What is Kerry King’s Net Worth?

Kerry King is best known as the co-founder, co-lead guitarist, and songwriter of the thrash metal band Slayer. He recorded numerous albums with the band, including 1986’s “Reign of Blood,” which is considered to be one of the greatest metal albums ever made. Beyond Slayer, King has made guest appearances on songs by various other artists, including the Beastie Boys and Witchery.

Early Life

Kerry King was born on June 3, 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the youngest of three children. His mother worked for a telephone company, while his father inspected aircraft parts. At the encouragement of his father, King began learning the guitar when he was 13 on his father’s Gibson ES-175. He attended three different high schools as a teenager, and earned good grades.

Slayer

Through the guitarist in his first band, King was introduced to bassist Tom Araya, whom he discovered was living only one block away from him. The two began jamming together. Later, in 1981, King met guitarist Jeff Hanneman at an audition for a southern rock band; they too started jamming together. King, Araya, Hanneman, and neighborhood drummer Dave Lombardo went on to form Slayer. Originally, the band played covers of metal songs, and brandished an image characterized by Satanic themes. After record executive Brian Slagel saw Slayer perform Iron Maiden’s “Phantom of the Opera,” he signed the band to his label Metal Blade. Slayer went on to release its debut studio album, “Show No Mercy,” in late 1983. Although it was criticized for its low-quality production, the album became Metal Blade’s bestselling release. Slayer subsequently released the EP “Haunting the Chapel” and the live album “Live Undead” in 1984. Those were followed by the studio album “Hell Awaits” in 1985. The year after that, Slayer released “Reign in Blood,” which helped the band reach a more mainstream audience. Moreover, the album was highly influential in defining the thrash metal sound of the latter half of the 1980s. Slayer released its fourth studio album, “South of Heaven,” in 1988.

Slayer began the 1990s with the album “Seasons in the Abyss.” Next came the double live album “Decade of Aggression,” released in 1991. Although heavy metal was falling out of favor during the decade, Slayer fared better than most bands of its ilk, releasing the albums “Divine Intervention,” “Undisputed Attitude,” and “Diabolus in Musica.” The band’s first album of the new millennium, “God Hates Us All,” came out on September 11, 2001; it reached number 28 on the Billboard 200. Slayer’s next release wasn’t until 2006, with the limited-release EP “Eternal Pyre.” Later that year, the band released its tenth studio album, “Christ Illusion,” which debuted at number five on the Billboard 200. The album’s songs “Eyes of the Insane” and “Final Six” went on to win Grammy Awards. Slayer next released “World Painted Blood” in 2009. The band’s final album was 2015’s “Repentless,” the only one recorded without Hanneman, who had passed away two years earlier. Slayer took a farewell tour from May 2018 to November 2019, and then disbanded.

Other Appearances

Outside of Slayer, King played several shows with the trash metal band Megadeth in the mid-80s. He has also appeared on some songs by other artists, including the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep till Brooklyn” and “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)”; Pantera’s “Goddamn Electric”; Sum 41’s “It’s What We’re All About”; and Witchery’s “Witchkrieg.” Additionally, King appeared in the movies “Brooklyn’s Finest” and “Studio 666.”

Style and Influences

With Slayer, King created a fast, aggressive musical style that made the band one of the major names in thrash metal, alongside Megadeth, Metallica, and Anthrax. With fellow guitarist Jeff Hanneman, he became known for his chaotic, shrieking guitar solos. King was also responsible for Slayer’s highly provocative lyrics, which covered such heavy topics as genocide, terrorism, fascism, and religious extremism. In terms of his biggest influences, King has cited heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Venom, among others. He has also mentioned as influences Ted Nugent, Ritchie Blackmore, Dave Murray, Eddie Van Halen, and Randy Rhoads.

Personal Life

With his first wife, King has a daughter named Shyanne. After getting divorced, he married his second wife, Ayesha. King has lived in California for most of his life, but in 1987 relocated to Phoenix, Arizona. He moved back to Los Angeles in the early 2000s, and later moved to Riverside County. In 2020, King and his wife Ayesha purchased a home in Las Vegas, Nevada, and in late 2021 began living in New York City.

King is a staunch antitheist, having built a reputation as a songwriter for bashing organized religion. He is also an avid collector of snakes, and owns a reptile house and herpetology nursery. Among his other pastimes, King often gets tattoos, which have steadily expanded across his body over the decades.

Real Estate

In 2020 Kerry King paid $3.8 million for a newly-constructed mansion in Las Vegas. He listed this home for sale in May 2023 for $4.3 million. Here is a video tour: