Roll with the New

Chris Rock treats stand-up like a hip-hop record on his 1997 audio release. Produced by Prince Paul, the album weaves live stage recordings with studio sketches.

The live cuts are pulled from his May 1996 performance at The Tacoma Theater in Washington, D.C.. After struggling to find his footing following his departure from Saturday Night Live, Rock retooled his act and delivered the material that made him a household name. The record features his defining routine on the internal cultural divides among Black Americans, alongside his commentary on O.J. Simpson, Marion Barry, and the Million Man March. The fusion of stage work and sketch production earned a Grammy for Best Spoken Comedy Album.