Various Stand-Up Comics – Before They Were Kings Volume 2

Before They Were Kings Volume 2
Dave Chappelle, Martin Lawrence, Keenan Wayans and more
Xenon Pictures
60 some minutes

Before They Were Kings Volume 2 is a series of 5 to six minute sets the who’s who in Black stand-up comedy performed for A&E’s Evening At The Improv in the early to mid-nineties. True, some of these comics, like Dwayne Cunningham or Sean Corvelle have dropped off the comedy club radar, and one, Vince Champ, was involved in a rape case according to a Google search that connects that and Match Game 90 to his name, but most of the performances on this stand-up comedy DVD are pretty good.

Martin Lawrence, David Chappelle, and Steve Harvey all give excellent stand-up comedy sets, the better of which is Chappelle’s. This DVD also features Keenan Wayans’ first TV appearance and his set is as uneven as everything else he has done. A favorite from the lesser-known comics is Charles Cozart who has a deadpan threatening style that is definitely funny. He does two short little ditties on the piano at the end that are quite enjoyable.

For those who like prop comics, Dwayne Cunningham juggles and tells jokes at the same time. It is kind of interesting but not great. Ralph Harris does jokes about Billy Dee Williams -shows how old his set is-and humour about his family that is enjoyable although his grandfather bit lasts too long. Sean Corvelle is enjoyable if not particularly original as his airport and hurricanes and tornadoes jokes are fairly generic.

The one false note in Before They Were Kings Volume 2 is the set by Michael Colyar which is definitely much more adult oriented than the pretty clean if not for the kiddies material the other standup comedians perform in this collection. The performance itself is good but it jars with the rest.

If you like Black stand-up comedy, this is an Before They Were Kings Volume 2 is a series of 5 to six minute sets the who’s who in Black stand-up comedy performed for A&E’s Evening At The Improv in the early to mid-nineties. True, some of these comics, like Dwayne Cunningham or Sean Corvelle have dropped off the comedy club radar, and one, Vince Champ, was involved in a rape case according to a Google search that connects that on Match Game 90 to his name, but most of the performances on this DVD are pretty good.

Martin Lawrence, David Chappelle, and Steve Harvey all give excellent stand-up comedy sets, the better of which is Chappelle’s. This DVD also features Keenan Wayans’ first TV appearance and his set is as uneven as everything else he has done. A favorite from the lesser-known comics is Charles Cozart who has a deadpan threatening style that is definitely funny. He does two short little ditties on the piano at the end that are quite enjoyable.

For those who like prop comics, Dwayne Cunningham juggles and tells jokes at the same time. It is kind of interesting but not great. Ralph Harris does jokes about Billy Dee Williams -shows how old his set is-and humour about his family that is enjoyable although his grandfather bit lasts too long. Sean Corvelle is enjoyable if not particularly original as his airport and hurricanes and tornadoes jokes are fairly generic.

The one false note in Before They Were Kings Volume 2 is the set by Michael Colyar which is definitely much more adult oriented than the pretty clean if not for the kiddies material the other standup comedians perform in this collection. The performance itself is good but it jars with the rest.

If you like Black stand-up comedy, this is an interesting though not a must have DVD.

Related Posts