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Chris Rock
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Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, singer, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.
http://wn.com/Adam_Sandler -
Annabella Sciorra
Annabella Sciorra (born 29th March, 1964) is an American film, television, and stage actress. Sciorra received an Independent Spirit Award nomination as best female lead for the 1989 film True Love, and came to widespread attention in her co-lead role in Spike Lee's 1991 film Jungle Fever. She starred in the 1992 thriller The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, and received critical acclaim for her work in Cop Land. She received an Emmy nomination for her role as Gloria Trillo in the HBO series The Sopranos.
http://wn.com/Annabella_Sciorra -
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.
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Bensonhurst
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Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Monterio Hardy (born September 10, 1968) better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs in Hip Hop. Regarding the name Big Daddy Kane, he said: "The Big Daddy part and the Kane part came from two different things. The Kane part came from my fascination with the Martial Arts flicks when I was young. The Big Daddy came from something that happened on a ski trip one time involving a young lady."
http://wn.com/Big_Daddy_Kane -
Bill Hicks
William Melvin "Bill" Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994) was an American stand-up comedian, satirist and musician. His humor challenged mainstream beliefs, aiming to "enlighten people to think for themselves."
http://wn.com/Bill_Hicks -
Chris Farley
Christopher Crosby "Chris" Farley (February 15, 1964 – December 18, 1997) was an American comedian and actor. Farley was a member of Chicago's The Second City Theatre and the cast of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. He has also starred in a string of successful comedy films in the 1990s including Tommy Boy and Black Sheep before his death on December 18, 1997 in his Chicago apartment of cardiac arrest caused by a drug overdose.
http://wn.com/Chris_Farley -
Christian Finnegan
Fletcher Christian Finnegan (born April 1, 1973), better known as Christian Finnegan, is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor based in New York City.
http://wn.com/Christian_Finnegan -
Dave Chappelle
David Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle (; born August 24, 1973) is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer and actor. Chappelle began his film career in the film in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Blue Streak. His first lead role in a film was in Half Baked in 1998. In 2003, he became widely known for his popular sketch comedy television series, ''Chappelle's Show'', which ran until 2006. Comedy Central ranked him forty-third in its list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians.
http://wn.com/Dave_Chappelle -
David Spade
David Wayne Spade (born July 22, 1964) is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J. Barnes, along with Katey Sagal, James Garner and Kaley Cuoco on 8 Simple Rules.
http://wn.com/David_Spade -
Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller (November 3, 1953) is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references. He rose to fame as a cast member of Saturday Night Live in 1985, and subsequently hosted a string of his own talk shows on HBO, CNBC and in syndication. He currently hosts a daily, three-hour, self-titled talk radio program, nationally syndicated by Westwood One.
http://wn.com/Dennis_Miller -
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, screenwriter, director and film producer. He has garnered much critical acclaim for his work in film since the 1990s, including for his portrayals of real-life figures, such as Steve Biko, Malcolm X, Rubin Carter, Melvin B. Tolson, Frank Lucas, and Herman Boone.
http://wn.com/Denzel_Washington -
Dick Gregory
Richard Claxton "Dick" Gregory (born on October 12, 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American comedian, social activist, social critic, writer, and entrepreneur.
http://wn.com/Dick_Gregory -
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, voice actor, film director, producer, comedian and singer. The box office take from his films makes him the second highest grossing actor in the United States. He was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984, and has worked as a stand-up comedian. He was ranked #10 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
http://wn.com/Eddie_Murphy -
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld (born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer, best known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld (1989–1998), which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons, co-executive-produced.
http://wn.com/Jerry_Seinfeld -
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003), born J. R. Cash, was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Although he is primarily remembered as a country music artist, his songs and sound spanned many other genres including rockabilly and rock and roll—especially early in his career—as well as blues, folk, and gospel. Late in his career, Cash covered songs by several rock artists, among them the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails and the synthpop band Depeche Mode.
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Jude Law
David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972), known professionally as Jude Law, is an English actor, film producer and director.
http://wn.com/Jude_Law -
Kali Bowyer
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Martin (TV series)
Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions (a subsidiary of HBO) that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox. The show stars actor-comedian Martin Lawrence, Thomas Mikal Ford, Tichina Arnold, Carl Anthony Payne II, and Tisha Campbell.
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motherfucker
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Penny Hardaway
Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway (born July 18, 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee) is a former American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), specializing as a small forward, shooting guard, and point guard. His most productive years came in his days as a member of the Orlando Magic as well as the early portion of his stint with the Phoenix Suns. Hardaway was an all-NBA player early in his career, but was plagued by constant injuries which gradually reduced his effectiveness. He last played for the Miami Heat, who released him December 12, 2007.
http://wn.com/Penny_Hardaway -
People (magazine)
People (originally called People Weekly) is a weekly American magazine of celebrity and human-interest stories, published by Time Inc. As of 2006, it has a circulation of 3.75 million and revenue expected to top $1.5 billion. It was named "Magazine of the Year" by Advertising Age in October 2005, for excellence in editorial, circulation and advertising. People ranked #6 on Advertising Age's annual "A-list" and #3 on ''Adweek's'' "Brand Blazers" list in October 2006.
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Pigmeat Markham
Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham (April 18, 1904 – December 13, 1981) was an American entertainer. Though best known as a comedian, Markham was also a singer, dancer, and actor. His nickname came from a stage routine, in which he declared himself to be "Sweet Poppa Pigmeat." He was sometimes credited in films as David "Pigmeat" Markham.
http://wn.com/Pigmeat_Markham -
Redd Foxx
John Elroy Sanford (December 9, 1922 – October 11, 1991), better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American comedian and actor, best known for his starring role on the sitcom Sanford and Son.
http://wn.com/Redd_Foxx -
Richard Pryor
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful, vulgar and profane language, as well as racial epithets. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style. He is widely regarded as one of the most important stand-up comedians: Jerry Seinfeld called Pryor "The Picasso of our profession"; Bob Newhart has called Pryor "the seminal comedian of the last 50 years."
http://wn.com/Richard_Pryor -
Rob Schneider
Robert Michael "Rob" Schneider (born October 31, 1963) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider went on to a career in feature films, including starring roles in the comedy films , The Hot Chick and Grown Ups.
http://wn.com/Rob_Schneider -
Sam Kinison
Samuel Burl "Sam" Kinison (December 8, 1953 – April 10, 1992) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Kinison was known for his intense, harsh humor. A former revival-style preacher, he performed stand-up routines that were most often characterized by an intense style, similar to revival preachers, punctuated by his trademark scream.
http://wn.com/Sam_Kinison -
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American film actor and director, also known for his political activism. He is a two-time Academy Award winner for his roles in Mystic River and Milk, as well as the recipient of a Golden Globe Award for the former and a Screen Actors Guild Award for the latter.
http://wn.com/Sean_Penn -
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer.
http://wn.com/Steve_Martin -
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (; born July 3, 1962), better known by his screen name of Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and won three Golden Globe Awards. His first leading role was the 1983 film Risky Business, which has been described as "A Generation X classic, and a career-maker" for the actor. After playing the role of a heroic naval pilot in the popular and financially successful 1986 film Top Gun, Cruise continued in this vein, playing a secret agent in a series of action films in the 1990s and 2000s. In addition to these heroic roles, he has starred in many other successful films such as Jerry Maguire (1996), Magnolia (1999), Vanilla Sky (2001), Minority Report (2002), The Last Samurai (2003), Collateral (2004) and War of the Worlds (2005).
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Tony Rock
Tony Rock (born Antonio Rock on June 30, 1974 ) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is the younger brother of comedian Chris Rock.
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White American
White American (often used interchangeably with "Caucasian American" and, within the United States, simply "white") is an umbrella term officially employed by some U.S. government agencies, per standards issued by the Office of Management and Budget, for the classification of United States citizens or resident aliens "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa". Like all U.S. racial categories, White American has a "Not Hispanic or Latino" and a "Hispanic or Latino" component, the latter consisting mostly of White Mexican Americans.
