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Kevin Hart named to Fortune's '40 Under 40′ list

"I am addicted to success," Hart tells Fortune. "And at the end of the day I want my name to have a powerful meaning. Every [business venture] I'm looking at as a building block."

Actor-comedian Kevin Hart during the dedication of a mural honoring him on his birthday near his childhood home in Philadelphia.
Actor-comedian Kevin Hart during the dedication of a mural honoring him on his birthday near his childhood home in Philadelphia.Read moreAP Photo/Matt Rourke

He might not be this year's highest-earning comedian, but Kevin Hart is one of the most influential people in business under age 40.

On Thursday, Fortune published its 2017 "40 Under 40" list, which ranks the most influential young people in business. Hart, 38, who runs HartBeat Productions and the newly launched Laugh Out Loud Network, came in at number 17 overall.

Describing Hart as "the world's hottest comic," Fortune credits everything from his 2015 Lincoln Financial Field show to his more recent entrepreneurial pursuits.  Hart told the magazine he hopes to become a mogul.

"I am addicted to success," Hart told the magazine. "And at the end of the day, I want my name to have a powerful meaning. Every [business venture] I'm looking at as a building block."

The most recent building block is Hart's LOL Network, which launched Aug. 3. A streaming comedy network, LOL features classic shows like Def Comedy Jam mixed with original offerings from current comedy starsm like GloZell, Jo Koy, and Hart himself. HartBeat Productions produces films and television shows, and counts BET's Real Husbands of Hollywood among its roster of projects.

Hart's Lincoln Financial Field show was part of his record-breaking What Now? comedy tour. The show marked the first time a comedian had headlined and sold out an NFL stadium, and the tour is considered the biggest comedy tour ever, Billboard reports. Hart's What Now? film, which depicts the Lincoln Financial Field stop, grossed $23.5 million.

Last year, Forbes named Hart the highest-paid comedian in the business  having pulled in $87.5 million between June 2015 and June 2016. Hart lost the top spot this year to Jerry Seinfeld, who earned $69 million between June 2016 and June 2017, compared to Hart's $32.5 million over that same period.

Hart last month was honored locally with a mural at Max's Steaks in North Philadelphia, painted to celebrate the first Kevin Hart Day on July 6.

The Philly native's next big film project, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, is set for release Dec. 20.