No Nepotism! Celebrity Children Talented Beyond Their Last Name

Choosing the last week of the year to do your first performance of the year for an album that dropped back in March is a typical boss move for Beyoncé. Thankfully, it was well-worth the wait as Billboard’s greatest pop star of the 21st century delivered a major gift to the world with her show-stopping halftime performance at the Ravens-Texans game on Christmas Day. A top-to-bottom explosive experience overall, the “Beyoncé Bowl” stood out for more than one sole reason. However, many haven’t been able to stop praising the epic baton-passing moment as she danced alongside her now-12-year-old firstborn daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. This comes just a few weeks after their mother/daughter domination in Hollywood with the release of Mufasa: The Lion King, where Beyoncé reprises her role voicing Nala and Blue makes her big screen acting debut as the voice of Kiara.    

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In a similar fashion, fellow pop queen Mariah Carey has been preparing her offspring for the limelight as well. Currently thawing out gracefully for the Christmas season like clockwork, her yearly hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is yet again at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in hopes of reclaiming the ‘Most Weeks At Number One’ title currently shared between Shaboozey and Lil Nas X. Based on the boost of help she’s been getting on stage at the recent Christmas Time Tour from her teen twins, Moroccan and Monroe, we can definitely see that happening by the time the ball drops! Specifically, Roe follows in her moms footsteps by singing her very own song called “Christmas Wrapping,” which usually is complimented by her brother Roc on the drums.     Take a look below at what Mariah had to say recently about the idea of Moroccan and Monroe going full time with their act, via PEOPLE: “In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the R&B icon, 55, discussed whether or not she’d be open to them pursuing careers in the field. ‘I think they’re both very talented and smart, and if they want to pursue having a life as an entertainer, then I think they should,’ says Carey of her two children, whom she shares with ex-husband Nick Cannon and who have been performing at her Christmas shows. She adds, ‘It’s a hard kind of life, but they seem to really love performing, so I’m happy for them.’” RELATED: Celebrity Children Who Attended HBCU’s [WATCH] Should Blue become the next Queen B, or Roc and Roe succeed their mom in dominating future seasons of Christmas, we put together a list of those before them who were born into the life of celebrity yet proved you can’t always blame their success on nepotism. Sure, getting a smooth ride to the front of the line can seem a bit unfair, but undeniable talent simply can’t be bought.

Scroll ahead as we take a look at a few examples of celebrity offspring who carved a lane out for themselves in our culture beyond their famous last name:

 

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1. John David Washington

With recent murmurs of Denzel Washington possibly getting his retirement plan together, it’s at least nice to know that he has blood running through Hollywood with the proper talent to keep his immaculate legacy intact.

2. Zoë Kravitz

 Zoë chose to skip over the rock star lifestyle of her dad, Lenny Kravitz, instead finding a beat on the big screen and, as of recently, in the director’s chair as well. Rock on!

3. Steph Curry

Any parent’s primary wish is to see their kids go on to do better than them, and we can only imagine how happy Dell Curry is to see his hard work in the paint helped to produce a still-reigning 4-time NBA Champion.

4. Laila Ali

Although now-retired, Laila carried the boxing legacy of Muhammad Ali throughout her own undefeated run in the ring from 1999 to 2007. It was clear she made her dad proud while he was still with us.

5. Damon Wayans Jr.

As if he passed down the funny gene right along with his name, Damon Wayans lucked out in pretty much giving birth to himself.

6. Rashida Jones

With the recent loss of Quincy Jones, it’s comforting to know that his decades-spanning legacy will carry on with dignity through Rashida and her other talented siblings.

7. Tracee Ellis Ross

Diana Ross has metaphorically given birth to many musical daughters in pop music over the decades, but it’s in Hollywood where her second-eldest biological daughter currently reigns. 

8. Ziggy Marley

Although Ziggy was only a teen experiencing the loss of Bob Marley with the rest of the world, his decision to step up and tour with the Wailers in his place immediately after was a reflection of the man his dad always prepared him to be. We saw that come full circle earlier this year with the biopic release of Bob Marley: One Love, which Ziggy helped produce.

9. Maya Rudolph

Maya is also one who went through losing a parent while young, with late R&B icon Minnie Riperton passing away just two weeks shy of the SNL star’s seventh birthday. Still, by putting smiles on the faces of millions every weekend by way of primetime television, the joy her mother still brings to the lives of whoever listens to that unforgettable voice manages to carry on.

10. O'Shea Jackson Jr.

Although O’Shea Jackson Jr. is embarking on a career in Hollywood right alongside his dad — Ice Cube still got it! — we give him props for choosing roles that seem to step outside the Cubevision like his space-diving appearance in the Obi-Wan Kenobi Star Wars miniseries.

11. Romeo Miller

Master P has always set up his son for greatness, and it shows that following the right path pays off big time. From his Platinum-selling music career as a teen to his various lanes of entrepreneurship as an adult, Romeo has done a great job at carrying on the No Limit legacy.

12. Jaden Smith

Although Jaden has taken on a similar path as his parents Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, it’s his eccentric approach to music and film so far that’s helped him stand out as a forward-thinker in his generation.

13. Willow Smith

Much like her aforementioned brother, Willow has also adapted finely into the world of entertainment in the vain of their parents. We’re just glad Will and Jada have two good reasons to be proud.

14. Nico Parker

In addition to being a spitting image of her mom, Nico also seems to be following in Thandiwe Newton’s footsteps of making all the right moves, from her small-yet-impactful cameo on The Last Of Us to being announced as the new global ambassador of Lancôme this past September.

15. Domani Harris

While the passion for hip-hop compares to that of T.I., Domani Harris is less “King Of The South” and more ‘king of cool’ with his approach in the booth. It’s a refreshing introduction for the rap game and really helps to set him apart from his dad’s rap legacy while still honoring it.