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Woody Allen
Woody Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; December 1, 1935) is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author and playwright.
http://wn.com/Woody_Allen
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Alpine, New Jersey
Alpine is an affluent borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,183. According to Forbes, Alpine ranks first, along with Greenwich, Connecticut in "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes" for 2009, with a median home price of $4.14 million.
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Bensonhurst
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Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 large professional theatres with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan, New York City.Although theater is the preferred spelling in the U.S.A. (see further at American and British English Spelling Differences), the majority of venues, performers, and trade groups for live dramatic presentations use the spelling theatre. Along with London's West End theatre, Broadway theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world.
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Cameroon
The Republic of Cameroon () is a country of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of Bonny, part of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. The country is called "Africa in miniature" for its geological and cultural diversity. Natural features include beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannas. The highest point is Mount Cameroon in the southwest, and the largest cities are Douala, Yaoundé, and Garoua. Cameroon is home to over 200 different linguistic groups. The country is well known for its native styles of music, particularly makossa and bikutsi, and for its successful national football team. English and French are the official languages.
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Israel
Israel (, ''Yisrā'el; , Isrā'īl), officially the State of Israel (Hebrew: , Medīnat Yisrā'el; , Dawlat Isrā'īl''), is a parliamentary republic in the Middle East located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan and the West Bank in the east, Egypt and Gaza on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area. Israel is the world's only predominantly Jewish state, and is defined as A Jewish and Democratic State by the Israeli government.
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New Jersey
New Jersey (, ) is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. It is bordered on the northeast by New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware. New Jersey lies largely within the sprawling metropolitan areas of New York City and Philadelphia. It is the most densely populated state in the United States.
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New York
New York (; locally or ) is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east. The state has a maritime border with Rhode Island east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Ontario to the north and west, and Quebec to the north. New York is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City.
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Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. () () is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area. It is the world's leading supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment with revenue in excess of $18.6 billion USD in its fiscal year 2008 (ending May 31, 2008). As of 2008, it employed more than 30,000 people worldwide. Nike and Precision Castparts are the only Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the state of Oregon, according to The Oregonian.
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United States
The United States of America (also referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Caribbean and Pacific.
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Chris Rock - How not to get your ass kicked by the police!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:51
- Published: 02 Feb 2007
- Uploaded: 04 Jan 2012
- Author: InsaneNutter
Really funny video from the Chris Rock show on how not to get your ass kicked by the police. I know they are other versions of this on YouTube but this one is better quality, Enjoy :)
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock__How_not_to_get_your_ass_kicked_by_the_police!
Chris Rock - Love
Chris rock talking about love and your relationships
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock__Love
Comedy Central: Chris Rock on Rap music
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:20
- Published: 19 Aug 2008
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: ComedyCentralProgram
Comedy Central: Chris Rock on Rap music
http://wn.com/Comedy_Central_Chris_Rock_on_Rap_music
Chris Rock - Black People VS. Niggaz (Bring the Pain 1996)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:13
- Published: 28 Nov 2010
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: SatiricalGameReviews
From "Bring the Pain".
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock__Black_People_VS_Niggaz_Bring_the_Pain_1996
Chris Rock-Never Scared Clip: Legalizing Drugs
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:05
- Published: 12 Mar 2006
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: Nbaulch10is
This is a clip from the stand-up, Chris Rock - Never Scared, and it's taken from when Chris Rock speaks on white men being wealthy and black men being rich.
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock-Never_Scared_Clip_Legalizing_Drugs
chris rock the difference between men and women
http://wn.com/chris_rock_the_difference_between_men_and_women
Chris Rock on Gun Control
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:41
- Published: 13 Mar 2008
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: MissLovelyLugia
Chris Rock delivers his own message on belief in Gun Control.
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock_on_Gun_Control
The one time white ppl can say nigga
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:48
- Published: 28 Feb 2009
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: mysterytales
Chris Rock from Kill The Messenger
http://wn.com/The_one_time_white_ppl_can_say_nigga
Chris Rock - Doctors & Drugs
"Ain't no money in the cure, the money's in the medicine...that's how a drug dealer makes his money, on the comeback." www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock__Doctors_Drugs
ChrisRock Careers&Jobs;&Money;
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:19
- Published: 14 Feb 2009
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: chrisrock008
Chris Rock - How To Not Get Your Ass Kicked By The Police
for more videos, visit www.nbd2013.blogspot.com "How To Not Get Your Ass Kicked By The Police"
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock__How_To_Not_Get_Your_Ass_Kicked_By_The_Police
Chris Rock about America
THIS IS NO PLACE FOR RACIST COMMENT,,, JUST ENJOY THE VIDEO, GUYS
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock_about_America
Chris Rock "White People Have Gotten Less Crazy"
www.youtube.com/qtv Comedian Chris Rock sat down with CBC Radio One's host of Q Jian Ghomeshi to talk about his new flim 'Good Hair'. This is an excerpt from that documentary.
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock_White_People_Have_Gotten_Less_Crazy
Can white people say nigger ?
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:46
- Published: 23 Oct 2009
- Uploaded: 04 Jan 2012
- Author: LoveIsOnePiece
Chris Rock - Kill The Messenger
http://wn.com/Can_white_people_say_nigger_?
Chris Rock talks about fat girls and skinny girls, tall guys and small guys
Chris Rock talks about fat girls and skinny girls, tall guys and small guys
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock_talks_about_fat_girls_and_skinny_girls,_tall_guys_and_small_guys
Good Hair ft. Chris Rock- HD Official Trailer
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:33
- Published: 31 Jul 2009
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: GoodHairMovie
www.goodhairmovie.net In Theaters This OCTOBER!!! Check out our Facebook page www.facebook.com When Chris Rocks daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, Daddy, how come I don't have good hair? the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl's head! Director Jeff Stilsons camera followed the funnyman, and the result is Good Hair, a wonderfully insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about African American hair culture.An exposé of comic proportions that only Chris Rock could pull off, Good Hair visits hair salons and styling battles, scientific laboratories, and Indian temples to explore the way black hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of black people. Celebrities such as Ice-T, Kerry Washington, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Maya Angelou, and Reverend Al Sharpton all candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock while he struggles with the task of figuring out how to respond to his daughters question. What he discovers is that black hair is a big business that doesnt always benefit the black community and little Lolas question might well be bigger than his ability to convince her that the stuff on top of her head is nowhere near as important as what is inside.
http://wn.com/Good_Hair_ft_Chris_Rock_HD_Official_Trailer
Chris Rock - Michael Jackson
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:12
- Published: 01 Aug 2008
- Uploaded: 04 Jan 2012
- Author: vipertom15
Chris Rock describes Michael Jackson's situation and clothing.
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock__Michael_Jackson
Chris Rock Rocks!
Chris Rock has been stunning fans and critics alike during his first UK tour.
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock_Rocks!
biggest liar men or women
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:00
- Published: 18 Oct 2007
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: MilzAway1982
funny
http://wn.com/biggest_liar_men_or_women
Chris Rock on his New Jersey Home
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:24
- Published: 15 Apr 2009
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: thesexyarmpit
A short clip from Chris Rock's innovative special, Kill The Messenger where he discusses his home in New Jersey and his famous neighbors. ** This clip is being used for informational and reference purposes only. Footage is owned by HBO and Chris Rock. This clip is not being used for monetary gain. This clip is being used in an article at www.thesexyarmpit.com
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock_on_his_New_Jersey_Home
Chris Rock Stand up - Defending Rap Music
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:20
- Published: 27 May 2008
- Uploaded: 03 Jan 2012
- Author: squiggyjew
Chris Rock in 'Never Scared' stand up comedy in his 4th HBO Special.. I Dont want to breach any copyright laws or anything like that, its just for my sheer enjoyment for it. Copyright Chris Rock Enterprises, Inc
http://wn.com/Chris_Rock_Stand_up__Defending_Rap_Music
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North Jersey
— Pascack Valley kept pointing toward the arrival of Chris Mutschin as a potential turning point in its season. So when the sophomore goalie, who transferred from Don Bosco, joined the team earlier this month, expectations surrounding the Indians soared....
