Cro’s Net Worth: Is the Panda Bear A Millionaire?
| NET WORTH | 7 Million Euros $7.8 Million |
| ESTIMATED INCOME 2024 | 500.000 Euros $555,650 USD |
| Age | January 31, 1990 (34 years old) |
| Born in | Mutlangen, Germany |
| Nationality | Germany |
| Occupation | Rapper |
| Full Name | Carlo Waibel |
| Nickname | Lyr1c |
| Children | None |
net worth of Cro
The stage name Cro is short for his real name, Carlo. The rapper was born on January 31, 1990, in Mutlangen, near Stuttgart. Not much else is known about the private life of the wearer of the panda mask. He began making music at a young age and underwent training as a media designer.
Before breaking through as a rap star, he worked as a comic book artist for a newspaper. However, his successes as a rapper are well-documented, as are his numerous additional sources of income. Through accumulated platinum and gold certifications, sold-out tours, endorsement deals, and more, the rapper has an estimated net worth of around 7 million euros (7.8 million dollars).
Beginnings as a Rapper
His career as a rapper began in the Reimliga Battle Arena, an internet platform for battle rap, where artists can compete with each other online. He performed on this platform under the pseudonym Lyr1c. The first mixtape “Trash” was released under this name and was available for free download, as was its successor.
However, it was “Meine Musik” that was released under the artist name Cro and caught the attention of rapper Kaas. Kaas facilitated contact with Sebastian Andrej Schweizer, who signed him to the Chimperator label. This was followed by a tour as the supporting act for Madcon.
Breakthrough as a Musician
In November 2011, the music video for “Easy” was released, which gave him the breakthrough he needed. To this day, “Easy” remains one of the most-viewed videos in the German rap scene on YouTube. The mixtape of the same name was also a huge success, attracting interest from numerous major labels eager to sign Cro.
However, he chose to remain with the indie label Chimperator. In July, his debut album “Raop” was released, with the title describing Cro’s musical genre, a blend of rap and pop. A year later, the album was re-released with five additional tracks. His true follow-up album, “Melodie,” was released in June 2014. The following year, Cro had the honor of releasing an MTV Unplugged album, which hit the market in July 2015. Cro was joined by illustrious guests such as Die Prinzen, Max Herre, Haftbefehl, Teesy, Dajuan, and Die Orsons. In 2016, the film “Our Time Is Now” was released, with Cro taking on one of the lead roles. Alongside the rapper, Til Schweiger also stars in the comedy directed by Martin Schreier.
Income of Cro
In addition to his music career, Carlo Waibel, known as Cro in civilian life, has built several other income streams. He has been running a fashion label since 2008, secured numerous lucrative advertising deals, and released his first feature film in 2016. As a result, the young rapper has multiple sources of income, contributing to the growth of his wealth.
Earnings from Music
The first releases by Cro were offered as free downloads, so the artist didn’t earn anything from them. The debut album “Raop” debuted at number 1 on the charts and has since been certified gold five times. The album alone sold over 500,000 copies in Germany.
Additionally, it received a platinum certification in Austria and a gold certification in Switzerland. Platinum in Austria signifies at least 15,000 albums sold, while gold in Switzerland represents at least 10,000 CDs sold.
Similarly, his second album “Melodie” also debuted at number 1 on the charts. It sold over 300,000 copies in Germany and received a triple gold certification. Once again, Cro achieved platinum in Austria and gold in Switzerland.
The unplugged album completed the hat-trick by reaching the top of the charts again. It earned platinum certification in Germany and gold in Austria. In total, Cro has sold more than one million albums.
Gold and Platinum for Cro
Not only did his albums reach the top positions, but numerous singles were also awarded Gold and Platinum. Cro can boast three number-one singles. In total, he received 9 Gold and 4 Platinum certifications for his singles in Germany. He also earned numerous awards in Austria and Switzerland. Overall, Cro sold around 4 million singles.
By opting for an independent label over a major one, Cro likely earns around 2 euros per album sold. Thus, he earns approximately 2 million euros from his albums alone, which of course must still be taxed. In addition, there are the singles, which brought in about another million euros in total. These earnings significantly contribute to Cro’s substantial wealth.
Income from live performances
With live performances, artists can earn even more than with their CDs. This is certainly the case for the rapper Cro, as he is constantly on tours and festivals. With concerts in front of 15,000 fans and ticket prices of around 60 euros, the masked rapper is likely to significantly increase his wealth. In addition, there are numerous festivals where fees of tens of thousands of euros are normal.
Income from movies
The film “Unsere Zeit ist jetzt” likely significantly increased Cro’s wealth. After all, he not only took on a leading role but was also responsible for the music. Despite featuring a star-studded cast and being co-produced by Til Schweiger, the film flopped at the box office. During its opening weekend, only about 25,000 people went to see the film, averaging around 25 viewers per screening. After eleven days, the film had not even reached 40,000 viewers.
For comparison, Bushido’s film “Zeiten ändern dich” attracted 305,000 viewers in its first week in 2010, while “Blutzbrüdaz” by Sido had around 150,000 viewers during its opening weekend. Both films ultimately surpassed the 500,000 viewer mark, a milestone far from reach for Cro’s film. This marks the first setback in an otherwise successful career for Cro. It will be interesting to see how this affects his future projects.
Income from fashion label
In 2008, Cro founded his own fashion label called VioVio. Initially, the clothes were sold through Blogspot, but as Cro’s popularity grew, the brand became increasingly professionalized. The business is managed by Cro’s brother, Benno Waibel, while Cro himself takes on the creative tasks. Cro’s sister, Jule, is also a key part of the VioVio team, responsible for designs.
The collections are released in limited quantities and often sell out quickly. In late 2015, a local store was opened for three months in the Fluxus department store in Stuttgart, marking VioVio’s first physical presence. With the sale of T-shirts, sweaters, and jackets, Cro continues to earn additional income.
Income from advertising deals
Cro has often been criticized for promoting anything that brings in money. He has endorsed brands such as H&M, McDonald’s, Mercedes, and Axe. Additionally, he has collaborated with Red Bull and KangaROOS. The McDonald’s commercial, in particular, received significant criticism and brought the young rapper much negative attention.
While these endorsements may have tarnished his likable image somewhat, they certainly haven’t harmed his wallet. No rapper before has been seen with so many major companies, allowing him to significantly increase his wealth as a result.
