Katt Williams | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Williams in 2017 | |
| Born | Micah Williams (1971-09-02)September 2, 1971 (age 54) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Children | 10 (3 biological, 7 adopted) |
| Comedy career | |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, film |
| Genres | Observational comedy,black comedy,blue comedy,physical comedy,insult comedy,satire |
| Subjects | African-American culture, racism, politics, celebrities, sex |
| Website | kattwilliamslive |
Micah "Katt"Williams (born September 2, 1971) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He played Money Mike inFriday After Next, was a recurring guest onWild 'n Out, portrayed Bobby Shaw inMy Wife and Kids, provided the voice of A Pimp Named Slickback inThe Boondocks and Seamus inCats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, and portrayed Lord Have Mercy inNorbit.
Micah Williams was born inCincinnati, Ohio, on September 2, 1971.[1][2][3] He was raised inDayton, Ohio byJehovah's Witness parents.[4][3] He stated that he learned to read at three years old, and was communicating in multiple languages, including French and Creole. During his childhood, he lived in Haiti for a year and a half on religious mission trips with his family.[5]
Williamsemancipated himself from his parents at age 13 and moved to Florida. Though homeless and living in a park, he supported himself as a street vendor.[6][7] He stated that he wanted to remain God's friend.[4]
Since at least 2016, Williams has stated on numerous occasions that he enlisted in theUnited States Marine Corps as a minor at the age of 16, attended boot camp, and was subsequently discharged when his age was discovered. However, in a CBS News investigation, the Marine Corps stated that there was no record of Williams having ever served in the military or attended any Marine training facilities.[8]
Williams started performing comedy in theAvondale neighborhood of Cincinnati.[9][10] He honed his comic delivery by performing his routine in clubs around the country and had become an established comic by 1999, appearing at the likes ofThe Improv, The Comedy Club,The Ice House, andHollywood Park Casino. Most notably, he appeared onBET'sComicView as Katt "N da Hatt" Williams.[9][10] It was later confirmed by Williams thatDr. Seuss sued Williams because of the Katt "n da hatt."
Williams starred in his first comedy special,Let a Playa Play, in 2006. His firstHBO stand-up special came in 2006 withThe Pimp Chronicles, Pt. 1.[9] In 2007, he co-wrote and starred as himself in the comedy filmKatt Williams: American Hustle. The film had critical success and established Williams as a mainstream comedian.[9][11] In 2008, he released his secondHBO comedy special,It's Pimpin' Pimpin'.[12][13] Keeping busy releasing comedy DVDs and touring, Williams had a comedy tour that was named the best of 2008 byBillboard.[13]
After a four-year hiatus, Williams returned to stand-up in 2012 for his third HBO comedy special,Kattpacalypse.[14] Later that year, he ended up on jail after an incident at aSeattle bar where he reportedly acted threatening and violent, then resisted arrest. The next day, Williams announced the end of his stand-up comedy career.[15] However, three days later, he announced he would not retire.[16]
Two live performances in November 2012 ended early because of Williams' confrontational behavior. A November 1 performance at theWells Fargo Theatre inDenver ended after he jumped off the stage to confront aheckler.[17] Williams' November 16 performance at theOracle Arena inOakland ended after he engaged in a profanity-laced confrontation with a heckler, and was assisted off stage by his own security team.[18]
During late 2013, Williams was on his Growth Spurt Tour.[19] On August 16, 2014, he returned with a new HBO special titledKatt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife, which was directed bySpike Lee.[20][21]
In September 2015, during an interview, Williams announced and described his upcoming Conspiracy Theory Tour: "Theconspiracy conversation is a conversation that we are all familiar with. We know that there are conspiracies out there, but this is a conversation that encompasses a lot of things that aren't being discussed other places. That's the basis for all conspiracy theories: the fact that there is hidden information out there, and how our process changes about things that we thought we used to know. We all, at some point, if we're are at a certain age, we grew upthinking Pluto was a planet. This is probably going to go down as one of my finest works, just because it's a collection of forbidden topics that we can't seem to get answered. I am one of the rare urban public officials. Part of my guarantee in my ticket price is that I'm going to be talking about what we are talking about now, and discussing from now to the next time we see [me] again. This is the open discussion that we've had since 2003. This is what it is about."[22]
In 2018, Williams released a new stand-up special onNetflix calledGreat America and shot inJacksonville, Florida.[23]
In 2022, he released a new stand-up special on Netflix calledWorld War III.