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The Examiner
Chris Semal is a veteran musician, emerging writer, and life long New Yorker. This interview is full of depth and amazing information so I encourage you to take the time to learn about Chris’ experiences and advice to emerging musicians and artists. His new book, Trial of Tears...
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The Examiner
The Rock commented on Chris Jericho’s return to WWE on last night’s Raw telecast via his Twitter page with the following: @IAmJericho Helluva kick ass return. Welcome back my friend. Look forward to having some fun w you." Meanwhile, former WWE Champion John Bradshaw Layfield also...
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The Examiner
On Monday, WWE superstar Chris Jericho made his return to Monday Night RAW after being gone from the company for nearly 15 months. Unfortunately, many WWE fans were upset over Jericho's return as they were hoping for Jericho to address why he finally returned. However, Jericho barely said one...
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The Examiner
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The Daily Telegraph Australia
CHRIS Munce may be in blistering form with 55 city wins already this season but Zero Rock's trainer Kelso Wood is looking for an inspired ride to lift the mare into the $1 million club under 58kg at Doomben tomorrow. Wood is confident Zero Rock can win but realistically says she cannot overcome...
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The Daily Telegraph Australia
CHRIS Munce may be in blistering form with 55 city wins already this season but Zero Rock's trainer Kelso Wood is looking for an inspired ride to lift the mare into the $1 million club under 58kg at Doomben tomorrow. Wood is confident Zero Rock can win but realistically says she cannot overcome...
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IMDb
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The Examiner
I was feeling nostalgic one night and decided to venture onto YouTube in order to find something to satiate my need for reminiscence. I decided to view the epic 1999 music video for Chris Rock’s No Sex featuring Shadow. In between life lessons about not attending parties with metal...
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| name | Chris Rock |
|---|---|
| birth name | Christopher Julius Rock III |
| birth date | February 07, 1965 |
| birth place | Andrews, South Carolina, U.S. |
| origin | Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York |
| medium | Stand-up comedy, television, film |
| nationality | American |
| active | 1984–present |
| genre | Black humor, musical comedy, observational comedy, political satire, satire |
| subject | African-American culture, American politics, current events, human sexuality, marriage, pop culture, race relations, racism |
| influences | Bill Cosby, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Pigmeat Markham, Woody Allen, Eddie Murphy, Sam Kinison, George Carlin, Mort Sahl, Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Hicks |
| influenced | Dave Chappelle, Christian Finnegan, George Lopez |
| spouse | Malaak Compton-Rock (November 23, 1996 – present; 2 children) |
| website | ChrisRock.com |
Early life
Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. A few years later, they relocated and settled in the working-class area of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. His mother, Rosalie (née Tingman), was a teacher and social worker for the mentally handicapped; his father, Julius Rock, was a former truck driver and newspaper deliveryman. Julius died in 1988 after ulcer surgery. His younger brothers Tony, Kenny and Jordan are also in the entertainment business. His older half-brother, Charles, died in 2006 due to a long struggle with alcoholism. Rock has said that he was influenced by the performing style of his paternal grandfather, Allen Rock, a preacher.Rock was bused to schools in predominately white neighborhoods of Brooklyn where he endured bullying and beatings from white students. As he got older, the bullying became worse and Rock's parents pulled him out of James Madison High School. He decided to drop out of high school altogether and later received a GED. Rock worked menial jobs at various fast-food restaurants.
Career
Early career
Rock began doing stand-up comedy in 1984 in New York City's Catch a Rising Star. He slowly rose up the ranks of the comedy circuit in addition to earning bit roles in the film ''I'm Gonna Git You Sucka'' and the TV series ''Miami Vice''. Upon seeing his act at a nightclub, Eddie Murphy befriended and mentored the aspiring comic. Murphy gave Rock his first film role in ''Beverly Hills Cop II''.
''Saturday Night Live''
Rock became a cast member of the popular sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' in 1990. He and other new cast members Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade became known as the Bad Boys of SNL. In 1991, he released his first comedy album ''Born Suspect'' and won acclaim for his dramatic role as a crack addict in the film ''New Jack City''. His tenure on ''SNL'' gave Rock national exposure.
Standup success
A frustrated Rock left ''Saturday Night Live'' in 1993, appearing instead as a "special guest" star on the predominantly African American sketch show ''In Living Color''. The show, however, was canceled months later. Rock then decided to concentrate on a film career. He wrote and starred in the mockumentary ''CB4'' but the film was not a success. Acting jobs became scarce, and Rock abandoned Hollywood to concentrate on stand-up comedy.Rock starred in his first HBO comedy special in 1994 titled ''Big Ass Jokes''. But it was his second stand-up special, 1996's ''Bring the Pain'', that reinvented Rock as one of the best comedians in the industry. His routine, which featured commentaries on race in America, stirred up a great deal of controversy. Rock won two Emmy Awards for that special. Adding to his popularity was his much-publicized role as a commentator for Comedy Central's ''Politically Incorrect'' during the 1996 Presidential elections which earned him another Emmy nomination. Rock also was 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, and hosted the '97 MTV Video Music Awards.
Rock later had two more HBO comedy specials: ''Bigger & Blacker'' in 1999, and ''Never Scared'' in 2004. Articles relating to both specials called Rock "the funniest man in America" in ''Time'' and ''Entertainment Weekly''. HBO also aired his talk show, ''The Chris Rock Show'', which gained critical acclaim for Rock's interviews with celebrities and politicians. The show won an Emmy for writing. His television work has won him a total of three Emmy Awards and 15 nominations. By the end of the decade, Rock was established as one of the preeminent stand-up comedians and comic minds of his generation.
During this time, Rock also translated his comedy into print form in the book ''Rock This!'' and released the Grammy Award-winning comedy albums, ''Roll with the New'', ''Bigger & Blacker'' and ''Never Scared''.
Rock's fifth HBO special, ''Kill the Messenger'', premiered on September 27, 2008, and won him another Emmy for outstanding writing for a variety or music program.
Film and television
It was not until the success of his stand-up act in the late 1990s that Rock began receiving major parts in films. These include roles in ''Dogma'', ''Beverly Hills Ninja'', ''Lethal Weapon 4'', ''Nurse Betty'', ''The Longest Yard'', ''Bad Company'', and a starring role in ''Down to Earth''. Rock has also increasingly worked behind the camera, both as a writer and director of ''Head of State'' and ''I Think I Love My Wife''. In the fall of 2005, the UPN television network premiered a comedy series called ''Everybody Hates Chris'', based on Rock's school days, of which he is the executive producer and narrator. The show has garnered both critical and ratings success. The series was nominated for a 2006 Golden Globe for Best TV Series (Musical or Comedy), a 2006 People's Choice Award for Favorite New Television Comedy, and two 2006 Emmy Awards for costuming and cinematography.Following the release of his first documentary, 2009's ''Good Hair'', Rock is working on a documentary about debt called ''Credit is the Devil''.
Academy Awards
In early 2005, Rock hosted the 77th Academy Awards ceremony. The decision to have Rock host the awards was seen by some as a chance to bring an "edge" to the ceremony, and to make it more relevant or appealing to younger audiences. Jokingly, Rock opened by saying ''"Welcome to the 77th and LAST Academy Awards!"'' During one segment Rock asked, "Who is this guy?" in reference to actor Jude Law seemingly appearing in every movie Rock had seen that year and implied Law was a low-rent Tom Cruise (he made a joke about filmmakers rushing production when unable to get the actors they want: "If you want Tom Cruise and all you can get is Jude Law, wait [to make the film]!"). Subsequently, a defensive Sean Penn took the stage to present and said, "In answer to our host's question, Jude Law is one of our finest young actors." (At the time, Penn and Law were shooting ''All the King's Men''.) Law was not the only actor that Rock poked fun at that evening, however—he turned the joke on himself at one point, saying, "If you want Denzel [Washington] and all you can get is me, wait!" Older Oscar officials were reportedly displeased with Rock's performance, which did not elevate ratings for the ceremony. Rock was also criticized for referring to the Oscars as "idiotic", and asserting that heterosexual men do not watch them, in an interview prior to Oscar night.
