The Forbes 30 Under 30 2021 list is out, featuring 600 young entrepreneurs, activists, scientists and entertainers in North America. Some have defied the odds by building a business amidst a raging global pandemic, others have served on the frontlines or capitalised on AI technology to discover new drugs.
According to the publication, these honourees have collectively raised over $1 billion in venture funding this year – a testament to the fact that “ambition and innovation can’t be quarantined.”
The youngest on the list stands at 15 years old, whereas the average age of the Under 30s is 26.6. From the list, we zoom in on 8 individuals who stood out to us in their respective fields of art, music, sports, social media and entertainment.
Social media: Marques Brownlee, 27, YouTuber
With over 13 million subscribers on YouTube, Marques Brownlee, or also known by his channel MKBHD, is the top YouTuber on all things tech. Whether you’re looking at the latest MacBook, the best Android smartphones, Nike’s self-lacing boots or Tesla’s Cybertruck, this man is the go-to source for in-depth yet digestible commentaries. He’s also scored personal interviews with tech luminaries such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg to share valuable insights on the industry.
YouTube: Marques Brownlee | Instagram: @mkbhd
Social media: Jalaiah Harmon, 15, dancer
As the youngest on the list and a Gen Z, Jalaiah Harmon is making waves at an age where most of us were still figuring out our way through puberty. She’s best known as the creator of the viral Renegade dance on TikTok, which set her on the path to stardom and shining the spotlight on her minority peers while at it. This catapulted the Atlanta teen from 2,000 followers to over 3 million across social media, earning her collaborations with prominent brands like Samsung, Prada, Bloomingdales and Netflix, as well as appearances at the 2020 NBA All Star Game and on the The Ellen Degeneres Show.
TikTok: @jalaiahharmon | Instagram: @jalaiah
Sports: Ben Simmons, 24, basketball player
Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons isn’t your average height, not even for an NBA player. At 6 feet, 10 inches (4 inches taller than the latter average), he’s not the typical option for point guard either – a position that often goes to the shortest player on the team. Nonetheless, the two-time All-Star has led in steals per game this past season to be named to the league’s All-Defensive first-team. More recently, he’s added esports company FaZe Clan to his investment portfolio and frequently livestreams his games on Twitch.
Instagram: @bensimmons
Music: Roddy Ricch, 22, musician
Whilst many suffered business failures and financial losses, Compton-bred hip hop artist Roddy Ricch became $20 million richer in 2020. His debut album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, sat at the top of the charts for four weeks earlier this year. The Gen Z’s breakout single, The Box, went viral on his generation’s favourite social media platform (read: TikTok), with over 1.2 billion videos using the song. Oh, and he won his first Grammy. Recently, Ricch has started investing in Compton commercial real estate and aims to start a foundation to teach financial literacy to residents in the city.
Spotify: Roddy Ricch | Instagram: @roddyricch
Music: Doja Cat, 25, musician
Name the top breakout artists of the year and Doja Cat is likely among the first few to come to mind. After all, she’s got the accolades to prove it, including MTV’s 2020 PUSH Best New Artist Award and a 2021 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. The LA born and bred artist came into the spotlight with her single Say So from the 2019 album Hot Pink, which has amassed more than half a billion Spotify plays.
Art & Style: Jooyeon Song, 29, entrepreneur
Press-on manicures are not new today, but that’s partially thanks to South Korean native Jooyeon Song. Together with co-founder David Miró Llopis, she founded ManiMe in 2017 to offer custom-fit, stick-on gel nails. Consumers only need to take a photo of their nails and send it to the Santa Monica-based startup, which uses 3D modeling and a laser cutter to create a custom fit solution starting at just $15 per set. The company’s revenues are expected to surpass $3 million this year.
Instagram: @manime.co
Entertainment: Sabrina Carpenter, 21, actor and singer
Despite Broadway going dark two days after her debut as the lead in Mean Girls, Sabrina Carpenter did not back down. The 21-year-old went on to dabble in producing for Netflix’s dance film, Work It, before launching Last Productions in October. She will be starring in and executive producing her first project – a musical take on Alice in Wonderland – which she sold to Netflix for a 7-figure sum. On the music side of things, she’s clocked over 1 billion streams and is currently working on her fifth studio album.
Spotify: Sabrina Carpenter | Instagram: @sabrinacarpenter
Hollywood & Entertainment: Ramy Youssef, 29, actor
Stand-up comedian, actor, writer and director Ramy Youssef is best known for his role as Ramy Hassan on the eponymous Hulu comedy series. As a first generation American himself, the role of a first-generation Muslim American proved a convincing one – leading him to earn a Golden Globe, whilst the movie scored a Peabody Award. After founding his production company called Cairo Cowboy, he has started working on more series focusing on underrepresented communities.
