Zeus Network is owned by Lemuel Plummer, who holds the majority stake, along with co-founders DeStorm Power, Amanda Cerny, and King Bach. Since its July 2018 launch, this streaming platform has reached a $100 million valuation while attracting over 100 million users.
Plummer serves as both CEO and majority owner, with an estimated net worth of $5 million. The ownership team has built a subscription-based streaming service that charges $5.99 monthly or $59.99 annually. Zeus Network operates from its Burbank, California headquarters, with a second location opened in North Hollywood in July 2023.
The platform targets millennial audiences with content created by millennials. Zeus Network has established itself as a destination for reality TV programming centered on Black culture. Popular shows in 2023 included “Baddies,” “Baddies West,” “The Real Blac Chyna,” and “Chrisean & Blueface: Crazy in Love.”
Despite building a loyal subscriber base, Zeus Network and its founder face ongoing criticism. Critics argue the platform perpetuates negative stereotypes and maintains a toxic work environment.
Who owns Zeus Network today?
Zeus Network operates as a private company with a concentrated ownership structure. Lemuel Plummer holds the controlling stake, while three influential social media personalities serve as co-founders and minority shareholders. The platform has attracted both creator-partners and financial investors since its 2018 launch.
Lemuel Plummer: CEO and majority owner
Lemuel “Lemmie” Plummer maintains both CEO duties and majority ownership of Zeus Network, holding controlling voting rights in the company. Born April 10, 1986, Plummer established himself as a pioneering figure in digital media. His television production background spans major networks including BET, Oxygen, and We TV before Zeus Network’s creation.
Plummer made history as a Black millennial entrepreneur when he launched the subscription streaming service in 2018. He invested his personal funds as the company’s primary backer to establish the platform. His media background runs deep—Plummer grew up observing his parents own and operate multiple television networks, which shaped his entrepreneurial vision.
Zeus Network has become one of the fastest-growing digital streaming platforms under his leadership, specifically targeting reality TV enthusiasts and social media audiences. Plummer manages the network’s strategic direction, content development, and business operations.
Co-founders: King Bach, Amanda Cerny, and DeStorm Power
Three prominent social media personalities joined Plummer as Zeus Network co-founders:
Andrew Byron Bachelor (King Bach) – This Canadian-American internet actor and comedian gained fame on Vine, accumulating 16.2 million followers. The 36-year-old transitioned to mainstream acting with roles in “Black Jesus” and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”.
Amanda Rachelle Cerny – An American internet personality who built popularity on Vine with over 4 million followers before launching her YouTube channel. The 33-year-old also served as Playboy Magazine’s Playmate of the Month in October 2011.
DeStorm Power – This 48-year-old American actor, rapper, and internet sensation built his career on YouTube, where he maintains over 3.1 million subscribers focused on musical projects.
These co-founders hold minority stakes in the company. Recent reports indicate potential tensions, with DeStorm publicly claiming the co-founders helped build the platform only to be “locked out, iced on payments, and left paying taxes on millions they never received”.
Private ownership and investor backing
Zeus Network operates as a standalone private company without a parent organization. The founding team secured external investment to support growth. Media executives Jonathan Rogers from NBCUniversal Media and Harold Lewis from Variety both invested undisclosed amounts before the platform’s launch.
Plummer used this initial investment capital to move beyond selling individual shows and establish Zeus Network as a complete streaming platform. The combination of founder investment and strategic external backing has enabled Zeus to maintain independence while expanding operations.
The network continues operating under its original ownership structure with its current $100 million valuation, though reported co-founder tensions could signal future changes.
Meet the co-founders of Zeus Network
Zeus Network emerged from the collaboration of four media professionals who brought distinct expertise to the streaming platform. Each co-founder contributed specific skills that shaped the subscription-based service into what it is today.
King Bach: From Vine to streaming entrepreneur
Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor dominated Vine with 16.2 million followers and over 6.1 billion loops before the platform closed. His comedic sketches launched him into mainstream entertainment, landing roles in “Black Jesus,” “Fifty Shades of Black,” and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”
Bach’s social media reach extends far beyond his Vine success. He maintains 28.3 million TikTok followers and 3.5+ million YouTube subscribers, providing Zeus with immediate access to a massive built-in audience when the platform launched.