Music videos
Rock's first music video was for his song "Your Mother's Got a Big Head" from his album ''Born Suspect''. Rock also made videos for his songs "Champagne" from ''Roll With the New'' and "No Sex (In the Champagne Room)" from ''Bigger & Blacker''. Chris Rock also directed and appeared in the music video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Hump de Bump".Rock appeared in the Big Daddy Kane music video "Smooth Operator" as a guy getting his hair cut.
He also appeared in Johnny Cash's "God's Gonna Cut You Down", one of the many celebrities seen lip-synching the song.
Stage plays
In 2011, Rock appeared on Broadway in Stephen Adly Guirgis' play ''The Motherfucker with the Hat'' with Bobby Cannavale and Annabella Sciorra. Rock was nominated for a Drama League Award.
Comedic style and views
Rock's subject matter typically involves family, politics, romance, music, class relationships, and race relations in the United States. Though not strictly autobiographical, much of his comic standpoint seem rooted in his teenage experience; his strict parents, concerned about the inadequacies of the local school system, arranged to have the adolescent Rock bused to a nearly all-white high school in Bensonhurst (an Italian-ethnic neighborhood of Brooklyn known at the time for poor race relations). In his memoir ''Rock This'', the comedian recalls, "My parents assumed I'd get a better education in a better neighborhood. What I actually got was a worse education in a worse neighborhood. And a whole bunch of ass-whippings."The comedian has also expressed discomfort with the notion that success in standup comedy—or, indeed, in any aspect of the entertainment industry—should oblige him to serve as a role model. In this position, he finds himself directly at odds with one of his comic idols, Bill Cosby. Cosby has reprimanded Rock both explicitly—for his famous/notorious Niggas vs. Black People track —and implicitly, for heavy use of the word "nigger." Rock has not wavered from a position explored in his 1996 ''Roll With The New'' show, and reiterated in his 1997 memoir: "Why does the public expect entertainers to behave better than everybody else? It's ridiculous...Of course, this is just for black entertainers. You don't see anyone telling Jerry Seinfeld he's a good role model. Because everyone expects whites to behave themselves...Nowadays, you've got to be an entertainer and a leader. It's too much." Often the subject of tabloids, when asked about paparazzi and the other negative aspects of fame, Rock says he accepts the bad with the good: "You can't be happy that fire cooks your food and be mad it burns your fingertips."
At the London Live Earth concert on July 7, 2007, which was broadcast live on the BBC, before introducing the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rock called the crowd "motherfuckers" and "shit" after a brief sigh when he said he was joking. Due to the broadcast being at 5:45pm Rock was immediately cut off, and the BBC made several apologies for his use of the word "motherfucker".
Personal life
Rock has been married to Malaak Compton-Rock since November 23, 1996. She is the founder and executive director of StyleWorks, a non-profit, full-service salon that provides free services for women leaving welfare and entering the workforce. They have two daughters together, Lola Simone (born June 28, 2002) and Zahra Savannah (born May 22, 2004).In November 2006, the entertainment news website TMZ.com reported that Rock was filing for divorce after nearly ten years of marriage to Malaak. Two weeks later, however, TMZ reported that Rock had not filed divorce papers, and that it appeared that the couple had been able to work out their differences and stay together. In response to the reports, the Rocks released a statement to the press denouncing them as "untrue rumors and lies".
In 2007, freelance journalist and former actress Kali Bowyer filed a paternity suit against Chris Rock, claiming he was the father of her son, and in need of hospitalization. DNA testing proved that Rock was not the child's father.
Rock resides in Alpine, New Jersey.
In 2008, Rock's family history was profiled on the PBS series ''African American Lives 2''. A DNA test showed that he is descended from the Udeme people of northern Cameroon. Rock's great-great-grandfather, Julius Caesar Tingman, was a slave for 21 years before serving as part of the United States Colored Troops until 1866; Tingman fought in the American Civil War. During the 1940s, Rock's grandfather, Alan Rock, moved from South Carolina to New York City to become a taxicab driver and preacher.
Work
Filmography
| + Film | ! Year | ! Title | ! Role | Notes |
| 1987 | ''Beverly Hills Cop II'' | Playboy Mansion Valet | ||
| 1988 | ''Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen'' | Himself | Direct-to-video Concert film | |
| 1988 | ''I'm Gonna Git You Sucka'' | Rib Joint Customer | ||
| 1989 | ''Who Is Chris Rock?'' | Himself | ||
| 1991 | ''New Jack City'' | Pookie | ||
| 1992 | Bony T | |||
| 1993 | ''CB4'' | Albert Brown/M.C. Gusto | Also wrote story, screenplay and was co-producer | |
| 1995 | Deke Anthony | |||
| 1995 | Yuck Mouth | |||
| 1996 | 1st Lt. Oster | |||
| 1997 | ''Beverly Hills Ninja'' | Joey Washington | ||
| 1998 | Rodney | Voice | ||
| 1998 | ''Lethal Weapon 4'' | Detective Lee Butters | ||
| 1999 | ''Torrance Rises'' | Himself | Documentary short | |
| 1999 | ||||
| 2000 | ''Nurse Betty'' | Wesley | ||
| 2001 | Lance Barton | Also co-writer and executive producer | ||
| 2001 | ''AI: Artificial Intelligence'' | Mecha Comedian | Voice/cameo | |
| 2001 | ''Pootie Tang'' | JB/Radio DJ/Pootie's Father | Also producer | |
| 2001 | ''Osmosis Jones'' | Voice | ||
| 2001 | ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back'' | Chaka Luther King | Cameo | |
| 2002 | Jake Hayes/Kevin Pope/Michael Turner | |||
| 2002 | Himself | Documentary | ||
| 2003 | ''Pauly Shore Is Dead'' | Himself | Cameo | |
| 2003 | Mays Gilliam | Also director, producer and co-writer | ||
| 2004 | ''The N-Word'' | Himself | Documentary | |
| 2004 | Pizza Delivery Guy | Cameo | ||
| 2005 | Himself | Documentary | ||
| 2005 | voice | |||
| 2005 | Farrell Caretaker | |||
| 2007 | ''I Think I Love My Wife'' | Richard Marcus Cooper | Also director and co-writer | |
| 2007 | ''Bee Movie'' | Mooseblood the Mosquito | Voice | |
| 2008 | ''You Don't Mess with the Zohan'' | Taxi Driver | Cameo | |
| 2008 | ''Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa'' | Voice | ||
| 2009 | ''Good Hair'' | Himself | Documentary | |
| 2010 | Aaron | |||
| 2010 | Kurt McKenzie | |||
| 2012 | Vic | |||
| 2012 | ''Madagascar 3'' | Voice |
Discography
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Album ! colspan="2"| Peak positions ! rowspan="2"| Certifications |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="30"| U.S. ! width="30"| U.S.R&B; |- |1991 |''Born Suspect'' |align="center"|– |align="center"|– | |- |1997 |''Roll with the New'' |align="center"|93 |align="center"|41 | |- |1999 |''Bigger & Blacker'' |align="center"|44 |align="center"|26 | |- |2004 |''Never Scared'' |align="center"|– |align="center"|– | |- |2008 |''Kill the Messenger'' |align="center"|- |align="center"|- | |}
Television
| + Television | ! Year | ! Title | ! Role | Notes |
| 1987 | ''Uptown Comedy Express'' | Himself | HBO special | |
| 1987 | ''Miami Vice'' | Carson | ||
| 1990–1993 | ''Saturday Night Live'' | Various | Cast member | |
| 1993–1994 | ''In Living Color'' | Various | Recurring | |
| 1994 | Himself | HBO special | ||
| 1995 | ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' | Maurice/Jasmine | ||
| 1996–1998 | ''The Moxy Show'' | Flea | Uncredited voice role | |
| 1996 | Valentino | |||
| 1996 | ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' | Carver | ||
| 1996 | Himself | HBO special | ||
| 1996 | ''Politically Incorrect'' | Himself | Correspondent | |
| 1997 | MTV Music Video Awards | Himself | Host | |
| 1997–2000 | ''The Chris Rock Show'' | Himself | Cast member, writer | |
| 1998 | ''King of the Hill'' | Roger "Booda" Sack | ||
| 1999 | MTV Music Video Awards | Himself | Host | |
| 1999 | ''Bigger & Blacker'' | Himself | HBO special | |
| 2003 | MTV Music Video Awards | Himself | HBO special | |
| 2004 | ChalkZone | Boris the Burger | ||
| 2005 | ''Never Scared'' | Himself | HBO special | |
| 2005 | 77th Academy Awards | Himself | Host | |
| 2005–2009 | ''Everybody Hates Chris'' | Narrator | Creator | |
| 2008 | Himself | HBO special |
Books
Tours
Notes
External links
Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from New York City Category:Actors from South Carolina Category:African American comedians Category:African American film actors Category:African American film directors Category:African American screenwriters Category:American film actors Category:American music video directors Category:American people of Cameroonian descent Category:American stand-up comedians Category:American television actors Category:American television talk show hosts Category:American voice actors Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Grammy Award winners Category:People from Alpine, New Jersey Category:People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Category:People from Georgetown County, South Carolina
ar:كريس روك bg:Крис Рок ca:Chris Rock da:Chris Rock de:Chris Rock es:Chris Rock fr:Chris Rock id:Chris Rock it:Chris Rock he:כריס רוק nl:Chris Rock ja:クリス・ロック no:Chris Rock pl:Chris Rock pt:Chris Rock ro:Chris Rock ru:Рок, Крис sq:Chris Rock simple:Chris Rock sr:Крис Рок fi:Chris Rock sv:Chris Rock ta:கிரிசு ரொக் th:คริส ร็อก tr:Chris Rock uk:Кріс Рок yo:Chris Rock zh:基斯·洛克This text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License. This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community.
