This article will answer every question you have about Chris Rock. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about him.
- What does Rock do for a living?
- Who are Rock’s parents and siblings?
- What are Rock’s interests and hobbies?
- Is Rock married or does he have a girlfriend?
- Does Rock have any children?
- Where is Rock now?
- How tall is Rock?
- How much money does Rock earn?
- What is Rock’s net worth?
N/B: Please read the entire post to have all your questions answered.
Who is Chris Rock?
Chris Rock is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director best known as a comedic legend for several decades. He made his big-screen debut in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and spent three years on the cast of Saturday Night Live.
Rock came into prominence as a cast member of Saturday Night Live in the early 1990s. Rock has made more prominent film appearances having starring roles in films such as Down to Earth, Head of State, The Longest Yard, the Madagascar film series, Grown Ups, and its sequel Grown Ups 2. He also has a series of acclaimed stand-up specials for HBO. He was the one who developed, wrote, and narrated the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris which was based on his early life. The Sitcom ran from 2005 to 2009. In 2016, he hosted the 77th Academy Awards in 2005 and the 88th. Chris has also won four Emmy Awards and three Grammy Awards.
In a poll conducted by Comedy Central, he was voted the fifth-greatest stand-up comedian. In the United Kingdom, he was voted as the ninth-greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Stand-Ups in 2007 and also in the updated 2010 list as the eighth-greatest stand-up comic. Rock was listed among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire on 25 June 2019 by The New York Times Magazine.
Chris Rock is also an outspoken critic of racial profiling and often speaks of the “everyday racism” he claims to experience, despite being famous. During a 2013 episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld, Rock and Seinfeld are pulled over by the police for speeding while Seinfeld was driving.
In an episode, he admits to Seinfeld that “If you weren’t here, I’d be scared. Yeah, I’m famous – still black.” He was pulled over three times in the first three months of the year. He posted a selfie of the incident, without further comment as to the reason for the stops or whether he was issued a citation.
Rock started off with supporting roles in films such as Dogma, Beverly Hills Ninja, Lethal Weapon 4, and Nurse Betty, he went on to star in films like The Longest Yard, Bad Company, and Down to Earth. His 2010 film appearances include Death at a Funeral, Grown Ups, and 2 Days in New York. He has increasingly worked behind the camera, both as a writer and director. They include in Head of State and I Think I Love My Wife which he both played the lead role.
Chris has done voice work in the Madagascar animated film franchise, voicing the eccentric zebra Marty. During the release of his first documentary, 2009’s Good Hair, Rock is working on a documentary about debt called Credit Is the Devil. He wrote, directed, and starred in the critically acclaimed film Top Five in 2014. Some critics have drawn the comparison to Woody Allen’s Stardust Memories.
How Old Is Chris Rock?
Christopher Julius Rock is 55 years old as of 2020 having been born on February 7, 1965, in Andrews, South Carolina. He shares his birthday with other famous people such as Ashton Kutcher, James Spader, Jacksepticeye, Garth Brooks, Eddie Izzard, Steve Nash, among others.
Chris Rock Family
Who are Chris Rock’s Parents?
Rock’s mother Rosalie (Tingman), was a teacher and social worker for the mentally handicapped. His father Julius Rock was a truck driver and newspaper deliveryman. He is the eldest of all the children born to his parents. His father died in 1988 after ulcer surgery.
He has said that he was influenced by the performing style of his paternal grandfather, Allen Rock, a preacher. His family history was profiled on the PBS series African American Lives 2 in 2008. A DNA test showed that he is of Cameroonian descent, specifically from the Udeme people of northern Cameroon.
His great-great-grandfather, Julius Caesar Tingman, was a slave for 21 years before serving in the American Civil War as part of the United States Colored Troops. His paternal grandfather moved from South Carolina to New York City to become a taxicab driver and preacher during the 1940s.
Does Chris Rock have Siblings?
Rock has seven brothers; Jordan Rock, Kenny Rock, Andi Rock, Andre Rock, Tony Rock, Charles Rock, and Brian Rock. His three younger brothers: Jordan, Kenny, and Tony followed him to pursue careers in the entertainment industry. His older half-brother, Charles died in 2006 after a long struggle with alcoholism.
Chris Rock Wife | Divorce
Rock married Malaak Compton-Rock on November 23, 1996. Compton-Rock is the founder and executive director of Style Works. The couple lived in Alpine, New Jersey.
In December 2014, Rock announced that he had filed for divorce from Compton-Rock. Rock admitted to infidelity in the marriage, as well as struggling with a porn addiction. The divorce was finalized on August 22, 2016.
Chris Rock Girlfriend
After a bitter divorce from Malaak, Chris began dating Megalyn Echikunwoke in 2017. Megalyn is a half-Igbo Nigerian, half-Navajo Indian. She is also an actress since 1998, best known for playing Medical Examiner Dr. Tara Price on the seventh season of CSI: Miami. She currently guest-starred on the CW’s hit Arrow and is also the voice behind the web series superhero Vixen.
Chris Rock Children | Kids
He has two daughters with Compton Rock, Lola Simone born in 2002, and Zahra Savannah born in 2004.
Chris Rock Stand Up | Comedy
Chris started doing stand-up comedy in 1984 in New York City’s Catch a Rising Star. He then slowly rose up the ranks of the comedy circuit in addition to earning bit roles in I’m Gonna Git You Sucka film and the TV series Miami Vice. Eddie Murphy befriended and mentored the aspiring comic upon seeing his act like a nightclub. Eddie gave Chris his first film role in Beverly Hills Cop II.
