BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY
Katt Williams
| BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY |
| Katt Williams | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Micah Sierra Williams[1][2][3] |
| Born | September 2, 1971 [4] Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, film, music |
| Nationality | American |
| Years active | 1990–Present |
| Genres | Black comedy, blue comedy,satire, observational comedy,physical comedy |
| Subject(s) | African-American culture, racism, recreational drug use, politics, celebrities, sex |
| Notable works and roles | Various in Wild 'n Out Bobby Shaw in My Wife and Kids Money Mike in Friday After Next It's Pimpin' Pimpin' Norbit Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore |
| Website | www |
Micah Sierra "Katt" Williams (born September 2, 1971) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, rapper,[5] singer, voice artist, and comedian. He had a role as Money Mike in Friday After Next, had a stint on Wild 'n Out, portrayed Bobby Shaw in My Wife and Kids, provided the voice of A Pimp Named Slickback in The Boondocks, portrayed Lord Have Mercy in Norbit, and provided the voice of Seamus in Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.
Early life
| BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY |
Williams was born Micah Sierra Williams in Cincinnati, Ohio on September 2, 1971.
Career
Stand-up career
Williams honed his comic delivery by performing his routine in clubs nationwide, from Oklahoma to Oakland, California. By 1999, Katt had become an established comic, appearing on stage at the likes of The Improv, The Comedy Club, The Icehouse and The Hollywood Park Casino. Most notably appearing on BET's Comic View.[6][7]
Williams starred in his first comedy special in 2006 entitled Katt Williams: Live: Let a Playa Play. His second & first HBO stand-up special was 2006’s The Pimp Chronicles, Pt. 1, with his comedy piece "This Shit Right Here Nigga, This Shit Right Here Nigga".[6] In 2007 Williams was offered a movie/standup which he entitled American Hustle. The film had critical success and established Williams as a Mainstream Comedian.[6][8] In 2008 Williams released his second HBO comedy special entitled It's Pimpin' Pimpin', with Williams doing more of a Political standup.[9] In 2012 after 4 years of not doing stand-up comedy, Williams returned to stand up in his third HBO comedy special entitled Kattpacalypse.[10]
On December 3, 2012 Williams announced the end of his stand-up comedy career, a day after a bizarre incident in Seattle, Washington that landed him in jail.[11] However, just 3 days later, Williams announced he was coming out of retirement.[12]
As of late 2013 Williams was on his "Growth Spurt" Tour. [13]
On August 16, 2014 Williams returned with a new HBO special titled "Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife", which was directed by Spike Lee.[14][15]
Film and television career
| BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY |
In 2002, Williams made his acting debut on NYPD Blue. He gained notoriety on Wild 'n Out, in which he appeared for several seasons.[6][7]
In 2007, he provided the voice of A Pimp Named Slickback in The Boondocks; he plays himself as an onstage comedian in Grand Theft Auto IV; and Williams has appeared in several episodes of My Wife and Kids as character Bobby Shaw. He was also on Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav.[6][7]
Williams has also played supporting characters in films, such as First Sunday and Norbit, but is more widely recognized for his character Money Mike in Friday After Next.[6][7]
Music career
He has also used the Money Mike stage name when rapping for songs by such artists as Baby Bash, The Game, and Suga Free. In 2006 William's joined well known New York rapper Cam'ron's group The Diplomats but was never signed as an official artist for the label.[16] In January 29, 2009 Williams released his debut studio/live album entitled It's Pimpin' Pimpin'. On November 19, 2013 Williams & Hell Rell released a diss song to Atlanta rapper Trinidad James entitled "Lames In The Game" due to comments made by the rapper about the state of current Hip Hop music.[17]
Controversy
Incidents at live shows
On August 27, 2011, his performance at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona was marred by an incident during which Williams responded to a heckler, identified as being of Mexican descent, with an angry tirade that included Williams shouting "...so if you love Mexico, bitch, get the fuck over there!"[18] In an interview following the performance, Williams stated that the incident was precipitated by the heckler. "If a person starts their heckling with 'f' America, then that gives me the right to defend my country," Williams said. Williams offered no apology for his remarks during the performance, stating "I don't think I need to apologize for being pro-American."[19]
Two live performances in November 2012 were ended early due to Williams' confrontational behavior. A November 1 performance at the Wells Fargo Theatre in Denver ended after Williams jumped off the stage to confront a heckler.[20] A November 16 performance at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California ended after Williams again entered into a profanity-laced confrontation with a heckler and was assisted off stage by his own security staff.[21] This followed Williams' November 15, 2012 arrest in Oakland on charges of suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly beating an 18 year-old Berkeley, California man with a bottle aboard Williams' tour bus.[22]
Williams failed to appear for a scheduled performance on Thursday, November 29, 2012, at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, Washington. No explanation was immediately offered and the booking agency was forced to offer refunds to audience members.[23]
Legal issues