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups. Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a role so that relatively dark skinned people can be classified as white if they fulfill other social criteria of whiteness and relatively light skinned people can be classified as black if they fulfill the social criteria for blackness.
As a biological phenotype being "black" is often associated with the very dark skin colors of some people who are classified as 'black'. But, particularly in the United States, the racial classification also refers to people with all possible kinds of skin pigmentation from the darkest through to the very lightest skin colors, including albinos, if they are believed by others to have African ancestry and exhibit cultural traits associated with being "African-American". Therefore, the term 'black people' is not an indicator of skin color but of racial classification.
From the year 1500 to 1850 an estimated 3.5 million Africans were forcibly shipped to Brazil. An estimated 80 million Brazilians, almost half the population, are at least in part descendants of these Africans. Brazil has the largest population of Afro-descendants outside of Africa. In contrast to the US there were no segregation or anti-miscegenation laws in Brazil and as a result intermarriage has affected a large majority of the Brazilian population. Even much of the white population has either African or Amerindian blood. According to the last census 54% identified themselves as white, 6.2% identified themselves as black and 39.5% identified themselves as Pardo (brown)- a broad multiracial category.
African-American
African diaspora
African Jews
Afro-Europeans
Afro-Asian
Afro Asians (African Asians)
Afro-Latino
Afro-Trinbagonian
Black British
Black Canadians
Black Hispanic and Latino Americans
Black Indians
Black Jews
Black nationalism
Black Power
Black pride
Black separatism
Black supremacy
Creole peoples
List of topics related to the Black Diaspora
Mulatto
Negritos
Stereotypes of black people
Sub-Saharan Africa
''The Minds of Marginalized Black Men'' (book)
Some definitions of the term include only people of relatively recent Sub Saharan African descent (see African diaspora). Among the members of this group, dark skin is most often accompanied by the expression of natural afro-hair texture (recent scientific study notes that human skin color diversity is highest in sub-Saharan African populations). Other definitions of the term "black people" extend to other populations characterized by dark skin, including some indigenous to Oceania and Southeast Asia.
Physiological traits
Dark skin
The evolution of dark skin is linked intrinsically to the loss of body hair in humans. By 1.2 million years ago, all people having descendants today had the same receptor protein of today's Africans; their skin was dark, and the intense sun lowered the chance of survival of those with lighter skin that resulted from mutational variation in the receptor protein. This is significantly earlier than the speciation of ''Homo sapiens'' from ''Homo erectus'' some 250,000 years ago.Skin cancer as a result of ultraviolet light radiation causing mutations in the skin is less common among people with dark skin than it is among those with light skin. Furthermore, dark skin prevents an essential B vitamin, folate, from being destroyed. Therefore, in the absence of modern medicine and diet, a person with dark skin in the tropics would live longer, be healthier and more likely to reproduce than a person with light skin. White Australians have some of the highest rates of skin cancer as evidence of this expectation. Conversely, as dark skin prevents sunlight from penetrating the skin it hinders the production of vitamin D3. Hence when humans migrated to less sun-intensive regions in the north, low vitamin D3 levels became a problem and lighter skin colors started appearing. White people of Europe, who have low levels of melanin, naturally have an almost colorless skin pigmentation, especially when untanned. This low level of pigmentation allows the blood vessels to become visible which gives the characteristic pale pink color of white people. The loss of melanin in white people is now thought to have been caused by a mutation in just one letter out of 3.1 billion letters of DNA.
Hair
The texture of hair in people of Sub-Saharan African ancestry is noticeably different from that of Eurasian populations, as was already noted by Herodotus, who described the peoples of Libya (the "western Ethiopians") as ''wooly-haired''.Such "afro-hair" texture is denser than its straight counterparts. Due to this, it is often referred to as 'thick', 'bushy', or 'woolly'. For several reasons, possibly including its relatively flat cross section (among other factors), this hair type conveys a dry or matte appearance. It is also very coarse, and its unique shape renders it very prone to breakage when combed or brushed.
The specific characteristics of the natural afro-hair form are unique among all mammals. The texture likely predates the evolution of dark skin. It evolved when, as pre-human Australopithecines lost most of their fur to enable perspiration, the need to protect the newly exposed pale skin underneath this body hair was crucial (see in light of Rogers and others., 2004 and Harding and others., 2000). The trait ceased to be essential to survival at the equator upon the evolution of hairless dark skin. Yet it has continued to be expressed vestigially among most Melanesians, Andaman Islanders, and sub-Saharan Africans.
Africa
North Africa
Sub-Saharan
Sub-Saharan Africa is a common, if imprecise term that encompasses African countries located south of the Sahara Desert. It is commonly used to differentiate the region culturally, ecologically, politically and, more controversially, racially, from North Africa, which has historically been part of the Mediterranean sphere. Because the indigenous people of this region are primarily dark-skinned, it is alternatively called "Black Africa". Some criticize the use of the term, because, having become in many quarters synonymous with ''Black Africa'', it can leave the mistaken impression that there are not indigenous Black populations in North Africa. Furthermore, the Sahara cuts across countries such as Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, and South Sudan, leaving some parts of them in North Africa and some in sub-Saharan Africa.Owen 'Alik Shahadah argues that the term sub-Saharan Africa has racist overtones:
However, some Black Africans prefer to be culturally distinguished from those who live in the north of the continent.
Cultural ideas of a black race
South Africa
In South Africa during the apartheid era, the population was classified into four main racial groups: ''Black'', ''White'', ''Asian'' (mostly Indian), and ''Coloured''. The Coloured group included people of mixed Bantu, Khoisan, and European descent (with some Malay ancestry, especially in the Western Cape). The Coloured definition occupied an intermediary position between the Black and White definitions in South Africa.The apartheid bureaucracy devised complex (and often arbitrary) criteria in the Population Registration Act to determine who belonged in which group. Minor officials administered tests to enforce the classifications. When it was unclear from a person's physical appearance whether a person was to be considered Colored or Black, the "pencil test" was employed. This involved inserting a pencil in a person's hair to determine if the hair was kinky enough for the pencil to get stuck.