In January 2024, Williams was featured on retired NFL playerShannon Sharpe's podcast,Club Shay Shay. Williams' comments on the entertainment industry and other comedians includingCedric the Entertainer,Steve Harvey, andRickey Smiley gained traction on social media.[24]
On May 4, 2024,Katt Williams: Woke Foke streamed live from Los Angeles. Part ofNetflix Is a Joke Festival, it was Williams' thirteenth stand-up comedy special (his third forNetflix).[25]
In 2002, Williams made his acting debut onNYPD Blue on the sixth episode of its tenth season on October 29. Williams is best-known for his character Money Mike in the filmFriday After Next (2002), and has played supporting characters inNorbit (2007) andFirst Sunday (2008).[9]
He appeared in the official music video forNick Cannon's single "Gigolo" in 2003. He next appeared as a regular onWild 'n Out onMTV during its first three seasons.[9]
In 2007, Williams provided the voice of A Pimp Named Slickback while, slickback's name and overall persona are modeled after Natalac pimp of the City, a classic BET Uncut video that went viral in the early 2000s.The Boondocks. He plays himself as an on-stagestand-up comedian inGrand Theft Auto IV performing several routines, including an abbreviated version of one of his routines fromKatt Williams: American Hustle. He has appeared in several episodes ofMy Wife and Kids as character Bobby Shaw. He was the roastmaster of theComedy Central Roast ofFlavor Flav.[9][10]
In 2018, he played the character Willie in the season 2 premiere ofAtlanta, for which he won thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
Williams has also used the stage name "Money Mike" when rapping for songs by such artists asBaby Bash,The Game, andSuga Free. In 2006, he joined rapperCam'ron's groupThe Diplomats, but was never signed as an official artist for the label.[26] On January 29, 2009, he released his debut studio/live album,It's Pimpin' Pimpin'. On November 19, 2013, he andHell Rell released a diss song toAtlanta rapperTrinidad James entitled "Lames in the Game" due to comments made by James about the state of currenthip hop music.[27]
On November 13, 2006, Williams was arrested atLos Angeles International Airport after a gun that had been reported stolen was found in his briefcase.[28] On December 14, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm and was sentenced to three years' probation, ordered to pay restitution, and given credit for the three days he spent in jail.[2]
In November 2010, Williams was arrested by police while working on a film inCoweta 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.[29] Police later charged him with burglary and criminal trespass.[30]
On June 11, 2011, Williams was arrested in connection with an alleged assault on a tractor driver. The alleged victim said three women approached his tractor at around 4:30 p.m. local time and attacked him with rocks and dirt clods, causing him facial injuries.[31]Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officers arrived on the scene and arrested the three women for assault with a deadly weapon, and arrested Williams for felony intimidation of a witness.[32] He was booked into jail and released that same night on $50,000 bail.[32]
On November 15, 2012, Williams was arrested inOakland, California, on charges of suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon; he had allegedly beaten an 18-year-old with a bottle aboard Williams' tour bus inBerkeley, California.[33]
An attendee of Williams' shortened performance at theOracle Arena in Oakland on November 16, 2012, filed aclass action lawsuit days after the event, seeking compensation for himself and "all others who paid money for a show, but got nothing but Katt Williams' nonperformance".[34]
On December 2, 2012, Williams was arrested inSeattle after he allegedly got into a dispute at a bar in theSouth Lake Union neighborhood. His arrest came after he no-showed the first night of a planned two-night performance at theParamount Theatre.[35] Five days later, he was arrested inDunnigan, California, on abench warrant arising from an incident the previous month inSacramento, California, during which he allegedly drove a three-wheeled motorbike onto a sidewalk and refused to stop for police. The resulting chase was halted due to safety concerns, and the bench warrant was issued after Williams narrowly missed several bystanders.[36]
On December 28, 2012, Williams was arrested inLos Angeles on child endangerment charges. He was held in lieu of $100,000 bail, and four of his adopted children were placed inprotective custody.[37] According to reports, the case fell apart and no trial was scheduled.[38]
On January 8, 2013, Williams was arrested at his Los Angeles home after failing to appear inSacramento to answer the November 25 motorbike charges.[39]
On October 29, 2014, Williams andSuge Knight were arrested for the theft of a camera from a photographer inBeverly Hills on September 5.[40] In April 2017, Williams pled no contest to the charge of robbery and was ordered to undertake a year of anger management classes as well as receiving three years' probation.[41]
On February 29, 2016, Williams was arrested inGainesville, Georgia, when a clerk at a swimming pool store said Williams had hit him. When police arrived, they found Williams already lying face down with his hands behind his back, waiting to be handcuffed.[42]
On March 23, 2016, a video wentviral of the 44-year-old Williams getting into a fight with a 17-year-old boy following a dispute during asoccer game in Gainesville. The authorities planned to review the incident with theDA in addition to his ongoing court cases.[43][44]
