When you think of your favorite celebrities, it’s easy to picture them living glamorous lives. But before the accolades, the magazine covers, and the multimillion-dollar brands, many of today’s most admired Black women in entertainment had humble beginnings. Their first jobs weren’t always glamorous, but they were stepping stones to get them to where they are today. For many people, those early gigs were lessons in resilience, responsibility, and hustle. The same is true for the women the world admires. From selling clothes in Barbados to singing at local stores in Houston, these icons remind us that greatness often starts with small, unglamorous beginnings.
Lupita Nyong’o
Before Lupita Nyong’o dazzled audiences with her grace and raw emotion in “12 Years a Slave,” she was quietly working behind the camera. While still in college, Lupita took jobs as a production assistant on major films like “The Constant Gardener” and “The Namesake.” Though she wasn’t in the spotlight, she was absorbing every lesson possible from how sets worked to how stories were crafted, and what it took to bring a film to life. Those experiences gave her the confidence to pursue her passion for acting, eventually leading to her studies at the Yale School of Drama. Not long after graduating, she landed her breakout role in “12 Years a Slave,” earning an Academy Award and catapulting her to global fame. Today, she’s an actress as well as a producer and author, using her platform to tell stories that uplift and inspire.
Zendaya
Zendaya’s path to stardom began in front of the camera, but not in the way you might expect. Before winning Emmys for “Euphoria” and taking on blockbuster roles in “Spider-Man” and “Dune,” she was working as a child fashion model. You might have seen her in ads for Macy’s, Mervyns, or Old Navy without even realizing it. She also appeared as a backup dancer in a Sears commercial with Selena Gomez and danced in a Kidz Bop video for Katy Perry’s “Hot n Cold.” By the time she landed her role on Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up,” Zendaya was already a seasoned performer. Fast forward to today, and she’s a global fashion icon, activist, and one of Hollywood’s most sought-after stars.
Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s work ethic has been legendary from the start. Long before she became “Queen Bey,” she was performing in local Houston venues, including singing at Walmarts and dazzling audiences at church and school talent shows. Her early auditions with the girl group Girl’s Tyme (which would eventually become Destiny’s Child) was just the start of her takeover.
Those humble beginnings eventually led to one of the most successful girl groups of all time, and then to a solo career that redefined what it means to be a global superstar. Today, Beyoncé is a singer, an actress, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and cultural force. Yet, her story is deeply rooted in those first opportunities to sing wherever she could, to make sure she got her sound out to the masses.
Rihanna
Before Rihanna was selling out stadiums and redefining the beauty industry, she was working alongside her father in Barbados, helping to sell clothes at a street stall. That early exposure to entrepreneurship taught her how to make money along with connecting with people and building relationships.
When she was discovered by a music producer at just 15, she already had that hustle instilled in her. After signing with Def Jam under Jay-Z’s leadership, Rihanna quickly became one of the most recognizable voices in pop music. But she didn’t stop there. Her business ventures, including Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty, have revolutionized beauty and fashion by centering inclusivity.
Issa Rae
Issa Rae’s first job may not have been glamorous, but it prepared her to connect with people in a way that would later become central to her career. Working as a customer service representative, she honed her communication skills, learned patience, and developed the empathy that has become a hallmark of her storytelling.
From those humble beginnings, Issa created the groundbreaking web series “Awkward Black Girl,” which caught the attention of Hollywood and evolved into the critically acclaimed HBO series “Insecure.” Along the way, she became a producer, entrepreneur, and advocate for underrepresented voices in entertainment.
GloRilla
Before she became known for her viral anthem “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” Memphis-born GloRilla was working the drive-thru at Checkers during high school. Captured joking with customers in a video that later went viral, she was already showing her bold personality, even through a speaker box. Years later, her unapologetic energy and southern rap roots launched her into stardom. Now signed to Yo Gotti’s label and riding the waves of mainstream success, she turned fast-food hustle into lyrical hustle.
Cardi B
Cardi B’s journey began at a supermarket checkout. As a teenager, she worked as a cashier at an Amish Market in Manhattan, which was her first job before being fired (for giving a friend a discount). After that, she took a bold leap to stripping at 19, a job she needed to support herself, escape an abusive relationship, and afford college. Cardi has described that period as a survival tool. It was the springboard to her social media fame, reality TV debut on :Love & Hip Hop: New York,” and soon after, her chart-topping rap career. Today, she’s a Grammy winner, business mogul, and cultural force.