During the apartheid era, those classed as 'Coloured' were oppressed and discriminated against. However, they did have limited rights and overall had slightly better socioeconomic conditions than those classed as 'Black'.
In the post-apartheid era, the ANC government's laws in support of their affirmative action policies define 'Black' people to include "Africans", "Coloureds" and "Asians". Their affirmative action policies have also favored 'Africans' over 'Coloureds'. Some South Africans categorized as 'African Black' openly state that 'Coloureds' did not suffer as much as they did during apartheid. The popular saying by 'Coloured' South Africans to illustrate their dilemma is:
In 2008, the High Court in South Africa ruled that Chinese South Africans who were residents during the apartheid era (and their descendents) are to be reclassified as "Black people" solely for the purposes of accessing affirmative action benefits, because they were also "disadvantaged" by racial discrimination. Chinese people who arrived in the country after the end of apartheid do not qualify.
Other than by appearance, 'Coloureds' can usually be distinguished from 'Blacks' by language. Most speak Afrikaans or English as a first language, as opposed to Bantu languages such as Zulu or Xhosa. They also tend to have more European-sounding names than Bantu names.
In the Middle East
Arab world
Black African and Near Eastern peoples have interacted since prehistoric times. Some historians estimate that as many as 14 million black slaves crossed the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Sahara Desert in the Arab slave trade from 650 to 1900 CE. The Moroccan Sultan Moulay Ismail "the Bloodthirsty" (1672–1727) raised a corps of 150,000 black slaves, called his Black Guard, who coerced the country into submission.In more recent times, about 1000 CE, interactions between black people and Arabs resulted in the incorporation of extensive Arabic vocabulary into Swahili, which became a useful ''lingua franca'' for merchants. Some of this linguistic exchange occurred as part of the slave trade; the history of Islam and slavery shows that the major juristic schools traditionally accepted the institution of slavery. As a result, Arab influence spread along the east coast of Africa and to some extent into the interior (see Swahili people). Timbuktu was a trading outpost that linked West Africa with Berber, Arab, and Jewish traders throughout the Arab World. As a result of these interactions, some female-mediated gene flow into the Middle East from Sub-Saharan Africa can be observed in certain populations.
According to Dr. Carlos Moore, resident scholar at Brazil's University of the state of Bahia, Afro-multiracials in the Arab world self-identify in ways that resemble Latin America. He claims that black-looking Arabs, much like black-looking Latin Americans, consider themselves white because they have some distant white ancestry. Moore also claims that a film about Egyptian President Anwar Sadat had to be canceled when Sadat discovered that an African-American had been cast to play him. In fact, the 1983 television movie ''Sadat'', starring Louis Gossett, Jr., was not canceled. The Egyptian government refused to let the drama air in Egypt, partially on the grounds of the casting of Gossett.
Sadat's mother was a dark-skinned Sudanese woman and his father was a lighter-skinned Egyptian. In response to an advertisement for an acting position he remarked, "I am not white but I am not exactly black either. My blackness is tending to reddish".
Fathia Nkrumah was another Egyptian with ties to Black Africa. She was the late wife of Ghanaian revolutionary Kwame Nkrumah, whose marriage was seen as helping plant the seeds of cooperation between Egypt and other African countries as they struggled for independence from European colonization, which in turn helped advance the formation of the African Union.
Because of the patriarchal nature of Arab society, Arab men had more use of black female slaves than black male slaves, more black women were enslaved than men, and, because the Qur'an was interpreted to permit sexual relations between a male master and his female slave outside of marriage, many mixed race children resulted. When an enslaved woman became pregnant with her Arab captor's child, she became “umm walad” or “mother of a child”, a status that granted her privileged rights. The child would have prospered from the wealth of the father and been given rights of inheritance. Because of patrilineality, the children were born free and sometimes even became successors to their ruling fathers, as was the case with Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, (whose mother was a Fulani concubine), who ruled Morocco from 1578 to 1608. Such tolerance, however, was not extended to wholly black persons, even when technically "free," and the notion that to be black meant to be a slave became a common belief. The term "abd", (,) "slave," remains a common term for black people in the Middle East, often though not always derogatory.
Turkey
Beginning several centuries ago, a number of sub-Saharan Africans were brought by slave traders during the Ottoman Empire to plantations between Antalya and Istanbul in modern-day Turkey. Some of their descendants remain, mixed with the rest of the population in these areas, and many migrated to larger cities. Some came from the island of Crete following the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923.
Israel
About 150,000 black people live in Israel, amounting to just over 2% of the nation's population. The vast majority of these, some 120,000, are Beta Israel, most of whom came during the 1980s and 1990s. In addition, Israel is home to over 5,000 members of the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem movement who reside mainly in a distinct neighborhood in the Negev town of Dimona. Unknown numbers of black converts to Judaism reside in Israel, most of then converts from the UK, Canada, and the United States. Thousands of mixed-race individuals with non-black Jewish relatives also live in Israel.
In the Americas
Approximately 12 million Africans were shipped to the Americas during the Atlantic slave trade from 1492 to 1888. Today their descendants number approximately 150 million, most of whom live in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America, including Brazil. Many have a multiracial background of African, Amerindian, European and Asian ancestry. The various regions developed complex social conventions with which their multi-ethnic populations were classified.
United States
In the first 200 years that black people had been in the United States, they commonly referred to themselves as Africans. In Africa, people primarily identified themselves by ethnic group (closely allied to language) and not by skin color. Individuals would be Ashanti, Igbo, Bakongo or Wolof. But when Africans were brought to the Americas they were forced to give up their ethnic affiliations for fear of uprisings. The result was the Africans had to intermingle with other Africans from different ethnic groups. This is significant as Africans came from a vast geographic region, the West African coastline stretching from Senegal to Angola and in some cases from the south east coast such as Mozambique. A new identity and culture was born that incorporated elements of the various ethnic groups and of European cultural heritage, resulting in fusions such as the Black church and Black English. This new identity was now based on skin color and African ancestry rather than any one ethnic group.In March 1807, Britain, which largely controlled the Atlantic, declared the trans-atlantic slave trade illegal, as did the United States. (The latter prohibition took effect January 1, 1808, the earliest date on which Congress had the power to do so under Article I, Section 9 of the United States Constitution.)
By that time, the majority of black people were U.S.-born, so use of the term "African" became problematic. Though initially a source of pride, many blacks feared its continued use would be a hindrance to their fight for full citizenship in the US. They also felt that it would give ammunition to those who were advocating repatriating black people back to Africa. In 1835 black leaders called upon black Americans to remove the title of "African" from their institutions and replace it with "Negro" or "Colored American". A few institutions however elected to keep their historical names such as African Methodist Episcopal Church. "Negro" and "colored" remained the popular terms until the late 1960s.
The term ''black'' was used throughout but not frequently as it carried a certain stigma. In his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. uses the terms ''Negro'' 15 times and ''black'' 4 times. Each time he uses ''black'' it is in parallel construction with ''white'' (for example,, black men and white men). With the successes of the civil rights movement a new term was needed to break from the past and help shed the reminders of legalized discrimination. In place of ''Negro'', ''black'' was promoted as standing for racial pride, militancy and power. Some of the turning points included the use of the term "Black Power" by Kwame Toure (Stokely Carmichael) and the release of James Brown's song "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud". In 1988 Jesse Jackson urged Americans to use the term African American because the term has a historical cultural base. Since then African American and black have essentially a coequal status. There is still much controversy over which term is more appropriate. Some such as Maulana Karenga and Owen Alik Shahadah argue African-American is more appropriate because it accurately articulates geography and historical origin. Others have argued that "Black" is a better term because "African" suggests foreignness, despite the long presence of Black people in the US. Still others believe the term black is inaccurate because African Americans have a variety of skin tones. Surveys show that the majority of Black Americans have no preference for whether "African American" or "Black" is employed to describe them, although they also show that there is a slight preference for "Black" in personal settings and "African American" in more formal settings. The appropriateness of the term "African American" is further confused, however, by increases in the number of immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. The more recent African immigrants may sometimes view themselves, and be viewed, as culturally distinct from native descendants of African slaves.
