Kool Moe Dee Net Worth

What is Kool Moe Dee's Net Worth?

Kool Moe Dee is a rapper and actor who has a net worth of $500 thousand. Kool Moe Dee is best known as a member of the pioneering 1980s hip hop group the Treacherous Three. In addition to his two studio albums recorded with the group, he released five albums as a solo artist from 1986 to 1994. Kool Moe Dee's fast, aggressive style of rap has been highly influential in the hip hop world, influencing everyone from Tupac Shakur and Jay-Z to Will Smith and the Beastie Boys.

Early Life and Education

Kool Moe Dee, whose real name is Mohandas Dewese, was born on August 8, 1962 in New York City. He was educated at Norman Thomas High School, and then the State University of New York College at Old Westbury, from which he graduated in 1985 with a degree in communications.

Treacherous Three

In 1978, Dewese formed the hip hop group the Treacherous Three with Lamar Hill, Theodore Moy'e, Kevin Keaton, and Gabriel Jackson. Dewese adopted the stage name Kool Moe Dee; Hill became LA Sunshine; Moy'e was DJ Easy Lee; Keaton became Special K; and Jackson took the name Spoonie Gee. The latter eventually left the group. Now with four members, the Treacherous Three released its first single, "New Rap Language," in 1980; it appeared as the B-side to Gee's solo single "Love Rap." Following the success of "New Rap Language," the Treacherous Three secured a deal with Enjoy Records. The group went on to release the singles "At the Party," "Put the Boogie in Your Body," and "Feel the Heartbeat."

Dissatisfied with their pay at Enjoy Records, the Treacherous Three moved to Sugar Hill Records in 1981. They subsequently released such singles as "Whip It," "Yes We Can-Can," "Action," "Get Up," and "Santa's Rap." In 1984, the Treacherous Three released their self-titled debut studio album. Not long after that, the group was riven by internal tensions that caused its dissolution. The Treacherous Three reunited a decade later to release their sophomore studio album, "Old School Flava," which would also be their last. A compilation album of rare and unreleased material, entitled "Turn it Up," came out in 2000.

Solo Career

Kool Moe Dee launched his solo recording career in 1986 with his eponymous debut solo album. Containing four singles, the album reached number 83 on the Billboard 200 and number 20 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Dee had his greatest commercial success as a solo artist with his second album, 1987's "How Ya Like Me Now," which peaked at number 35 on the Billboard 200 and number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, ultimately going Platinum. For the single "Wild Wild West," Dee earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Performance. He continued his success with his third solo album, "Knowledge is King," which came out in 1989. The album reached number 25 on the Billboard 200 and made it to number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Its most commercially successful single was "They Want Money," followed by "I Go to Work." Dee's fourth solo album, 1991's "Funke, Funke Wisdom," marked the beginning of his commercial decline, which continued with 1994's "Interlude."

Musical Collaborations

Among his notable musical collaborations, Dee contributed to Quincy Jones's award-winning hit album "Back on the Block," released in 1989. For his contributions to the title track, he shared the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Also in 1989, Dee joined various other hip hop artists to record the anti-violence song "Self Destruction." Over the subsequent years, he collaborated with such artists as Zebrahead, Regina Belle, and Babydol. Later, in 2015, he contributed to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis's "Downtown."

Feud with LL Cool J

In the late 1980s and into the early 90s, Dee was notorious for his long-running feud with fellow New York rapper LL Cool J, whom he claimed had stolen his rap style and was disrespecting the pioneers of hip hop by calling himself the genre's "new grandmaster." Both artists released multiple songs taking shots at each other, including Dee's "How Ya Like Me Now," "Let's Go," and "Death Blow," and LL's "Jack the Ripper," "To Da Break of Dawn," and "Mama Said Knock You Out."

Film and Television Appearances

With his fellow Treacherous Three member LA Sunshine, Dee appeared briefly in the film "Wildstyle." In 1984, the Treacherous Three appeared in the influential dance drama film "Beat Street," performing their song "Santa's Rap" with a young Doug E. Fresh.

Later in his career, Dee launched his own digital talk show series entitled "Behind the Rhyme." He hosts and executive-produces the show, which features interviews with figures from the hip hop world.