What Is Fred Durst's Net Worth?
Fred Durst is an American musician and director who has a net worth of $20 million. Fred Durst is best known for being the frontman of the Nu-Metal band Limp Bizkit. Along with bands like Slipknot and Korn, Limp Bizkit is seen as one of the pioneers of the Nu-Metal genre during the early to mid-1990s. Durst is also a filmmaker, starring in several films and directing others.
Formed in 1994 in Jacksonville, Florida, the band consists of Fred Durst on vocals, Wes Borland on guitar, Sam Rivers on bass, John Otto on drums, and DJ Lethal on turntables. Their unique sound quickly caught the attention of both fans and the music industry. By 1997, Limp Bizkit released their debut album, "Three Dollar Bill, Y'all$," which included a raucous cover of George Michael's "Faith," showcasing their ability to twist pop classics into aggressive rock anthems.
However, it was their second album, "Significant Other," released in 1999, that catapulted them to stardom. Tracks like "Nookie" and "Break Stuff" became anthems for youthful defiance, and the band's energetic and often controversial performances solidified their reputation as a must-see live act.
Their next album, "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water," released in 2000, continued their success with hit singles like "Rollin'" and "My Way." Despite their soaring popularity, Limp Bizkit was often at the center of controversy, both for their lyrics and for incidents at their concerts.
In the mid-2000s, the band's popularity waned, and they faced internal conflicts, leading to lineup changes and a hiatus. However, Limp Bizkit made a comeback with "Gold Cobra" in 2011, reminding fans of their earlier days. Limp Bizkit continues to be a popular touring band today.
NEW YORK – APRIL 23: Singer/actor/director Fred Durst poses for a portrait during the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival on April 23, 2008 in New York City (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)
Early Life
William Frederick Durst was born on August 20, 1970, in Jacksonville, Florida. Soon after his birth, his family took him to Orlando and then to Cherryville, North Carolina. Until fifth grade, Fred grew up on a farm. Afterward, he moved with his family to Gastonia, North Carolina, where he attended high school. Throughout his entire childhood, Fred Durst was raised as a Wiccan.
By 12, Durst had become obsessed with hip-hop culture. He learned how to breakdance, rap, skateboard, beatbox, and deejay. However, he also became enthralled by heavy metal and punk rock. After leaving high school, Fred joined the US Navy – but left after only two years. After moving back in with his father in Jacksonville, Durst worked as a landscaper and tattoo artist. It was during this time that he started playing with the idea of creating a band that blended both hip-hop and rock into one genre.
Limp Bizkit
In 1994, Fred Durst teamed up with Sam Rivers, John Otto, and Wes Borland to become Limp Bizkit. They chose the name because they wanted to actively discourage people from listening to their music. Early hits like "Straight Up" started to blow up in the underground scene. When the band Korn played in their hometown, Durst invited the group to his house and showed them some of Limp Bizkit's demo tapes. This led Korn to sign Limp Bizkit to their label.
DJ Lethal joined Limp Bizkit, and Wes Borland left the group. In 1997, they signed another record deal and released their debut album, "Three Dollar Bill, Y'all." The album flopped, but Durst became the Senior Vice President of A&R at Interscope Records. Fred then started to collaborate with other groups, such as Soulfly and Korn. At this point, he also started to become involved in filmmaking, directing music videos for Limp Bizkit.
Limp Bizkit became much more popular after the release of "Significant Other" in 1999. The album peaked at #1 on the charts, and critics praised its unique sound. However, they truly rose to prominence with the release of "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" in 2000. "Chocolate Starfish" went platinum within a week of its release and later went 5x platinum. Critics gave it mixed reviews, but it was undeniably one of the most influential albums of the late 90s.
On the heels of its success, Limp Bizkit embarked on lengthy tours. There were notable instances of violence and sexual assault during Limp Bizkit's performances, particularly at Woodstock in 1999. During a 2001 concert in Australia, one teen died of asphyxiation in a mosh pit. One of the band's tours was also sponsored by Napster, as Durst was a strong advocate of file sharing. The group later followed up with the underground album "The Unquestionable Truth" and a greatest hits album.
After Limp Bizkit went on hiatus, Durst began to focus on a filmmaking career. He starred in "Population 436" before directing "The Education of Charlie Banks." He followed up with the film "The Longshots" in 2008. Limp Bizkit got back together in 2009 and spent the next few years touring with several bands. In 2018, Fred started directing "The Fanatic," which starred John Travolta.
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Relationships
Fred Durst's first wife was Rachel Tergesen, with whom he had one child in 1990. Durst has another child with an ex-girlfriend called Jennifer Thayer. His second wife was Esther Nazarov, although they split up just three months after getting married in 2009. In 2012, Fred married Kseniya Beryazina. They eventually filed for divorce in 2018.
Controversy
Durst has been embroiled in controversy for a number of reasons over the years. In 2015, he began the process of obtaining a Russian passport and started referring to Vladimir Putin in endearing terms. Because of these comments, he was barred from entering Ukraine. Later, the sale of all Limp Bizkit music and merchandise was banned in Ukraine.
Durst is not afraid to express his distaste for other musical artists. He started making negative comments about other artists as early as 1999 when he referred to Slipknot fans as "fat" and "ugly." Frontman Corey Taylor responded by pointing out that Durst was probably insulting his own fans since most people who liked Slipknot also liked Limp Bizkit. Fred also instigated a long-running feud with the band Placebo and, at one point, encouraged crowd members to chant "Placebo sucks" before the group came on stage.
Durst also criticized Eminem, who was once a good friend of his. Fred stepped in and started attacking Eminem after he began to feud with Everlast. As a result, Eminem released the Fred Durst diss track "Girls" in 2001. In 2018, a member of the Insane Clown Posse, Shaggy 2 Dope, attempted to dropkick Durst while he was on stage. Shaggy later claimed that he never intended to hurt Fred and that the whole thing was a dare. In response, Durst called him a "clout chaser."
Real Estate
In 2015, Durst put his property in Hollywood Hills on the real estate market for $1.645 million. The property was originally constructed in the 1920s and features over 3,000 square feet of living space and a wine cellar. Durst purchased the property just one year prior for $1.5 million.
In 2018, Fred announced via social media that his other house in California had "burned down" in the midst of wildfires. He lost most of his possessions and many pieces of valuable sound recording equipment.
In July 2021, Fred paid $3 million for a home in West Hollywood, California.