The U.S. census race definitions says a black is a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as "Black, African Am., or Negro," or who provide written entries such as African American, Afro American, Kenyan, Nigerian, or Haitian. However, the Census Bureau notes that these classifications are socio-political constructs and should not be interpreted as scientific or anthropological.
A considerable portion of the U.S. population identified as ''black'' actually have some Native American or White ancestry. For instance, genetic studies of African American people show an ancestry that is on average 17–18% European.
One drop rule
Historically, the United States used a colloquial term, the ''one-drop rule'', to designate a black person as any person with any known African ancestry. Legally the definition varied from state to state. Thomas Jefferson had slaves who were legally white (less than 25% Black) and legally slaves (mother was a slave). Outside of the US, some other countries have adopted the practice, but the definition of who is black and the extent to which the one drop "rule" applies varies from country to country.The one drop rule may have originated as a means of increasing the number of black slaves and been maintained as an attempt to keep the white race pure. One of the results of the one drop rule was uniting the African American community and preserving an African identity. Some of the most prominent civil rights activists were multiracial, and advocated equality for all.
Blackness
thumb|upright|right|Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States, was throughout his campaign criticized as being either "too black" or "not black enough".The concept of blackness in the United States has been described as the degree to which one associates themselves with mainstream African American culture and values. To a certain extent, this concept is not so much about race but more about culture and behavior. Blackness can be contrasted with "acting white" where black Americans are said to behave with assumed characteristics of stereotypical white Americans, with regard to fashion, dialect, taste in music, and possibly, from the perspective of a significant number of Black youth, academic achievement.The notion of blackness can also be extended to non-black people. Toni Morrison once described Bill Clinton as the first black president, because of his warm relations with African Americans, his poor upbringing and also because he is a jazz musician. Christopher Hitchens was offended by the notion of Clinton as the first black president noting "we can still define blackness by the following symptoms: alcoholic mothers, under-the-bridge habits...the tendency to sexual predation and shameless perjury about the same" Some black activists were also offended, claiming Clinton used his knowledge of black culture to exploit black people like no other president before for political gain, while not serving black interests. They note his lack of action during the Rwanda genocide and his welfare reform which some claim led to the worst child poverty since the 1960s along with the fact that the number of black people in jail increased during his administration.
The question of blackness also arose in Democrat Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Commentators have questioned whether Obama, who was elected the first black President of the United States, is black enough, as his mother was white American, and his father was a black Kenyan immigrant. Obama refers to himself interchangeably as black and African American.
Brazil
The topic of race in Brazil is a complex and diverse one. A Brazilian child was never automatically identified with the racial type of one or both parents, nor were there only two categories to choose from. Between a pure black and a very light mulatto over a dozen racial categories would be recognized in conformity with the combinations of hair color, hair texture, eye color, and skin color. These types grade into each other like the colors of the spectrum, and no one category stands significantly isolated from the rest. That is, race referred to appearance, not heredity.
There is some disagreement among scholars over the effects of social status on racial classifications in Brazil. It is generally believed that upward mobility and education results in reclassification of individuals into lighter skinned categories. The popular claim is that in Brazil poor whites are considered black and wealthy blacks are considered white. Some scholars disagree arguing that whitening of one's social status may be open to people of mixed race, but a typically black person will consistently be identified as black regardless of wealth or social status.
Statistics
| +Demographics of Brazil | |||
| Year!! White !! Pardo!! Black | |||
| 1835 | 24.4% | 18.2% | 51.4% |
| 2000 | 53.7% | 38.5% |
A philosophy of whitening emerged in Brazil in the 19th century. Until recently the government did not keep data on race. However, statisticians estimate that in 1835 half the population was black, one fifth was Pardo (brown) and one fourth white. By 2000 the black population had fallen to only 6.2% and the Pardo had increased to 40% and white to 55%. Essentially most of the black population was absorbed into the multiracial category by intermarriage. A recent study found that at least 29% of the middle class white Brazilian population had some recent African ancestry.
Race relations in Brazil
Because of the ideology of miscegenation, Brazil has avoided the polarization of society into black and white. The bitter and sometimes violent racial tensions that divide the US are notably absent in Brazil.However, the philosophy of the racial democracy in Brazil has drawn criticism from some quarters. Brazil has one of the largest gaps in income distribution in the world. The richest 10% of the population earn 28 times the average income of the bottom 40%. The richest 10 percent is almost exclusively white. One-third of the population lives under the poverty line, with blacks and other non-whites accounting for 70 percent of the poor.
In the US, black people earn 75% of what white people earn. In Brazil, non-whites earn less than 50% of what whites earn. Some have posited that Brazil does in fact practice the one drop rule when social economic factors are considered. This is because the gap in income between blacks and other non-whites is relatively small compared to the large gap between whites and non-whites. Other factors such as illiteracy and education level show the same patterns. Unlike in the US where African Americans were united in the civil rights struggle, in Brazil the philosophy of whitening has helped divide blacks from other non-whites and prevented a more active civil rights movement.
Though Afro-Brazilians make up half the population there are very few black politicians. The city of Salvador, Bahia for instance is 80% Afro-Brazilian but has never had a black mayor. Critics indicate that US cities that have a black majority, such as Detroit and New Orleans, have never had white mayors since first electing black mayors in the 1970s.
Non-white people also have limited media visibility. The Latin American media, in particular the Brazilian media, has been accused of hiding its black and indigenous population. For example the telenovelas or soaps are said to be a hotbed of white, largely blonde and blue/green-eyed actors who resemble Scandinavians or other northern Europeans more than they resemble the typical whites of Brazil, who are mostly of Southern European descent.
These patterns of discrimination against non-whites have led some to advocate for the use of the Portuguese term 'negro' to encompass non-whites so as to renew a black consciousness and identity, in effect an African descent rule.
In Asia and Australasia
China
As of August, 2008, ''The Migration Information Source'' article noted that "A Nigerian Embassy spokesman estimated that Nigerians possibly make up the largest group of Black Africans in China, with about 2,000 to 3,000 Nigerians in Guangdong in 2006. Most businessmen only stay temporarily."
India and Southeast Asia
The Great Andamanese are one of five Afro Asian ethnic groups (Adivasi or tribal) native to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; they are among the first inhabitants of what is now India, arriving over 70,000 years ago. They are facing extinction. The other four ethnic groups are the Jangil, Jarawa, Onge and Sentinelese. By their external physical appearance (phenotype) such people resemble Black Africans with dark skin and sometimes tightly coiled hair. There have been suggestions of a Black African origin. However, in the case of the Andamanese people, a study conducted by the NCBI indicated that the Andamanese people possessed closer affinities with the Southeast Asian population than with the Black African population.In South India there are also several communities of Black African descent, such as the Sheedis/Siddis, specifically the Siddis of Karnataka, who descend from Zanj (Black African) slaves. In Pakistan, Zanj descendants are known as the Makrani.
Other black people of Southeast Asia, collectively known as Negritos, include the Aeta people of Luzon and the Ati of Panay in the Philippines.
Melanesia
There are several groups of dark-skinned people who live in various parts of Asia, Australia and Oceania who sometimes are referred to as black people. They include the Indigenous Australians, the Melanesians (now divided into Austronesian-speaking populations and Papuans, and including the great genetic diversity of New Guinea), the Semang people of the Malay peninsula, and indigenous first nation Fijians.
