Famous Black Stand-up Comedians

Vote for Your Favourite Stand-up Comedians

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Dave Chappelle
(Stand-up Comedian Best Known for His Comedy Sketch Series 'Chappelle's Show')
Dave Chappelle
13
Birthdate: August 24, 1973
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States

American comedian, writer and actor, Dave Chappelle, is best known for the Chappelle’s Show, the acclaimed Comedy Central show which brought him much popularity before he decided to call it quits in its third season. He later released award winning comedy specials with Netflix. Dave has also featured in numerous films like Half Baked and A Star Is Born.

 2 
Chris Rock
(Ranked No. 5 on Rolling Stone's List of the 50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time)
Chris Rock
10
Birthdate: February 7, 1965
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Andrews, South Carolina, United States

A high-school drop-out, Chris Rock worked at restaurants before stepping into stand-up comedy. He gained fame with SNL and earned his first role through Eddie Murphy. Known for voicing Marty in the Madagascar franchise, Chris also created the series Everybody Hates Chris and was voted Comedy Central’s fifth-greatest stand-up comedian.

 3 
Richard Pryor
(Greatest Stand-Up Comedian of All-Time)
Richard Pryor
8
Birthdate: December 1, 1940
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Peoria, Illinois, United States
Died: December 10, 2005

Considered one of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time, Richard Pryor entertained his audience and influenced generations of stand-up comedians with his pointed observations and skilful art of storytelling. He began by performing at clubs and gained immense fame with his third comedy album, That Nigger’s Crazy. He also became an acclaimed actor and an award winning writer.

 4 
Martin Lawrence
(Known for His Roles in the Sitcom 'Martin' & 'Bad Boys' Movie Franchise)
Martin Lawrence
5
Birthdate: April 16, 1965
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany

Martin Lawrence is a German born-American actor and comedian. Despite being traumatized after witnessing his parents' divorce at the age of eight, Lawrence went on to succeed as a comedian and later as a leading Hollywood actor. After a problematic 1990s, which included episodes of arrests, lawsuits, and health problems, he bounced back with several hit films.

 5 
Chris Tucker
(Actor and Comedian, Best Known for His Roles in the 'Rush Hour' Triology)
Chris Tucker
9
Birthdate: August 31, 1971
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Chris Tucker is an American stand-up comedian and actor best known for playing Detective James Carter in the Rush Hour film series alongside Jackie Chan. Also a humanitarian, Tucker joined the likes of Bill Clinton, Jeffrey Epstein, Kevin Spacey, and Ghislaine Maxwell on a trip to Africa in an attempt to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.

 6 
Jamie Foxx
(Best Known for His Portrayal of Ray Charles in the Biopic 'Ray')
Jamie Foxx
5
Birthdate: December 13, 1967
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Terrell, Texas, United States

Actor, singer-songwriter, and comedian, Jamie Foxx became internationally famous for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the biographical film Ray, a role that earned him an Academy Award. He is also known for hosting his own television sitcom, The Jamie Foxx Show. Besides acting, he is also a Grammy Award-winning musician who has released four albums.

 7 
Tracy Morgan
(Actor)
Tracy Morgan
8
Birthdate: November 10, 1968
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: The Bronx, New York, United States
 8 
Redd Foxx
(Comedian)
Redd Foxx
5
Birthdate: December 9, 1922
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died: October 11, 1991
 9 
Donald Glover
(Rapper & Actor)
Donald Glover
12
Birthdate: September 25, 1983
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: California, United States

The actor, rapper, writer and director, Donald Glover Jr became famous after playing the role of a college student In the sitcom, Community, from 2009 to 2013. He also stars in the FX series Atlanta. He has also acted in a number of commercially successful films. His albums have done well and he won a Grammy award for the single Redbone.

 10 
Hannibal Buress
(Comedian)
Hannibal Buress
5
Birthdate: February 4, 1983
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
 11 
Patrice O'Neal
(Stand-up Comedian)
Patrice O'Neal
6
Birthdate: December 7, 1969
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: November 29, 2011
 12 
Whoopi Goldberg
(Actress, Comedian and Host; Best Known for Her Role in 'The Color Purple' and 'Ghost')
Whoopi Goldberg
13
Birthdate: November 13, 1955
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chelsea, New York, United States

Accomplished American comedian, actress, singer and Broadway star, Whoopi Goldberg is amongst the select few who have won all the four awards—Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. Moreover, she is also a political activist, author and talk show host. Her notable work include films Ghost, Sister Act and The Color Purple; Broadway show Thoroughly Modern Millie and talk show The View.

 13 
Damon Wayans
(Actor, Comedian and Member of the 'Wayans' Family of Entertainers)
Damon Wayans
4
Birthdate: September 4, 1960
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Harlem, New York, United States

An important member of the popular Wayans family, Damon Wayans is a stand-up comedian and actor. Over the years, Damon Wayans has been a prominent and influential member of popular sketch comedy series, such as In Living Color and Saturday Night Live.

 14 
Charlie Murphy
(Best Known as a Writer & Cast Member of the Sketch-Comedy Series 'Chappelle's Show')
Charlie Murphy
6
Birthdate: July 12, 1959
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: April 12, 2017
Charlie Murphy, older brother of Eddie Murphy, is best remembered for his sketch-comedy series Chappelle's Show and for his performance as Vic in Black Jesus. He also voiced Big Kid on the children’s show Thugaboo. He also starred in movies such as CB4 and co-wrote Vampire in Brooklyn.
 15 
Wanda Sykes
(Comedian and Writer Known for Her TV Series "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm.")
Wanda Sykes
13
Birthdate: March 7, 1964
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Portsmouth, Virginia, United States

Wanda Sykes is an American actress, writer, and comedian. In 2004, Sykes was named in Entertainment Weekly magazine's list of 25 funniest people in America. Also known for her role as an activist, Sykes has been emceeing fundraisers and hosting events to tackle issues concerning same-sex marriages. She is also an ardent supporter of the Ruth Ellis Center.

