Inside the Business of Israeli Rapper Tuna: Concert Profits and Brand Deals

Israeli rapper Itay Zvulun, widely known by his stage name Tuna, has established himself as one of the most influential figures in local hip-hop. Beyond his musical success, he has built a highly lucrative live performance machine. A look at the numbers behind his sold-out concert at the Zappa Shuni Amphitheater reveals impressive earnings.

The Economics of Shuni

The historic venue in Binyamina holds approximately 1,400 people for a mixed seating and standing arrangement. With standard ticket prices set at 189 NIS, a full house generates a gross revenue of roughly 264,600 NIS before taxes. Direct production costs, including VAT, ticketing fees, venue rental, security, lighting, sound equipment, and crew salaries, total around 170,000 NIS. This leaves Tuna and his production team with a net profit of 90,000 to 100,000 NIS for a single evening.

"Tuna continues to dominate the Israeli live music scene, proving that independent artistry and commercial success can go hand in hand."

Arena-Scale Success and Brand Deals

While club and amphitheater shows bring steady income, arena tours generate astronomical figures. In 2023, Tuna and fellow artist Ravid Plotnik made local music history by selling 45,000 tickets in a single day for their joint performances at the Live Park in Rishon LeZion. Across six joint shows, the collaboration drew nearly 100,000 fans and generated approximately 20.5 million NIS, netting each artist millions.

In addition to touring, Tuna expanded into lucrative brand endorsements, becoming the face of Elite Turkish Coffee. While the campaign brought in hundreds of thousands of shekels, it also sparked online debate among fans regarding commercialization. Another major campaign with fashion brand Renuar was unexpectedly canceled just before the scheduled shoot.