Amanda Cerny: Influencer and businesswoman
Cerny built her digital presence on Vine, where she attracted over 4 million followers before expanding to other platforms. Her business skills proved just as valuable as her social media influence—she secured key partnerships for Zeus, including a deal with Diageo that funded the network’s launch event.
Her media background includes being Playboy Magazine’s Playmate of the Month in October 2011. When Zeus launched, Cerny highlighted a crucial market shift: “The biggest stars on social media are receiving more viewers than cable networks.”
DeStorm Power: Music, comedy, and digital media
Power established his YouTube channel in 2006 and has since accumulated over 3.06 million subscribers with 568 million total views. His Instagram series “Caught” earned an Emmy nomination and four Streamy Award nominations, winning two awards.
During Zeus’s early days, Power served as president and took charge of recruiting creators for the platform’s content library. His brand partnerships with companies like Pepsi, GE, and Nintendo demonstrated his ability to secure business deals.
Lemuel Plummer: TV producer turned CEO
Plummer grew up in a media family that owned three television stations in Detroit. After graduating from Full Sail University, he joined ABC in 2007 as an assistant producer for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
His career progressed rapidly. He became an executive producer at BET by 2009, working on shows like “The Family Crews,” “Sunday-Best,” and “The Monique Show.” He founded L. Plummer Media in 2013, creating content for various networks before developing the vision for a creator-controlled platform that became Zeus Network.
How Zeus Network was built from the ground up
Zeus Network started in 2018 as an experiment. Lemuel Plummer and his influencer partners wanted to create something different—a platform where creators controlled their content while delivering premium, subscription-based entertainment.
Plummer’s media roots and early career
Plummer grew up surrounded by television production. His family owned three television stations in Detroit, giving him early exposure to broadcast operations and content creation. After high school, he attended Full Sail University to formalize his media education.
His career moved quickly after graduation. Plummer founded L. Plummer Media and began producing content for major networks like BET, Oxygen, and We TV. The work was successful, but Plummer felt constrained by traditional media models where networks held complete control over content and creators.
The idea behind a creator-led streaming platform
The concept for Zeus emerged from Plummer’s frustration with selling shows to networks. “I just really want to launch my own network, and I just had this passion and desire to want to do it,” he explained.
Zeus was designed around what Plummer called a “creator-first mindset.” Instead of greenlighting shows, the focus was on “greenlighting people.” This approach gave influencers total creative freedom while producing content in a serialized, premium format.
The philosophy was simple: let creators maintain control while building something bigger than individual shows.
Initial funding and investor support
Plummer secured backing from experienced media executives to launch the platform. Jonathan Rogers from NBCUniversal Media and Harold Lewis from Variety both invested undisclosed amounts in the venture.
This capital allowed Plummer to transition from producing individual shows to building a comprehensive streaming platform. Zeus officially launched on July 13, 2018, with a subscription price of $3.99 per month.
Partnerships with influencers and creators
The network’s strategy centered on partnerships with social media stars. Plummer’s team recruited dozens of influencers to create original series spanning talk shows, fitness programs, scripted content, and comedy shows.
This approach provided Zeus with immediate access to a combined audience of over 100 million followers across social platforms. The partnership model reduced marketing costs compared to traditional networks while creating a built-in promotion system through the influencers’ existing audiences.
For Zeus, it was about more than just content—it was about building a new model where creators and platforms could grow together.
Controversies and public criticism
Zeus Network’s rapid growth comes with serious baggage. The platform faces intense scrutiny over content ethics and business practices that have sparked outrage across multiple fronts.
Accusations of exploitative content
Critics don’t mince words when describing Zeus Network’s programming approach. The platform has been labeled a “reverse binman, littering our screens with trash TV” that deliberately reinforces harmful stereotypes about Black communities.
