres.
Birthdate: July 8, 1839
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Richford, New York, United States
Died: May 23, 1937
Widely regarded as the richest person in modern history and the wealthiest American ever, John D. Rockefeller was a business magnate who founded the Standard Oil Company. He was America’s first billionaire. He also defined the structure of modern philanthropy as the foundations created by him had a major effect on scientific research, medicine, and education.
Birthdate: March 26, 1973
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Lansing, Michigan, United States
Larry Page is an American Internet entrepreneur and computer scientist. As one of the co-founders of the multinational technology company Google, Larry Page effectively changed the way the world functions today as Google is a synonym for a search engine in many parts of the world. Unsurprisingly, he became a billionaire after co-founding Google.
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Henry Ford(The Founder of the ‘Ford Motor Company’)
Birthdate: July 30, 1863
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Springwells Township, Michigan, United States
Died: April 7, 1947
Business magnate and founder of the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford is credited to have made the automobile an accessible conveyance for Americans in the 20th century. Following the success of his company, he became one of the richest and best-known people in the world. He also became known for his pacifism during the first years of World War I.
Birthdate: August 11, 1950
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: San Jose, California, United States
Widely recognized as one of the two important pioneers of the personal computer revolution, Steve Wozniak is credited with co-founding Apple Inc. along with Steve Jobs. Not surprisingly, he has been described as one of the men that changed the course of history through technology. Apart from being a programmer and technology entrepreneur, Steve Wozniak is also a well-known philanthropist.
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Tim Cook(Chief Executive Officer of 'Apple Inc.')
Birthdate: November 1, 1960
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mobile, Alabama, United States
Since taking over as the CEO of Apple, Inc. in 2011, till 2020, Tim Cook has, through his dedication, doubled its profits. He was the first Fortune 500 CEO to “come out” as gay, in 2014. A devoted philanthropist, Tim intends to donate most of his stocks to charity.
Birthdate: December 23, 1867
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Delta, Louisiana, United States
Died: May 25, 1919
Madam C.J. Walker is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first female self-made American millionaire. She manufactured and promoted a cosmetic-and-hair-care line catering to black women, through the Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company. She was also the richest African-American businesswoman when she died.
Birthdate: August 19, 1967
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Satya Nadella is an Indian-American business executive, currently serving as the chief executive officer of Microsoft. Since he became CEO, the company has seen a 27% annual growth rate. Born in India to a Telugu-speaking family, Nadella serves as an inspiration to millions of Indians who nurse 'The American Dream'.
Birthdate: October 28, 1955
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States
Leading American technologist, business leader and philanthropist, Bill Gates is the co-founder of the world’s largest software company, Microsoft. His passion for computers made him one of the richest in the world and through his charity foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he and his ex-wife, Melinda, use this money generously to help people world over live a better life.
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Paul Allen(Co-founder of Microsoft, Philanthropist)
Birthdate: January 21, 1953
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Seattle
Died: October 15, 2018
Paul Allen was an American investor, business magnate, and philanthropist. He is credited with co-founding one of the most popular multinational technology companies in the world, Microsoft Corporation. Along with his philanthropic activities and ownership of several other companies and sporting clubs, Paul Allen had a major impact on sports, wildlife, education, arts, healthcare, community services, environmental conservation, and more.
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Andrew Carnegie(Industrialist, Businessman, Entrepreneur and a major Philanthropist.)
Birthdate: November 25, 1835
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dunfermline
Died: August 11, 1919
Andrew Carnegie revolutionized the 19th-century steel industry by investing in railroads, bridges, and other projects. He donated most of his wealth to philanthropic causes, and built significant establishments, such as the Carnegie Hall and the Carnegie Mellon University. In the Gospel of Wealth, he urged the wealthy to donate.
Birthdate: April 17, 1837
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Died: March 31, 1913
J.P. Morgan was an iconic figure of the economic boom of the Gilded Age and established the investment banking firm J.P. Morgan & Co. He also controlled companies such as U.S. Steel, General Electric, and AT&T. He prevented the American economy from collapsing during the Panic of 1907.
Birthdate: August 3, 1941
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
The founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Martha Stewart has found success with several business ventures. She is also the publisher of a magazine called Martha Stewart Living and has written many bestselling books. Although she was convicted of charges pertaining to the ImClone stock trading case, she made a comeback and became chairwoman of her company.
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Bobby Flay(Celebrity Chef Known for His Work with 'Food Network' & Owner of 'Bobby's Burger Palace', 'Mesa Grill')
Birthdate: December 10, 1964
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is best known for his Food Network shows, such as the Emmy-nominated Hot Off the Grill with Bobby Flay. He launched many restaurants, such as the Las Vegas-based Mesa Grill and 19 outlets of Bobby's Burger Palace. He has also taught at the French Culinary Institute.
