Nick Springett
Grammy-winning artist Pharrell paid US$15.6 million for Tyler Perry’s massive modern mansion in Mulholland Estates.
Uneek
There’s nothing small about former basketball star Shaquille O’Neal’s old residence — especially not its US$28-million price tag.
LOS ANGELES —Pharrell has found a new spot to hang a large hat or two. The singer-songwriter and producer has spent US$15.6 million for Tyler Perry’s 17,245-square-foot mansion in gated Mulholland Estates.
Built in 1992, the custom residence is visually imposing, with angled ceilings, pyramid skylights and thick steel beams that support towering walls of tempered glass. Overlapping living and dining areas, a game room, 10 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms are among living spaces.
At the heart of the home, a dramatic marble staircase rises up over an indoor reflecting pool and connects the three floors.
The gated property sits on about four acres of grounds with multiple living and dining terraces, rock sculptures, a koi pond and a sports court. A water slide and swim-in grotto highlight the resort-style swimming pool and spa. The front motor court can accommodate as many as 30 vehicles.
The sale is a quick turnaround for Perry, who parts with the estate after about nine months of ownership; records show he paid US$14.5 million for it in August.
The 48-year-old is known for the role as Madea, an older woman he has portrayed in such films as Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2002), Madea’s Witness Protection (2012) and Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Neighbors From Hell (2014).
His extensive writing and producing credits also include the television shows House of Payne (2007-12) and If Loving You Is Wrong.
Pharrell has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among the 45-year-old’s hits are the single Happy from the animated movie Despicable Me 2. He served as a coach on the singing competition show The Voice from 2014 to 2016.
Shaq’s enormous shack for sale
The massive estate of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has come on the market just outside Orlando, Fla., for US$28 million. For those desiring amenities galore, the waterfront home pretty much as it all.
In addition to a customized mansion that spans 31,000 sq. ft., the Shaq-sized compound holds a 6,000-sq.-ft. basketball court, a 17-car showroom and a resort-style swimming complex fittingly dubbed "Shaq-apulco." The three-acre property sits on the coast of Lake Butler.
Opulent living spaces inside the main residence are fit for a man with a 7-1 build. Through the front door, a pair of winding staircases frame the entrance to the great room, which features high ceilings and a two-storey marble fireplace.
The superhero Superman, one of the 15-time all-star’s many nicknames, makes a few appearances throughout the estate. The Man of Steel’s logo appears on the mammoth master suite bed and above the basketball court; it also accents a fish tank set into a mural designed to resemble a Shaq-driven truck.
Out on the private dock, a full-size Superman statue is oriented toward the lake.
Other details include dark wood panelling in the formal dining room, office, walk-in humidor and movie theatre. In one room, a wall of hieroglyphics flanks a pyramid-themed fish tank. There are 12 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms, including a master suite with a four-room closet.
O’Neal, 46, played for six different teams during his career, winning three NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat. In 2011, he joined TNT’s Inside the NBA program as an analyst.
He bought the home in 1993 for US$3.95 million, public records show.
A purple paradise
The Caribbean kingdom of Prince will soon go to the highest bidder at auction, the pop star’s estate recently announced.
The island compound in Turks and Caicos was assembled by Prince as a getaway from his main home in Minnesota. The estate combines parcels that total more than five acres.
A 10,000-sq.-ft. mansion with six bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms is the centerpiece of the property, but it’s the road to get there that makes the retreat so quintessentially Prince.
It’s purple — a colour that became synonymous with the multi-Grammy winner during his musical career.
The home wraps around a palm-dotted pool and spa. Also on the premises are a tennis court, a 200-foot dock and two private beaches. Ocean views are abundant.
Planning to throw your hat in the ring? Come prepared. Paper bids for the auction, handled by Premiere Estates Auction Co., are due by July 12, and each one requires a US$100,000 deposit.
A pair of properties owned by the Purple One sold last year for around US$400,000, records show.
The legendary singer, who died two years ago at 57, was one of the bestselling artists of all time. He won seven Grammys, a Golden Globe and an Oscar during his career and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
— Los Angeles Times
