BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY
Christopher Martin (entertainer)
| Christopher "Play" Martin | |
|---|---|
Christopher "Play" Martin (right) at the 2010Tribeca Film Festival.
| |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Christopher Martin |
| Born | July 10, 1962 |
| Origin | Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip-Hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | Select Records Elektra Records |
| Associated acts | Kid 'n Play, House Party, Salt-N-Pepa, Pete Rock, Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor |
Christopher "Play" Martin (born July 10, 1962 in Queens, New York) is an American rapper and actor, formerly the latter half of the late 1980's/early 1990;s hip-hop/comedy duo Kid 'n Play.
Career
The name, "Play", comes from his original MC name, "Playboy", which originated with a group called "Quicksilver and the Super Lovers",[1] which featured producer Hurby Luv Bug. It was with this group that he met Christopher "Kid" Reid, who was using the name "Kid Coolout" with a group called The Turnout Brothers. In time, all of the members of their respective groups moved on, and decided that they could work together as a duo. By shortening their nicknames, it would lead to the start of the group Kid 'n Play.
With Kid, Play recorded three successful albums and starred in four hip-hop based comedy films: House Party, House Party 2, Class Act, and House Party 3. After the duo split in 1995, Play became a born-again Christian and focused on Christian hip hop. Today, Play is the founder and CEO of HP4 Digital, a pre- and post-production multimedia company for film, digital media, and theater. In 2010, Play starred as an undercover DEA agent in the independent film, The Return, which is currently in post-production and whose trailer can be seen on youtube.com.[2][3] Play was also a judge for the 8th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists.[4][5]
Personal life
Martin is a cousin of Martin Lawrence. He is a graduate of the High School of Art and Design, in New York City. Martin has a son, Skyler Martin, with ex-wife Shari Headley (an actress best known for her role in the 1988 comedy Coming To America starring Eddie Murphy). The couple married in May 1993 and divorced in June 1995. Martin also has a child with his ex-girlfriend Janae Yvonne Jackson, named Vannessa Martin-Jackson, born in the 80's. Martin now resides in Durham, North Carolina, and was a hip hop teacher at North Carolina Central University until budget cuts forced the school to let him go in 2009. Upon learning of the firing, students began a petition for Martin to be given back the position, along with 9th Wonder. Martin also serves as a professional-in-residence with the Institute for Hip Hop and Music Industry Studies that Clemons directs at Florida A & M University, and he devotes time to the non-profit group Campaign for Change.
Discography
With Kid 'n Play
Albums
- 1988: 2 Hype
- 1990: Kid 'n Play's Funhouse
- 1991: Face the Nation
Acting career
Television
- The Cosby Show - recurring guest star
- Kid 'n Play (1990–1991, animated cartoon, NBC)
Film
- House Party (1990) - Peter "Play" Martin
- House Party 2 (1991) - Peter "Play" Martin
- Class Act (1992) Michael Charles "Blade" Brown
- House Party 3 (1994) - Peter "Play" Martin
- Rising to the Top (1999)
- Welcome to Durham, USA (2007)
- House Party: Tonight's the Night (2013) - Peter "Play" Martin (cameo)
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