 16 
Craig Robinson
(Actor)
Craig Robinson
6
Birthdate: October 25, 1971
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
 17 
Cedric the Entertainer
(Actor)
Cedric the Entertainer
4
Birthdate: April 24, 1964
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Jefferson City, Missouri, United States
 18 
Sinbad
(Stand-up comedian)
Sinbad
6
Birthdate: November 10, 1956
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States
 19 
Mike Epps
(Known for His Roles in Films ‘Next Friday’,’ The Hangover’ and 'The Hangover Part III')
Mike Epps
5
Birthdate: November 18, 1970
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Stand-up comedian, actor, and film producer, Mike Epps, is a man with multiple talents. He began his career performing stand-up comedy and branched out into acting soon after.  As an actor, he gained fame for playing Day-Day Jones in the film Next Friday and its sequels. He is a controversial person and has been accused of assaulting a fellow comedian.

 20 
Michael Che
(Stand-up comedian)
Michael Che
4
Birthdate: May 19, 1983
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
 21 
Retta
(Stand-up Comedian)
Retta
11
Birthdate: April 12, 1970
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
 22 
Jerrod Carmichael
(Comedian)
Jerrod Carmichael
3
Birthdate: June 22, 1987
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
 23 
Nipsey Russell
(Stand-up Comedian)
Nipsey Russell
2
Birthdate: September 15, 1918
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
Died: October 2, 2005
 24 
Orlando Jones
(Comedians)
Orlando Jones
3
Birthdate: April 10, 1968
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Mobile, Alabama, USA
 25 
D.L. Hughley
(Actor)
D.L. Hughley
3
Birthdate: March 6, 1963
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
 26 
Eddie Griffin
(Actor)
Eddie Griffin
2
Birthdate: July 15, 1968
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States
 27 
Lavell Crawford
(Comedian)
Lavell Crawford
3
Birthdate: November 11, 1968
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
 28 
Tony Rock
(Actor, Television actor)
Tony Rock
1
Birthdate: June 30, 1974
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bedford–Stuyvesant
 29 
DeRay Davis
(Stand-up Comedian)
DeRay Davis
3
Birthdate: February 26, 1968
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
 30 
George Wallace
(Comedian)
George Wallace
1
Birthdate: July 21, 1952
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
 31 
Jaboukie Young-White
(Stand-up comedian, Actor)
Jaboukie Young-White
2
Birthdate: July 24, 1994
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
 32 
W. Kamau Bell
(Comedian)
W. Kamau Bell
3
Birthdate: January 26, 1973
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Palo Alto, California, United States U.S.
 33 
Bill Bellamy
(Actor)
Bill Bellamy
2
Birthdate: April 7, 1965
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, USA
 34 
Donnell Rawlings
(Comedian)
Donnell Rawlings
1
Birthdate: December 6, 1968
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
 35 
Aries Spears
(Comedian)
Aries Spears
2
Birthdate: April 3, 1975
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
 36 
Wyatt Cenac
(Known for his stand up routines and his work writing for the Daily Show from (2008-2012))
Wyatt Cenac
2
Birthdate: April 19, 1976
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
 37 
Corey Holcomb
(Comedian)
Corey Holcomb
2
Birthdate: June 23, 1968
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
 38 
Godfrey Cambridge
3
Birthdate: February 26, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York City, New York
Died: November 29, 1976
 39 
Daliso Chaponda
(Comedian)
Daliso Chaponda
1
Birthdate: November 29, 1979
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Zambia
 40 
Ahamefule J. Oluo
(Jazz musician)
Ahamefule J. Oluo
1
Birthdate: 1982 AD
Birthplace: Denton, Texas, United States
 41 
Oga Sabinus
(Comedian)
Oga Sabinus
1
Birthdate: January 30, 1995
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Port Harcourt, Nigeria
 42 
Finesse Mitchell
(Actor)
Finesse Mitchell
2
Birthdate: June 12, 1972
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
 43 
Brandon Ash-Mohammed
(Canadian Stand-up Comedian)
Brandon Ash-Mohammed
1
Birthplace: Canada
 44 
Prince Abdi
(Comedian)
Prince Abdi
2
Birthdate: July 21, 1989
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Millwall, London, England
 45 
Kenny Robinson
(Stand-up comedians)
Kenny Robinson
1
Birthdate: January 17, 1957
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Winnipeg, Canada

One of the legendary figures of Canadian comedy, Kenny Robinson had his own late-night comedy series, After Hours. He is known for his brand of profanity-laced opinionated comedy. He has also established the Nubian Disciples All Black Comedy Revue and been a co-host at the Gemini Awards.

 46 
Gilson Lubin
(Comedian)
Gilson Lubin
2
Birthdate: August 3, 1975
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Saint Lucia, West Indies

Gilson Lubin is a Canadian stand-up comedian who has performed in places like the United States of America, Canada, and the Caribbean. He has also performed at Montreal's famous Just for Laughs festival, winning a Canadian Comedy Award under the Best Stand-up Newcomer category. Gilson Lubin has also appeared in popular Comedy Central shows.

 47 
Aisha Brown
(Canadian Stand-up Comedian and Actress)
Aisha Brown
4
Birthplace: Canada