On April 27, 2016, Williams was arrested and charged with battery inAtlanta, Georgia, after allegedly throwing a salt shaker at the manager of a local restaurant. The manager claimed to have been hit in the mouth with the salt shaker when Williams' group was denied preferential seating.[45]
On July 24, 2016, Williams was arrested on suspicion of battery after an altercation with a woman at the Sportsman's Lodge, a hotel inSherman Oaks, California.[46]
On September 15, 2016, Williams was arrested inFulton County, Georgia, on a charge of second-degree criminal damage to property, after having turned himself in on a warrant for failing to appear in court for the April 27 incident. This new arrest involved an allegation from February 28, 2016, stating that Williams had thrown a man's cellphone.[47]
On October 6, 2018, Williams was arrested inPortland, Oregon, on a charge of assault in the fourth degree, after he assaulted a driver during an argument about his dog. He was additionally arrested on an outstanding warrant from Georgia.[48]
Williams has ten children consisting of three biological and seven adopted children.[49] Williams is aChristian and often wears a cross during his shows as a symbol of his faith, though he briefly joined theNation of Islam while living inOakland, California.[50]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Friday After Next | Money Mike | |
| 2004 | Choices 2 | Pimp in Pink | Video |
| 2005 | Treasure n tha Hood | Reverend Ike | |
| Ganked | Shane Ross | Video | |
| Rebound | Preacher Don's Sidekick | ||
| 2006 | Repos | Mr. Henderson | Video |
| It Ain't Easy | - | Video | |
| 2007 | Epic Movie | Harry Beaver | |
| Norbit | Lord Have Mercy | ||
| Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular | Wiseman | TV movie | |
| The Perfect Holiday | Delicious | ||
| 2008 | First Sunday | Rickey | |
| Adventures of Tha Blue Carpet Treatment | Himself (voice) | ||
| Lonely Street | Rodent | ||
| Internet Dating | Mickey | Video | |
| 2009 | Young American Gangstas | Joe Joe Brown | |
| 2010 | Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore | Seamus (voice) | |
| 2012 | The Obama Effect | MLK | |
| 2013 | Scary Movie 5 | Blaine Fulda | |
| 2014 | School Dance | Darren | |
| 2015 | American Bad Boy | The Bruce | |
| 2017 | Father Figures | Hitchhiker (The Universe) | |
| 2020 | 2 Minutes of Fame | Marques | |
| 2021 | The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2 | Dr. Mamuwalde | |
| For the Love of Money | Pastor G | ||
| 2025 | One of Them Days | Lucky |
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | NYPD Blue | Martel Cates | Episode: "Maya Con Dios" |
| 2003–04 | The Tracy Morgan Show | Freddie | Main Cast |
| 2004–05 | My Wife and Kids | Bobby Shaw | Recurring Cast: Season 5 |
| 2005 | Love Lounge | Himself | Episode: "The Naked Truth" |
| ComicView | Himself | Episode: "Episode #14.1" & "#14.21" | |
| Girlfriends | Rick Beatty | Episode: "Sleeping Dogs" | |
| Cuts | Barry | Recurring Cast: Season 2 | |
| 2005–07 | Wild 'n Out | Himself | Main Cast: Season 1–4 |
| 2005–08 | The Boondocks | A Pimp Named Slickback (voice) | Guest: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2006 | Def Comedy Jam | Himself | Episode: "Episode #7.4" |
| 2006–07 | BET Hip Hop Awards | Himself/Host | Main Host |
| 2007 | Comics Unleashed | Himself | Episode: "Feb 20, 2007" |
| Comedy Central Roast | Himself/Roastmaster | Episode: "Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav" | |
| Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz | Himself | Main Cast | |
| 2008 | Black Poker Stars Invitational | Himself | Main Guest |
| 2009 | Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List | Himself | Episode: "Kathy at the Apollo" |
| 2012 | Comics Unleashed | Himself | Episode: "Feb 6, 2012" |
| 2016 | Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta | Himself | Episode: "Lovers or Friends?" |
| 2018 | Atlanta | Willie | Episode: "Alligator Man" |
| 2019 | Town Bizzness | Himself | Episode: "Yukmouth in Portland" |
| Black-ish | Perry | Episode: "Enough Is Enough" | |
| 2020 | The Last O.G. | Fred | Episode: "Family Feud" |
| 2022 | Atlanta | Willie | Episode: "Light Skinned-ed" |
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Katt Williams: The Pimp Chronicles Pt. 1 |
| 2006 | Katt Williams Live |
| 2007 | Katt Williams: American Hustle |
| 2008 | Katt Williams: It's Pimpin' Pimpin' |
| 2009 | Katt Williams Presents Katthouse Comedy |
| 2009 | Katt Williams: Pimpadelic |
| 2009 | Katt Williams: The Katt Phenomenon |
| 2010 | Katt Williams: 9 Lives |
| 2012 | Katt Williams: Kattpacalypse |
| 2015 | Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife |
| 2018 | Katt Williams: Great America |
| 2022 | Katt Williams: World War III |
| 2024 | Katt Williams: Woke Foke |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Himself | Voice role |
| Year | Film |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Pimpadelic |
| 2009 | Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy |
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Heat | ||
| The Pimp Chronicles |
| — | — |
| It's Pimpin' Pimpin' |
| 174 | 5 |
| Pimpadelic |
| — | — |
| Kattpacalypse |
| — | — |
| Live |
| — | — |
In 2007, Williams was nominated for theTeen Choice Awards Choice Comedian Award.[51]
In 2018, he won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his appearance on the showAtlanta.[52]
| Year | Award show | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Comedian | — | Nominated | [51] |
| 2018 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Atlanta:Alligator Man | Won | [52] |
Comedian Micah 'Katt' Williams....
...whose full name is Micah S. Katt Williams....
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
