Benny Medina Bio
Benny Medina is an American CEO of The Medina Company and son of the jazz drummer Ahmad “Benny” Medina. He has worked as a music producer, talent manager, and record executive, who has been involved with a variety of recording artists and performers such as Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey.
Medina started his career with the group Apollo, an American R&B and Disco Group, who released their self-titled debut on Gordy/Motown in 1979. Medina was the lead singer, other members included Kerry Gordy (keyboards), Cliff Liles (bass), Lenny Greene (drums) and Larry Robinson (guitar).
The Medina Company CEO co-wrote three of the seven tracks, including “Astro Disco,” for which they are best known. The album was produced by Ray Singleton, former wife of Motown founder Berry Gordy.
At age 24, Medina became the head of A&R for Motown, working as a protégé to Berry Gordy. Under Gordy, Medina wrote and produced for legendary Motown acts such as The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Billy Preston, Rick James, and Teena Marie.
Benny Medina then attended Beverly Hills High where he met Kerry Gordy and was a successful student. Medina’s experience of transferring to this wealthy environment is the loose basis for the 1990 Will Smith show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
The music producer then moved on to Warner Bros. Records, where executive Mo Ostin tasked him to build and cultivate the careers of the company’s urban artists as VP/GM of its urban-music division. While there, Medina collaborated with artists such as Ray Charles, Babyface, Prince and Chaka Khan as well as Madonna, Paul Simon and Fleetwood Mac.
He also worked with Naughty by Nature, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Biz Markie, Kool G. Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shanté, and Monie Love.
After leaving Warner Bros., Benny Medina and longtime friend Jeff Pollack formed Medina/Pollack Entertainment, which grew into a full-service management and production company.
Jeff Pollack and Medina masterminded a variety of projects, including Booty Call, Above the Rim, and Maid in Manhattan. In early 2009, Benny Medina formed another company called the Medina Company.
Benny Medina Age
The business mogul was born on January 24, 1958, in Los Angeles, California, United States and is now 61 years old. His birth sign is Aquarius.
Benny Medina Height
In regards to his physical features, the business mogul stands a little over five feet and six inches (1.67 m) in height.
Benny Medina Ethnicity| Nationality
An African-American by ethnicity, the controversial TV/music executive probably takes pride in his American nationality.
Benny Medina Jennifer Lopez
Medina is best known for managing actress/singer/dancer Jennifer Lopez. Along with Lopez and then-head of Sony Music, Tommy Mottola, Medina launched Lopez’s pop music career in 1999, after which he and Lopez worked intensively together building a dominant film, music, fragrance and clothing empire.
In 2003, at the height of her popularity, Lopez and Medina had a public falling out, and split. They remained in contact with each other, and unofficially reunited during late 2007. As of 2008, Medina officially resumed his role as Lopez’s manager, and is also a godparent to her twin children who refer to him as uncle Benny.
Young
Medina was born in East Los Angeles of Dominican parents into a poor family. The death of his mother and abandonment by his father resulted in him being placed into a number of foster homes, which he repeatedly ran away from before he and his siblings were taken in by his aunt.
In his early teenage years, Medina dealt with joints and amphetamines in order to make ends meet. A critical event in his childhood was the befriending of a wealthy white teenager, whose family in Beverly Hills allowed him to live in a refurbished garage behind their property.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Medina’s experiences of transferring to this wealthy environment is the loose basis for the 1990 Will Smith show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. where he also acts as a producer for the show.
Warner Bros. Records
After his stint at Motown, Medina then moved on to Warner Bros. Records, where executive Mo Ostin tasked him to build and cultivate the careers of the company’s urban artists as VP/GM of its urban-music division.
While there, Medina collaborated with artists such as Prince, Ray Charles, Madonna, Babyface and Chaka Khan as well as Paul Simon and Fleetwood Mac. He also worked with Naughty by Nature, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Biz Markie, Kool G. Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shanté, and Monie Love.
Pollack Entertainment
After leaving Warner Bros., Medina and longtime friend Jeff Pollack formed Medina/Pollack Entertainment, which grew into a full-service management and production company. They masterminded a variety of projects, including Booty Call, Above the Rim, and Maid in Manhattan.
Medina Company
In early 2009, Benny Medina formed another company called the Medina Company, which he has been chairing to date.
Net Worth
In regards to his net worth, the business mogul is estimated to be worth $20 million, with his income streaming from the sales of his music, as well as his business activities such as management of artists and media company.
Sexual Orientation
Medina has openly come out as gay. In March 2007, he was ranked as one of Out.com’s Top 50 Gays, coming in at spot 48.
Sexual Allegation
In November 2017, a sexual allegation report by the business mogul was recorded by actor Jason Dottley. He accused Medina of attempting to rape him in December 2008. Dottley stated the event happened at Medina’s Los Angeles mansion after Medina gave Dottley and fellow actor T. Ashanti Mozelle a tour of the home.
Dottley stated in an interview with The Advocate that Anthony Rapp’s recent sexual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey inspired him to come out with his “shameful secret.” Through his attorneys Howard Weitzman and Shawn Holley, Medina said in a statement, “Benny Medina categorically denies the allegation of attempted rape.
Benny Medina Instagram
Benny Medina Fresh Prince
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his wealthy uncle and aunt in their Bel Air mansion after getting into a fight in his hometown.
In the series, his lifestyle often clashes with the lifestyle of his relatives in Bel Air. The series ran for six seasons and aired 148 episodes. Medina’s experience of transferring to this wealthy environment is the loose basis for the 1990 Will Smith show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Will Smith is a street-smart teenager, West Philadelphia “born and raised”. While playing street basketball, Will misses a shot and the ball hits a group of people, causing a confrontation that frightens his mother, who sends him to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in the opulent neighborhood of Bel-Air, Los Angeles.
Will’s working-class background ends up clashing in various humorous ways with the upper-class world of the Banks family – Will’s uncle Phil and aunt Vivian and their children, Will’s cousins: Hilary, Carlton, and Ashley. The premise is loosely based on the real-life story of the show’s producer Benny Medina.
The show is notable for having a heavy celebrity guest presence with more than 40 celebrities guest-starring throughout the series. Seasons 1 and 4 had the highest celebrity participation with 10 guest stars each.
