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How much is Rico Love worth? Rico Love is worth $14 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, and given that he’s written hits for the likes of Nelly, Usher, and Beyonce, that fortune seems about right. Born Richard Preston Butler Jr. on December 3, 1982, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Rico Love primarily grew up in two cities — Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and New York City — as his parents split up when he was just a boy. As a youngster, he developed an interest in poetry, and in his teens, he began rapping. By the time college rolled around, he’d decided to pursue a career in music, but he opted to attend college anyway. Rico Love studied briefly at Florida A&M University, and on weekends, he traveled up to Atlanta, where his manager lived. After he was “kicked out” of school, as he told The Fader, he landed a deal with Usher’s label, and soon after, he wrote his first song, “Throwback,” which appeared on Usher’s “Confessions” album. Just like that, he was a songwriter for hire, even if he’d planned on being a performer.

Rico Love’s $14 million net worth derives mostly from the hits he’s written for other artists, though he dropped the EP “Discrete Luxury” in 2013. In the latter half of the ’00s, Rico’s songs ruled the airwaves, and between 2005 and 2012, no fewer than seven of his competitions — among them Usher’s “There Goes My Baby,” Trey Songz’ “Heart Attack,” and Mary J. Blige’s “Mr. Wrong” — landed in the Top 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

How much is Rico Love worth compared to some of his singing, songwriting peers. His $14 million nest-egg puts him ahead of Trey Songz, who’s sitting on $10 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, though both men fall short of Ne-Yo, who’s worth $16 million. Still, Rico isn’t far behind, and if he continues penning chart-toppers and putting out his own music — he told XXL there’s a full-length on the way — he’ll likely add lots more green to his bank account.

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