There’s a reason Arkeisha Antoinette Knight chose the stage name Kash Doll. She’s always been financially savvy.
From figuring out how to earn high six-figures to launching two brick and mortar beauty bars while still in her twenties, the starlet has long known the value of a dollar long before focusing full-time on her rap career. After dropping financial lessons in her hit songs like Kash Kommandments and For Everybody, the artist has been putting her fans on to the game of life for nearly a decade. Now, with a new full-length album, The Last Doll and nationwide tour, she’s once again sharing her financial wisdom that far surpasses her catchy lyrics. With a reported multi-million-dollar net worth, the doll is always worth listening to.
She recently sat down with ESSENCE to share some of the most pivotal money moves she keeps top of mind as she continues to build her empire.
Credit Is King
Early on, Kash Doll said she reveled in being able to purchase everything in cash, outright. Over time though, she learned that building credit was an open financial secret that was way more powerful.
“I used to swipe my debit card for everything,” she tells ESSENCE. “Now, going through life, gaining new experiences, and just spending money, I learned that it doesn’t hold any weight. Using your credit, building your credit and using your money to pay off the credit is where it’s at. As I got older, I saw that just swipe, swipe, swipe, swiping my debit wasn’t getting me much in return. Then when I started getting it I instantly recognized the value in being able to walk in somewhere without putting any money down and getting anything in your name.”
According to financial experts, making nearly every purchase with a credit card has its benefits.
Of course a fast way to establish credit, especially if you understand how to make your payments at the right time.
Always Aim To Have Your Own
Kash Doll shares that as a teen she would often hold down multiple jobs along with juggling her studies due to her naturally ambitious spirit. Unsurprisingly, that hasn’t changed much, as she is at the helm of her music moves, lucrative sponsorships and a burgeoning acting career, she also hasn’t let go of early entrepreneurial acumen.
In her teens she launched a beauty bar, with locations in Detroit hometown and Columbus, Ohio. As an adult, she still maintains the importance of having your own.
“The earlier you do it, the more familiar you get with {owning a business} with time,” she shares. “{Conquering those fears early} will allow you to iron out all the wrinkles sooner than later because you’ll always learn from the mistakes.”
She also shares the importance of always having your own.
“I respect {the girls} that are really making their own money,” she has said in a previous interview. “I want to motivate you to get your own money, because there’s nothing like having your own. Make your own money.”
Ever the business woman, Kash Doll says she is planning to delve back into beauty with a new brand.
“I’m starting a beauty line, {which is something}I’m passionate about,” she shares with ESSENCE. She said it’s a bit of a departure, but one she’s happy to lean back into. “Before I was doing a lot of real estate and things like that. But now I’m doing things that I’m passionate about, like hair care products and stuff like that.”
Put Faith In Your Finances
Kash Doll has been open about her early challenges navigating a bad record deal that left her unable to release music for years. Now, fortunately her strong fan base, social media savvy and even stronger faith led her to sign another contract with MNRK Music Group in August 2022. The deal includes the release of her latest and the creation of her own imprint under MNRK. When asked about the timing of the pivotal career move following the ordeal she previously faced, she pointed to her belief in a higher power.
“I just go with the flow,” she tells ESSENCE. “I asked God, and God just led me to where I needed to be. That’s it. I don’t really just plan it all like ‘Oh, this is the perfect time or this is the perfect time.’ I feel like when it’s all really clear and feels right, I just do it. I go in my flow. God got me. He got me all the time, and everything, {including my wealth} just falls into place.”
This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.