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Martin Lawrence has shaped his career as one of the nation’s funniest comedians of all time. Since his first television appearance in the late ’80s on the hit show "What’s Happening Now!!", Lawrence has shown up and shown out as an award-winning actor and fan favorite in comedy.
On Saturday, March 15, Lawrence will perform in Chicago at UIC's Credit Union 1 Arena, 525 S. Racine Ave., as part of his most recent comedy tour, "Y’all Know What It Is!". He gives big ups to Chicago, saying it’s where he first gained fame with his "One Night Stand" tour 30 years ago.
“I love Chicago,” Lawrence said. “It was Chicago that gave me my first start as far as breaking me out into stardom. I shot my 'One Night Stand' at the Vic Theater in Chicago, and the people and all the fans there launched my career.”
Before announcing his current comedy tour, "Y’all Know What It Is!", Lawrence hadn’t been on stage as a stand-up comedian since his last one-man show, "Runteldat", in 2002. However, we haven’t missed him! Lawrence stood alongside Will Smith once again in "Bad Boys for Life" (2020) and "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" (2024).
“When you love what you do, you make a way. And I love what I do, and I always wanted to be an actor,” Lawrence said. “Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy were my inspirations for comedy. I tried to do comedy in every form I could.”
People who grew up watching Lawrence in the 1990s likely understand all he brought to Black television culture. His character versatility in the hit Fox sitcom "Martin" could make anyone witness a flamboyant, annoying neighbor named Sheneneh Jenkins, a white man named Bob, or an obsessive singing mechanic named Leroy. Lawrence made us laugh, and those moments on Martin are cultural staples in Black television. If you’re fluent in Black culture, you’re likely fluent in Martin Payne.
“Black people got it going on,” said Lawrence. “We are some of the most brilliant people in the world. We don’t copy the world—the world copies us.”
Next month, Lawrence will celebrate his 60th birthday. Reflecting on his years in the industry, he said one of the most important lessons he’s learned is: “Make sure you respect people if you want to be respected, and give out as much love as possible. If you want love back, work hard on your craft and dedicate yourself to your craft.”
Lawrence said that of all his stand-up and film projects, the movie "Life" remains one of his most influential roles.
“I got to work with my mentor and idol, Eddie Murphy. He taught me so much—how professional he was and how good he was at improv,” Lawrence said. “I got to work with him and laugh with him. It was one of my greatest joys working in movies.”
To know the life and legacy of Martin Lawrence is to know the evolution of Black people on television. In 1939, Ethel Waters (better known as Weezy Jefferson from the hit sitcom "The Jeffersons") became the first Black person to star in her own show, "The Ethel Waters Show".
In the 1980s, Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad entered Black entertainment as the beloved Huxtable family on "The Cosby Show". For the first time, Black Americans witnessed the depiction of an affluent Black family on their television screens.
Then came the 1990s—the decade of entertainment that shunned the police and dressed in Cross Colors. In "Living Color", created by Keenan Ivory Wayans, carved out its own lane in sketch comedy, and the culture went wild. The series ran for five seasons, from 1990 to 1994, and provided a platform for many of the Wayans family’s comedic members, including Shawn, Marlon, and Kim Wayans. The show was a breakthrough in Black television, and Lawrence was a part of this entertainment revolution.
Nearly six decades after the first Black person starred in their own show, Lawrence not only led his own series, "Martin", but also played multiple characters within it. The show aired for five seasons from 1992 to 1997. Yet, despite its deep influence on Black entertainment and its recent social media buzz, Lawrence tells fans not to expect a "Martin" reboot.
“There will not be a reboot,” Lawrence said. “It’s because Tommy Ford isn’t here, and it wouldn’t be the same. Tommy was our spiritual leader. He will be missed.”
Lawrence said that during his years on "Martin", he realized he was “funny as hell.”
“Or funny as heaven, I should say,” he added.
“Everybody needs to laugh,” Lawrence continued. “We are in crazy times right now. What we need is laughter in this life. Come on out and get some laughter, because you’re guaranteed some laughs. Take your mind away from this bull for a while.”
Tickets for Martin’s "Y’all Know What It Is!" comedy tour are available online at martinlawrencetour.com.