Instagram: @ramy
Social media: Marques Brownlee, 27, YouTuber
With over 13 million subscribers on YouTube, Marques Brownlee, or also known by his channel MKBHD, is the top YouTuber on all things tech. Whether you’re looking at the latest MacBook, the best Android smartphones, Nike’s self-lacing boots or Tesla’s Cybertruck, this man is the go-to source for in-depth yet digestible commentaries. He’s also scored personal interviews with tech luminaries such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg to share valuable insights on the industry.
YouTube: Marques Brownlee | Instagram: @mkbhd
Social media: Jalaiah Harmon, 15, dancer
As the youngest on the list and a Gen Z, Jalaiah Harmon is making waves at an age where most of us were still figuring out our way through puberty. She’s best known as the creator of the viral Renegade dance on TikTok, which set her on the path to stardom and shining the spotlight on her minority peers while at it. This catapulted the Atlanta teen from 2,000 followers to over 3 million across social media, earning her collaborations with prominent brands like Samsung, Prada, Bloomingdales and Netflix, as well as appearances at the 2020 NBA All Star Game and on the The Ellen Degeneres Show.
TikTok: @jalaiahharmon | Instagram: @jalaiah
Sports: Ben Simmons, 24, basketball player
Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons isn’t your average height, not even for an NBA player. At 6 feet, 10 inches (4 inches taller than the latter average), he’s not the typical option for point guard either – a position that often goes to the shortest player on the team. Nonetheless, the two-time All-Star has led in steals per game this past season to be named to the league’s All-Defensive first-team. More recently, he’s added esports company FaZe Clan to his investment portfolio and frequently livestreams his games on Twitch.
Instagram: @bensimmons
Music: Roddy Ricch, 22, musician
Whilst many suffered business failures and financial losses, Compton-bred hip hop artist Roddy Ricch became $20 million richer in 2020. His debut album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, sat at the top of the charts for four weeks earlier this year. The Gen Z’s breakout single, The Box, went viral on his generation’s favourite social media platform (read: TikTok), with over 1.2 billion videos using the song. Oh, and he won his first Grammy. Recently, Ricch has started investing in Compton commercial real estate and aims to start a foundation to teach financial literacy to residents in the city.
Spotify: Roddy Ricch | Instagram: @roddyricch
Music: Doja Cat, 25, musician
Name the top breakout artists of the year and Doja Cat is likely among the first few to come to mind. After all, she’s got the accolades to prove it, including MTV’s 2020 PUSH Best New Artist Award and a 2021 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. The LA born and bred artist came into the spotlight with her single Say So from the 2019 album Hot Pink, which has amassed more than half a billion Spotify plays.
Art & Style: Jooyeon Song, 29, entrepreneur
Press-on manicures are not new today, but that’s partially thanks to South Korean native Jooyeon Song. Together with co-founder David Miró Llopis, she founded ManiMe in 2017 to offer custom-fit, stick-on gel nails. Consumers only need to take a photo of their nails and send it to the Santa Monica-based startup, which uses 3D modeling and a laser cutter to create a custom fit solution starting at just $15 per set. The company’s revenues are expected to surpass $3 million this year.
Instagram: @manime.co
Entertainment: Sabrina Carpenter, 21, actor and singer
Despite Broadway going dark two days after her debut as the lead in Mean Girls, Sabrina Carpenter did not back down. The 21-year-old went on to dabble in producing for Netflix’s dance film, Work It, before launching Last Productions in October. She will be starring in and executive producing her first project – a musical take on Alice in Wonderland – which she sold to Netflix for a 7-figure sum. On the music side of things, she’s clocked over 1 billion streams and is currently working on her fifth studio album.
Spotify: Sabrina Carpenter | Instagram: @sabrinacarpenter
Hollywood & Entertainment: Ramy Youssef, 29, actor
Stand-up comedian, actor, writer and director Ramy Youssef is best known for his role as Ramy Hassan on the eponymous Hulu comedy series. As a first generation American himself, the role of a first-generation Muslim American proved a convincing one – leading him to earn a Golden Globe, whilst the movie scored a Peabody Award. After founding his production company called Cairo Cowboy, he has started working on more series focusing on underrepresented communities.
Instagram: @ramy
Discover the full list of Forbes 30 Under 30 2021 here.
Photos: Mamadi Doumbouya for Forbes / respective Instagram accounts