In Europe
United Kingdom
According to the Office for National Statistics, as of the 2001 census, there are over a million black people in the United Kingdom; 1% of the total population describe themselves as "Black Caribbean", 0.8% as "Black African", and 0.2% as "Black other". Britain encouraged the immigration of workers from the Caribbean after World War II; the first symbolic movement was those who came on the ship the ''Empire Windrush''. The preferred official umbrella term is "black and minority ethnic" (BME), but sometimes the term "black" is used on its own, to express unified opposition to racism, as in the Southall Black Sisters, which started with a mainly British Asian constituency.
France
France is an ethnically diverse nation, with about 2.5 – 5 million black people.
Balkans
Due to the Ottoman slave trade that had flourished in the Balkans, the coastal town of Ulcinj in Montenegro had its own black community. As a consequence of the slave trade and privateer activity, a considerable number of Ulcinj inhabitants until 1878 were black. The Ottoman Army also sent an estimated 30,000 Black African troops and cavalrymen to its expedition in Hungary during the Austro-Turkish War of 1716–18.
Eastern Europe
As African states became independent in the 1960s, the Soviet Union offered many of their citizens the chance to study in Russia. Over a period of 40 years, about 400,000 African students from various countries moved to Russia to pursue higher studies, including many Black Africans. This extended beyond the Soviet Union to many countries of the Eastern bloc.
Debates on race
In Afrocentrism
A controversy over the skin color and ethnic origins of the ancient Egyptians was sparked as part of the Afrocentric debate. Afrocentrist scholars such as Cheikh Anta Diop contend that ancient Egypt was primarily a "black civilization". One source cited in support of their argument is Herodotus, who wrote around 450 B.C. that "Colchians, Ethiopians and Egyptians have thick lips, broad nose, woolly hair and they are burnt of skin." However, Classical scholar Frank Snowden, Jr. cautions against the reliance on accounts by ancient writers to describe the physical characteristics of other ancient peoples, as they held different connotations from those of modern-day terminology in the West. He also points out that other ancient writers clearly distinguished between Egyptians and Ethiopians.Keita and Boyce confront this issue in a 1996 article entitled, "The Geographical Origins and Population Relationships of Early Ancient Egyptians". As anthropologists, they point out the danger in relying on ancient interpretation to reveal for us the biological make up of a population. In any case they contend, the relevant data indicates greater similarity between Egyptians and Ethiopians than the former group with the Ancient Greeks.
Ancient Egyptians are often portrayed in modern media as Caucasians. Afrocentrists, in particular, have been critical of this. According to Egyptologists, ancient Egypt was a multicultural society of Middle Eastern, Northeast African, and Saharan influences. Afrocentrists argue that anthropological and archaeological evidence shows that what they term an ''Africoid'' element was evident in ancient Egypt, which they argue was predominant in Abydos in the First dynasty of Egypt.
See also
Footnotes
Category:Latin American caste system Category:Race
ca:Raça negra de:Schwarze et:Neegrid es:Negro (persona) eo:Nigrulo fr:Noir (humain) ko:흑인 la:Nigrita simple:Black people sv:Svart (hudfärg) uk:Негр ug:قارا تەنلىكلەر wuu:黑人 yi:שווארצע zh-yue:黑人 bat-smg:Negrā zh:黑人This text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License. This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community.
| alt | A mid-twenties African American man wearing a sequined military jacket and dark sunglasses. He is walking while waving his right hand, which is adorned with a white glove. His left hand is bare. |
|---|---|
| background | solo_singer |
| birth name | Michael Joseph Jackson |
| alias | Michael Joe Jackson, MJ, King of Pop |
| birth date | August 29, 1958 |
| birth place | Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
| death date | June 25, 2009 |
| death place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| instrument | vocals, guitar, drums, percussion, keyboards |
| genre | R&B;, pop, rock, soul, dance, funk, disco, New jack swing |
| occupation | Singer-songwriter, musician, composer, dancer, choreographer, record producer, actor, businessman, philanthropist |
| years active | 1964–2009 |
| label | Motown, Epic, Legacy |
| associated acts | The Jackson 5 |
| relatives | Janet Jackson (sister) |
| website | 130pxMichael Jackson's signature }} |
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Often referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5, then the Jacksons in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971.
In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B;, pop and rock artists.
Jackson's 1982 album ''Thriller'' is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including ''Off the Wall'' (1979), ''Bad'' (1987), ''Dangerous'' (1991), and ''HIStory'' (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of popular music.
Life and career
Early life and The Jackson 5 (1958–1975)
Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children in an African American working-class family who lived in a small 3-room house in Gary, Indiana, an industrial city near Chicago. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, was a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B; band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy. A sixth brother, Brandon, died shortly after birth.Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father, Joe. In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B; Album, Favorite Soul/R&B; Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B; Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". That year, he also won Billboard Year-End for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B; Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". Jackson again won at the American Music Awards in 1981 for Favorite Soul/R&B; Album and Favorite Soul/R&B; Male Artist. Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt ''Off the Wall'' should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.
''Thriller'' and ''Motown 25'' (1982–83)
In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial''; the record won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children in 1984. In the same year he won another seven Grammys and eight American Music Awards (including the Award of Merit, the youngest artist to win it), making him the most awarded in one night for both award shows. The album topped the ''Billboard'' 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to have seven ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It," and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." ''Thriller'' was certified for 29 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the United States. The album won also another Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical in 1984, awarding Bruce Swedien for his work. Thanks to the ''Bad'' album, Bruce Swedien and Humberto Gatica won one Grammy in 1988 for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and Michael Jackson won one Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone" in 1989. ''HIStory'' received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. However, the sales for ''Invincible'' were lower than those of his previous releases, due in part to a lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute. The album also came out at a bad time for the music industry in general. Jackson rehearsed in Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of choreographer Kenny Ortega. Most of these rehearsals took place at the Staples Center, which was owned by AEG. With ''Thriller'', Christopher Connelly of ''Rolling Stone'' commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers. In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media. "Beat It" decried gang violence in an homage to ''West Side Story'', and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey. He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.In ''Bad'', Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana". The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror" is an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that ''Dangerous'' presents Jackson as a very paradoxical individual. He comments the album is more diverse than his previous ''Bad'', as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World". The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. ''Dangerous'' contains sexually charged efforts such as the multifaceted love song, "In the Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson opening up about various personal struggles and worries. In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.
''HIStory'' creates an atmosphere of paranoia. Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B; ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media. In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces. In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not—shall we say—done him the honor of listening to it, but I've been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot". ''Invincible'' found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins. It is a record made up of urban soul like "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn" and "Butterflies" and mixes hip-hop, pop and R&B; in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".
Vocal style
Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice descended from boy soprano to high tenor. Jackson first used a technique called the "vocal hiccup" in 1973, starting with the song "It's Too Late to Change the Time" from The Jackson 5's ''G.I.T.: Get It Together'' album. Jackson did not use the hiccup technique— somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping— fully until the recording of ''Off the Wall'': it can be seen in full force in the "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" promotional video. With the arrival of ''Off the Wall'' in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded. At the time, ''Rolling Stone'' compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly". 1982 saw the release of ''Thriller'', and ''Rolling Stone'' was of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".
A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelled "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him. The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album ''Dangerous''. ''The New York Times'' noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals. When commenting on ''Invincible'', ''Rolling Stone'' were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies". Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist".
Music videos and choreography
Referred to as the King of Music Videos, Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers. Before ''Thriller'', Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American. Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition. MTV employees deny any racism in their coverage, or pressure to change their stance. MTV maintains that they played rock music, regardless of race. The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B.; His performance on ''Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' changed the scope of live stage show; "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience" thus creating an era in which artists re-create the spectacle of music video imagery on stage. Short films like ''Thriller'' largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated. The choreography in ''Thriller'' has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Indian films to prisons in the Philippines. The ''Thriller'' short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the ''Guinness World Records''.In the 19-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Oprah in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he replied, "I think it happens subliminally" and he described it as something that was not planned, but rather, as something that was compelled by the music. "Bad" garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; ''Time'' magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles.
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Further reading
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