In the fall of 1993, Rock appeared in six episodes of the predominantly African-American sketch show In Living Color as a special guest star. It was canceled a month after he arrived. He wrote and starred in the low-budget comedy CB4, which made $18 million against its budget of $6 million.
He starred in his first HBO comedy special in 1994 titled Big Ass Jokes as part of HBO Comedy Half-Hour. Rock’s second special, 1996’s Bring the Pain, made Rock one of the most acclaimed and commercially successful comedians in the industry. He won two Emmy Awards for the special and gained large critical acclaim.
His most popular controversial piece of the special was “Niggas vs. Black People”. Rock earned another Emmy nomination for his much-publicized role as a commentator for Comedy Central’s Politically Incorrect during the 1996 Presidential elections. He was also the voice for the “Lil Penny” puppet who was the alter ego to basketball star Penny Hardaway in a series of Nike shoe commercials from 1994–1998.
Saturday Night Live
Chris became a cast member of the popular sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in 1990. Together with other new cast members Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, and David Spade became known as the Bad Boys of SNL.
Rock released his first comedy album Born Suspect and won acclaim for his role as a crack addict in the film New Jack City. His term on SNL gave him national exposure. With some plans to leave Saturday Night Live after the 1992-93 season, he was effectively “fired” from the show.
Chris Rock Bring The Pain
Rock’s television special Chris Rock: Bring the Pain premiered on HBO on June 1, 1996 starring comedian Chris Rock. It was Rock’s second special for the network, following 1994’s Big Ass Jokes as part of HBO Comedy Half-Hour. Already being a well-known comedian, Bring the Pain made him one of the most popular comedians in the United States.
Chris Rock Bigger and Blacker
Rocks’ television special Bigger & Blacker premiered on HBO on July 10, 1999. It was his third special for HBO and was recorded at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
Chris Rock New Jack City
Rock stars as “Pookie” Benny Robinson; a former stick-up kid who becomes homeless and poor after Appleton shoots him in the ankle in the 1991 American Neo-noir action gangster film New Jack City.
Benny later becomes a crack addict and eventually a police informant; he infiltrates the CMB at the Carter but is caught and killed.
The Chris Rock Show
Chris created The Chris Rock Show which featured various guests. It was a late-night comedy talk show featured on HBO. This show won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program in 1999. The Chris Rock Show ran for five seasons from 1997 to 2000.
Chris Rock Adam Sandler
Chris Rock and Adam Sandler have released a new big-hearted comedy ‘The Week of. Two families come together a week before the wedding of their children. Chaos erupts and the big day seems not to come soon enough.
Chris Rock Net Worth
Rock was able to diversify his career. He achieved a high level of success in multiple areas of entertainment. As of 2018, Chris Rock’s net worth is $100 million.
Chris Rock Awards
- 1997 – Primetime Emmy Award in Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special category
- 1998 – Grammy Awards in Best Comedy Album category
- 1999 – Primetime Emmy Award in Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series category
- 2000 – Grammy Awards in Best Comedy Album category
- 2006 – Grammy Awards in Best Comedy Album category
- Kids Choice Awards in Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie category
- Kids Choice Awards in Wannabe category
- 2015 – Black Reel Award in Best Screenplay, Adapted or Original category
Chris Rock Movies
Rock has acted in the following movies
- 1985 Krush Groove
- 1987 Beverly Hills Cop II
- 1988 Comedy’s Dirtiest Dozen
- 1988 I’m Gonna Git You Sucka
- 1989 Who Is Chris Rock?
- 1991 New Jack City
- 1992 Boomerang
- 1993 CB4
- 1995 Panther
- 1995 The Immortals
- 1996 Sgt. Bilko
- 1997 Beverly Hills Ninja
- 1998 Dr. Dolittle
- 1998 Lethal Weapon 4
- 1999 Dogma Rufus
- 1999 Torrance Rises
- 2000 Nurse Betty
- 2001 AI: Artificial Intelligence
- Down to Earth
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
- Osmosis Jones
- Pootie Tang
- 2002 Bad Company
- 2002 Comedian
- 2003 Head of State
- 2003 Pauly Shore Is Dead
- 2004 Paparazzi
- 2004 The N-Word
- 2005 Madagascar
- The Aristocrats
- The Longest Yard
- 2007 Bee Movie
- 2007 I Think I Love My Wife
- 2008 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
- 2008 You Don’t Mess with the Zohan
- 2009 Good Hair
- 2010 Death at a Funeral
- 2010 Grown Ups
- 2012 2 Days in New York
- Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
- What to Expect When You’re Expecting
- 2013 Grown Ups 2
- 2013 Madly Madagascar
- 2014 Top Five
- 2015 A Very Murray Christmas
- 2017 Sandy Wexler
- 2018 The Week Of
Chris Rock Songs
Chris Rock has released a couple of songs. Here are some of his songs
- Affirmative Action
- Aids Test
- Another Face Son
- Ball Mart
- Big Piece Of Chicken
- Black Mall
- Black Poet
- Blacks Aren’t Crazy
- Born Suspect
- Busboys McDonalds And Minimum Wage
- Champagne
- Cheap Pete
- Church Of The ATM
- Clermont Lounge #1
- Crack Mayor
- Crazy White Kids
- Defending Rap
- Domestic Abuse
- Don’t Cheat
- Driving Too Slow
- Drugs Donuts Wealth
- Fat Black Women
- Feed Other Countries
- Generic Food
- Get Lower
- Government Hates Rap
- Gun Control
- I Love This Show
- I’m Back
- Insurance