On November 13, 2006, Williams was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after a stolen gun was found in his briefcase.[24] On December 14, 2006, Williams pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm and was sentenced to three years probation, ordered to pay restitution, and was given credit for the three days he spent in jail.[3]
In November 2010, Williams was arrested by police while working on a film in Coweta County, Georgia. He was accused of stealing $3,500 worth of coins and jewelry. He was released the following day on a $40,000 bond.[25] Police later charged Williams with burglary and criminal trespass.[26]
On June 11, 2011, Williams was arrested in connection of an alleged assault on a tractor driver. The alleged victim said three women approached his tractor at around 4:30pm local time and attacked him with rocks and dirt clods, causing him facial injuries.[27] Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officers arrived on the scene and arrested the three women for assault with a deadly weapon and Williams for felony intimidation of a witness.[28] Williams was booked into jail and released that same night on $50,000 bail.[28]
On November 9, 2012, a lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of California County of Los Angeles which alleges that on October 6, 2012 Williams hit his former assistant with "a closed fist" causing serious injury. The plaintiff is asking for punitive damages in the amount of $5 million.[29]
On November 15, 2012, he was arrested in Oakland, California on charges of suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly beating an 18 year-old Berkeley, California man with a bottle aboard Williams' tour bus.[22]
An attendee of Williams' aborted November 16, 2012 performance at the Oracle Arena in Oakland filed a class action lawsuit days after the event, seeking compensation for himself and "all others who paid money for a show and got nothing but Katt Williams' nonperformance."[30]
On December 2, 2012, he was arrested in Seattle after he allegedly got into a dispute at a bar in South Lake Union. Williams’ arrest came after his no-show November 29, 2012 for the first night of a planned two-night engagement at the Paramount Theatre.[31]
On December 7, 2012, Williams was arrested again in Dunnigan, California on a felony warrant arising from a November 25, 2012 incident in Sacramento, California where he allegedly drove a three-wheeled motorbike on a sidewalk and failed to stop for police. During the resulting police chase, Williams is alleged to have nearly hit five people with his bike, which prompted authorities to end the chase for safety reasons and issue the subsequent warrant.[32]
On December 28, 2012, Williams was arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly endangering his 4 children. He was held on $100,000 bail and his children were placed in protective custody.[33]
On January 8, 2013, he was arrested at his LA home after a warrant was issued for failing to appear in Sacramento County Court on charges of driving in a reckless manner from the November 25th incident in which he allegedly drove a three-wheeled motorbike on a sidewalk and failed to stop for police.[34]
On October 29, 2014, Williams and Suge Knight were arrested for the theft of a camera from a female photographer in an incident which occurred in Beverly Hills on September 5.[35]
Personal l
Williams is the father of eight children (including one biological son named Micah[citation needed] from his former marriage and seven adopted children[citation needed]).
In 2008, he moved with his children to South Dakota and set-up temporary residence. He later tried to purchase said house from his attorney J.J James as a permanent residence for him and his family. A former nanny won custody of one of his children (an 8-year-old girl) after Williams failed to make a court appearance. The following month, he filed a claim that the nanny was a "shameless fraud" and won back custody of his child.[36]
Awards and nominations
| BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY |
In 2007, Williams was nominated for the Teen Choice Awards Choice Comedian Award.[37]
| Year | Work | Category | Award Show | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | N/A | Choice Comedian | Teen Choice Awards | Nominated |
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Friday After Next | Money Mike | |
| 2003 | Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd | Neighbor | Uncredited |
| 2006 | Repos | Mr. Henderson | |
| Katt Williams: Live: Let a Playa Play | Himself | Stand-up | |
| The Pimp Chronicles, Pt. 1 | Himself | Stand-up | |
| 2007 | Roast Of Flavor Flav | Host | |
| Norbit | Lord Have Mercy | ||
| The Perfect Holiday | Delicious | ||
| American Hustle: The Movie | Himself | Stand-up | |
| Epic Movie | Harry Beaver | Voice | |
| 2008 | Internet Dating | Mickey | |
| First Sunday | Rickey | ||
| It's Pimpin' Pimpin' | Himself | Stand-up | |
| 2009 | Lonely Street | Rodent | |
| Katt Williams Presents: Katthouse | Himself | Stand-up | |
| Katt Williams: Pimpadelic | Himself | Documentary | |
| 2010 | Katt Williams: 9 Lives | Himself | Documentary |
| Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore | Seamus | Voice | |
| 2012 | Kattpacalypse | Himself | Stand-up |
| The Obama Effect | MLK | ||
| 2013 | Scary Movie 5 | Blaine Fulda | |
| 2014 | Priceless: Afterlife | Himself | Stand-up |
| School Dance | Darren | ||
Television
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Show | Role | |
| 2002 | NYPD Blue | Martel Cates | |
| 2004 | The Tracy Morgan Show | Freddie | |
| 2004–2005 | My Wife and Kids | Bobby Shaw | |
| 2005 | Girlfriends | Rick Beatty | |
| Cuts | Barry | ||
| 2005–2014 | The Boondocks | A Pimp Named Slickback | Voice |
| 2007 | Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz | Barry | |
Discography
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Heat | ||
| The Pimp Chronicles, Pt. 1 |
| — | — |
| It's Pimpin' Pimpin' |
| 174 | 5 |
| Pimpadelic |
| — | — |
| Kattpacalypse |
| — | — |
| Live |
| — | — |
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