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Howard Hughes(Film Producer and an Important Figure in the Aviation Industry Who Became Known for His Ecentric Behavior)
Birthdate: December 24, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Humble, Texas, United States
Died: April 5, 1976
A multi-talented personality, Howard Hughes was one of the richest person of his time. A business tycoon, he made big investments in films and aviation industry. Passionate about flying, he set numerous flying records, and also risked his own life in process. Howard Hughes who inherited his family business and became millionaire at the age of 18, was later on troubled with mental illness and turned recluse.
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Ross Perot(American Billionare Businessman, Founder and CEO of ‘Electronic Data Systems’ and ‘Perot Systems’)
Birthdate: June 27, 1930
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Texarkana, Texas, United States
Died: July 9, 2019
Ross Perot was the founder and CEO of Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems. He received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award and developed the Naval Academy’s honor system. He ran for president as an independent candidate and then established the Reform Party. He sold Perot to Dell for $3.9 billion.
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Kate Spade(Fashion Designer, Founder and Co-Owner of the Designer Brand ‘Kate Spade New York’)
Birthdate: December 24, 1962
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Died: June 5, 2018
Kate Spade was an American entrepreneur and fashion designer. Spade is credited with founding Kate Spade New York, a popular luxury fashion design house, which competes with the likes of Michael Kors. Kate Spade is also credited with creating stylish and affordable handbags that caused quite a revolution in the fashion world.
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Reba McEntire(One of the Most Popular Female Country Vocal Artists of the Late 20th Century)
Birthdate: March 28, 1955
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: McAlester, Oklahoma, United States
The Queen of Country Reba McEntire initially performed with the family band the Singing McEntires. She was discovered by Red Steagall and has since delivered 24 number one singles and 16 number one albums. She has won 12 American Music Awards for Favorite Country Female Artist, the highest to date.
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Ashley Olsen(American Businesswoman, Fashion Designer and Former Actress)
Birthdate: June 13, 1986
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, United States
Ashley Olsen is best known for appearing as Michelle Tanner, with her twin sister, Mary-Kate, in the hit sitcom Full House. The sisters starred in many projects of Dualstar Entertainment. They now own a number of fashion brands and have also co-written a book based on fashion.
Birthdate: March 29, 1918
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kingfisher, Oklahoma
Died: April 5, 1992
Sam Walton, founder of the retail chain Walmart and Sam's Club, was the richest man in the U.S. at one point. He made Walmart the world’s largest private employer. One of Time’s 100 most influential people of the 20th Century, he had also earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Birthdate: August 17, 1944
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison was Forbes’s sixth-wealthiest person in the world in 2019. He has been associated with Apple and Tesla, too. He once owned the world’s 12th-largest yacht. He is a certified pilot and also owns a tennis facility. A devoted philanthropist, he has taken The Giving Pledge.
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Alexis Ohanian(Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of the Social Media Site ‘Reddit’)
Birthdate: April 24, 1983
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Internet entrepreneur and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian is also known as the husband of legendary tennis player Serena Williams. Named to Forbes 30 Under 30 twice, he spoke strongly against the 2011 Stop Online Piracy Act, wrote a bestselling book, and is an advocate for the paternity leave policy.
Birthdate: October 28, 1955
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Indra Nooyi is an Indian-American business executive known for her association with PepsiCo where she served as the chief executive officer from 2006 to 2018. Often ranked among the most powerful women, Nooyi was named in Forbes' World's 100 Most Powerful Women list in 2014. In 2017, she was named in the magazine's 19 Most Powerful Women in Business list.
Birthdate: July 10, 1980
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Abilene, Texas, United States
Jessica Simpson is an American singer, fashion designer, and actress. Her journey from being a teen idol to a sex symbol has been quite inspirational so far. Also a well-known philanthropist, Jessica Simpson has worked with several nonprofit organizations, such as Make-A-Wish Foundation. She has also performed at many benefit concerts.
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Tony Robbins(American Motivational Speaker, Author and Businessman)
Birthdate: February 29, 1960
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: North Hollywood, California, United States
Named one of Accenture’s Top 50 Business Intellectuals, motivational speaker, author, and philanthropist Tony Robbins is best known for books such as Awaken the Giant Within. His workshop Unleash The Power Within features a fire-walking exercise. He owns the Anthony Robbins Foundation and co-owns the Robbins-Madanes Center for Intervention.
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Guy Fieri(American Restaurateur and Host of Several 'Food Network' Television Shows)
Birthdate: January 22, 1968
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Primarily a restaurateur, Guy Fieri is a testimony to the fact that any professional can become famous if they are passionate enough in doing what they do best. From being a restaurateur, he went on to become a TV personality, hosting shows for Food Network channel. By mid-2010, he had become the face of the network.
Birthdate: March 24, 1956
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
The world’s ninth-richest person as of 2020, Steve Ballmer has served as the CEO of Microsoft. He dropped out of the MBA program at Stanford when Bill Gates invited him to join Microsoft in 1980. Ballmer owns the NBA team Los Angeles Clippers. The USAFacts.org founder donates to educational causes.
Birthdate: February 2, 1954
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Monroe
Christie Brinkley is an American actress, model, and entrepreneur. Widely regarded as one of the most attractive women ever, Brinkley has been featured on more than 500 magazine covers and was the face of CoverGirl for 25 years! Apart from being an inspiration to aspiring models worldwide, Christie Brinkley has also touched the lives of many through her philanthropic activities.
