Born in the same Brooklyn New York Hospital where most of his seven brothers and one sister found their way into the world, Tony Rock was born laughing. Being the fourth child, of Rose and Julius Rock, Tony had a natural knack for entertaining. He had to stay alive. Decatur Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, where he grew up, was one of the toughest that New York had to offer. It also provided a host rich characters on which to draw.

“On a daily basis I’d see a dozen characters (and I emphasize the word characters). One moment, I’d be fighting for my life. The next minute I’d be laughing hysterically. There’s a lot of drama in the city and I took it all in.”

Tony has been performing for the last five years. After just six months in the business, his first booking on the road lead him to Amsterdam . “Of course,” Tony says, “they didn’t speak a lot of English. But I find people laugh the same all around the world.”

Upon returning to New York , Tony gained a reputation as a young star in the making. The Hollywood Reporter in 2001 picked him as one of the hot young talents to come out of New York . People Magazine featured Tony in their July 7, 2003 Issue. Since February 2000, he’s become bi-coastal. When in New York , he’s a regular at the famous Comic Strip, Caroline’s, and when in Los Angeles , he’s a regular at the Comedy Store, Improv and Icehouse and he headlines at the Laugh Factory.

In April 2001, he co-starred in an ABC/Disney Pilot, “Me and my Needs.” In July 2001, he hosted an MTV pilot, “It’s Your Show.” In 2002, Tony hosted Comedy Central’s successful “Battle Botts”, in 2003, Tony hosted Oxygen’s “Can You Tell.” In April 2003, Tony landed the role of Dirk Black on UPN’s “All Of Us.” The series, which was picked up in the Fall of 2003, is one of UPN’s hottest new shows.

Besides touring the country, a highlight for Tony was when he came home to New York to headline with Mark Curry and John Henton at Harlem ’s world famous Apollo Theater. “My appearance at the Apollo meant so much to me. To think that I was on the stage where so many of the finest entertainers in America have gone before was a thrill. I was proud to be a part of this great tradition.