Shows like Joseline’s Cabaret and the Baddies franchise draw particular fire. These productions frequently showcase women in physical altercations, with cameras capturing what critics call “explosive confrontations without the intervention of mediators.”
The concern goes deeper than entertainment value. Critics argue Zeus “acts under the veil of entertainment” while “vividly tearing apart the Black community.” This approach prioritizes sensationalism over responsibility, creating content that many believe exploits rather than uplifts.
Colorism and representation issues
Zeus Network stepped into a major controversy in 2024 with a “Light Skin vs. Dark Skin” competition hosted by Nick Cannon. After immediate backlash, the network changed the title to “Chocolate Goddesses vs. Caramel Goddesses” but kept the same problematic concept.
Academic studies have examined shows like One Mo’ Chance for their “raw and often demeaning depiction of Black women.” These productions reinforce harmful beauty standards instead of challenging them. The colorism issues aren’t accidental—they’re built into the show concepts themselves.
Legal disputes and cast member allegations
The legal troubles keep mounting. Viacom filed a lawsuit in February 2025 against Zeus Network and Nick Cannon, claiming their show “Bad vs. Wild” copied MTV’s “Wild ‘N Out.”
Co-founder DeStorm Power has made serious allegations about unpaid partnerships. He claims the original co-founders are “still paying taxes on money Zeus reported, yet never received.” These accusations suggest deeper financial mismanagement within the company.
Most concerning are the cast member allegations. A petition demanding the cancellation of Zeus shows lists accusations including “sex trafficking, sexual assault, physical assault, coercion, intimidation, theft, pandering and financial abuse” from multiple cast members.
What Zeus Network’s ownership means for streaming
Zeus Network represents a unique case study in creator-led media ownership. Lemuel Plummer’s vision of putting creators in control has produced measurable results, though not without significant challenges.
The platform’s rapid growth to 100 million users demonstrates there’s real demand for content that traditional networks often overlook. Plummer and his co-founders identified a gap in the market and built a business model around it. Their creator-first approach gave social media personalities unprecedented control over their content while generating substantial revenue.
But success comes with responsibility. The controversies surrounding Zeus raise important questions about content ethics and business practices. Critics argue the platform prioritizes sensationalism over meaningful representation. Internal tensions between co-founders suggest structural issues that could affect the company’s future direction.
Whether Zeus will address these challenges while maintaining its growth trajectory remains an open question. The platform has proven that influencer-led streaming services can achieve significant scale. Now it needs to demonstrate that success and responsibility can coexist.
For other creators considering similar ventures, Zeus Network offers valuable lessons. The platform shows both the opportunities and pitfalls of building media companies around social media influence. Success requires more than just audience size—it demands thoughtful content strategy and ethical business practices.
Zeus Network’s story is still being written. How Plummer and his team handle their current challenges will determine whether they’re remembered as streaming pioneers or cautionary tale.
FAQs
Q1. Who currently owns Zeus Network?
Zeus Network is primarily owned by Lemuel Plummer, who serves as the CEO and majority stakeholder. The company was co-founded by Plummer along with social media personalities King Bach, Amanda Cerny, and DeStorm Power, who hold minority stakes in the business.
Q2. How much is Zeus Network worth?
Zeus Network has experienced rapid growth since its launch in 2018 and is currently valued at approximately $100 million. The platform has amassed over 100 million users and continues to expand its subscriber base.
Q3. What type of content does Zeus Network specialize in?
Zeus Network primarily focuses on reality TV programming centered on Black culture, catering to millennial audiences. Some of their most popular shows include “Baddies,” “Baddies West,” “The Real Blac Chyna,” and “Chrisean & Blueface: Crazy in Love.”
Q4. How much does a Zeus Network subscription cost?
A subscription to Zeus Network costs $5.99 per month or $59.99 for an annual plan. This pricing structure allows subscribers to access the platform’s exclusive content created by popular social media influencers and personalities.
Q5. What controversies has Zeus Network faced?
Zeus Network has faced criticism for allegedly promoting negative stereotypes, creating a toxic work environment, and producing exploitative content. There have also been accusations of colorism in their shows and legal disputes with former cast members and other media companies.