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Mark Cuban(Owner of the 'Dallas Mavericks' Team of NBA)
Birthdate: July 31, 1958
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Entrepreneur, television personality and media proprietor Mark Cuban is a prolific inventor. He is a named inventor of 11 patent families. He displayed an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age and started many business ventures while still in college. A sports fan, he is the owner of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Dallas Mavericks.
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J. Paul Getty(British Petroleum Industrialist and Founder of the ‘Getty Oil Company’)
Birthdate: December 15, 1892
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Died: June 6, 1976
As the patriarch of the Getty family, J. Paul Getty was an influential petrol-industrialist who founded the Getty Oil Company. In 1966, Paul made it to the Guinness Book of Records as the world's richest private citizen. An avid collector of antiquities and art, his collection is preserved at the J. Paul Getty Museum in California.
Birthdate: March 16, 1959
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Roosevelt, New York, United States
Rapper and hip-hop “hype man” Flavor Flav co-founded the rap group Public Enemy. Known for his signature style of wearing clocks as ornaments and for his screams of "Yeah, boyeeeeee!” in his songs, he has also starred in several reality shows. He owned two restaurants, which closed down unceremoniously.
Birthdate: February 9, 1954
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Chris Gardner is an American motivational speaker and businessman. After struggling with homelessness, Gardner went on to establish Gardner Rich & Co, a brokerage firm, in 1987. His rags to riches story inspired the film The Pursuit of Happyness. Also a well-known philanthropist, Gardner has been playing a major role in creating low-income housing and employment opportunities for the homeless.
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Nelly(Rapper and Singer Known for His Hits: ‘Country Grammar’, ‘Hot in Herre’ and ‘Dilemma’)
Birthdate: November 2, 1974
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Austin, Texas, United States
Grammy-winning hip-hop/rap artist Nelly began his career with St. Lunatics. He became a household name after the release of his debut solo album, Country Grammar, in 2000. He ranked third on Billboard’s list of the Top Artist of the Decade and has sold 21 million albums in the U.S.
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Joy Mangano(American Inventor and Entrepreneur Known for Inventions Such as the Self-Wringing Miracle Mop)
Birthdate: February 1, 1956
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: East Meadow, New York, United States
Before she turned her peculiar inventions into a billion-dollar business empire, Joy Mangano had worked as an airline assistant and a waitress. Her best-known invention has been the Miracle Mop, a self-wringing mop made of plastic. She has also penned a memoir and has inspired the 2015 film Joy.
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Fred Trump(American Real Estate Developer and Father of Former US President 'Donald Trump')
Birthdate: October 11, 1905
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Died: June 25, 1999
Fred Trump, father of Donald Trump, was a well-known real estate developer who built more than 27 thousand apartments in New York. Having lost his father early, Fred ventured into construction business with his mother when he was fifteen. Determined, he built himself a huge fortune but controversies surrounded him too including an investigation for not renting to black families.
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Evan Spiegel(Co-Founder and CEO of the Social Media Company ‘Snap Inc.’)
Birthdate: June 4, 1990
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Evan Spiegel is credited with popularizing social media all over the world as he co-founded the popular social media company Snap Inc. In 2015, he was named the youngest billionaire in the world. The following year, he was named in Forbes magazine's list of 400 Richest Americans with an estimated net worth of $4 billion.
Birthdate: April 9, 1926
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: September 27, 2017
As the founder of Playboy magazine, Hugh Hefner changed the way people viewed nudity. Known for his enviable lifestyle, he resided in luxury mansions along with his Playboy Playmates. Also a well-known philanthropist, Hefner made significant donations to various causes. He also supported freedom of expression and sexual liberation.
Birthdate: November 19, 1976
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
As the co-founder and CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey continues to influence the lives of millions around the world. Also a well-known philanthropist, Dorsey is credited with funding 600 public school projects in Missouri. A prolific donator, Jack Dorsey has donated $24 million as part of various relief efforts. He also donated $10 million to Boston University.
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Shannon Lee(American Actress and Businesswoman the Only Living Child of Martial Artist Bruce Lee)
Birthdate: April 19, 1969
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Shannon Lee is the daughter of the most popular martial artist of all time, Bruce Lee. She followed in her father's footsteps to become an actress and martial artist. Shannon Lee is credited with upholding her father's legacy by serving as the president of the Bruce Lee Foundation. She is also the executive producer of Warrior, a series based on her father’s idea.
Birthdate: July 28, 1969
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Manchester, Connecticut, United States
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Dr. Dre(Rapper, Record Producer & Entrepreneur)
Birthdate: February 18, 1965
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Compton, California, United States
Rapper, record producer, and audio engineer, Dr. Dre, is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics. He is credited with the popularization of West Coast G-funk, a sub-genre of hip hop. After establishing himself in the music industry, he promoted the careers of many other rappers, including 2Pac and Snoop Dogg.