Chris Rob & Friends with special guests

Born and raised on Chicago’s south side, Chris Rob has established himself as a renowned keyboard wizard, passionate vocalist, powerful songwriter, and go-to producer. While his latest single "No Doubt" has already generated quite the buzz among his followers, most recently he co-produced “Right On Brother” featuring the great Stevie Wonder along with industry heavyweight DJ Spinna. This hypnotic soulful house-jazz piece was included as the finale of Robert Glasper’s Miles Davis remix project “Everything’s Beautiful”, and received rave reviews from Rolling Stone. On his most recent EP "Sound Of Da Struggle", Chris Rob shows off his hometown roots by effortlessly fusing R & B with twists of deep funk, soulful hip-hop, edgy rock, and house music. Some of his most noteworthy accomplishments include his recent tour through Europe as part of The New Stars of America: Body & Soul Tour, being a featured artist at Montreal Jazz Festival, producing for and touring with Grammy Award-winning artist Roberta Flack, opening for and performing with Stevie Wonder at President Obama's Pre-Inaugural Ball, as well as contributing to Kanye West’s Grammy award-winning album Graduation. He also served as music director for John Legend’s Get Lifted Tour. One of Chris Rob's singles, “Sex. Money. & Drugs”, from his critically acclaimed EP Mental Notes was featured in Tyler Perry’s film "Peeples", while club bangers like "Touch The Sky" with co-producer DJ Daryl James recently hit number one on dance floor charts. In addition to his own shows, he’s also working behind the scenes as a writer and stage director for his older brother, comedian/actor/musician Craig Robinson (“The Office”), as well as performing with the likes of comedian Dave Chappelle, R & B legends like Nile Rogers and Anita Baker, and hip-hop artists like Rakim and Talib Kweli. A frequent collaborator with Kweli, he has appeared on several of the legendary emcee’s critically acclaimed albums including “Radio Silence” & “Indie 500”. In turn, Kweli also appeared on Chris Rob’s epic hip hop single “For Colored Boys”. Rob has also become a familiar face after appearing on various television shows such as Celebrity Family Feud, NBC's Mr. Robinson & The Office, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Grammy Awards, VH1's Hip Hop Honors, as well as Last Comic Standing, on which he wrote and performed a live skit. Chris Rob’s goal is to first and foremost: connect to the audience, using genuine and heartwarming lyrics to tap into their souls.

2016 has already started off with a bang for Donnell, he has already been cast in Kevin Smith’s pilot Hollyweed.  2015 was a huge year for Donnell Rawlings,he lit the stage at The Dubai Comedy Festival.  He also rocked it at Montreal Comedy Festival. He has been touring all over with Dave Chappelle. In 2014  he killed during a record number of shows working with Dave Chappelle at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. You just saw him starring in his own show as Judge Rawlings on MTV2’s Guy Court. Donnell was also was a cast member  on MTV2’s Guy Code. Donnell can be seen hosting Staann' Dup to be seen on StarzBlack.  He lends his voice in a recurring role as “Another Cat Named Rally” on the hit animation Black Dynamite as well being featured in Adult Swim’s animation. Donnell continues to tour heavily, performing his intelligently bold stand-up throughout the US, Europe, and the Caribbean.

     

Donnell is an overnight success a decade in the making.  He made a splash in the DC comedy clubs going from a heckler in the audience to HBO's Def Comedy Jam in a period of six months. You’ve seen him as 'Ashy Larry' on Comedy Central’s award winning and critically celebrated Chappelle’s Show, where he joined Dave Chappelle as both as a writer and performer. He will also be featured in Queen Latifah's new movie Percentage. His 1-Hour Stand-Up “Ashy to Classy” premiered on Comedy Central in October of 2010.

 

He was a co-host on both Power 105’s (NY’s #1 Hip Hop and R&B radio station) morning show “Egypt and Ashy in the Morning” and “The Big Tigger Morning Show” on WPGC in Washington DC, and he enjoyed weekly guest appearances on New York’s Hot 97 Morning Show. He was a regular on E!’s “Chelsea Lately", starred in Comedy Central's “Reality Bites Back,” and was the resident “Funny Guy” on the Ricki Lake Show. In 2007, Donnell co-created and starred in Heavy.com’s hit web series “From Ashy to Classy”, which was picked up for a second round of episodes. His movie of the same name screened at the 2011 L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival. 

 

As an actor Donnell has also appeared in the Law & Order series, Special Victims Unit (SVU) and Criminal Intent (CI) as well as NBC’s Third Watch, the Emmy-Award winning HBO Mini-Series: The Corner and as Day-Day Price on HBO’s Emmy-Award winning series “The Wire.”  On the big screen he could be seen in the blockbuster Spider-Man II.

 

His rise to stardom may not have been “overnight”, but the journey itself has kept him edgy and relevant. Comedy's heavy hitters have noticed his talent with Neal Brennan, co- executive producer and co-head writer of Chappelle’s Show exclaiming “whenever we put Donnell in the game he’s going to hit a home run.” Jamie Foxx says, “That guy is a beast!” Wayne Brady commented that Donnell provides “amazing work on the show” and Dave Chappelle feels that “Donnell brings so much to the table...this very funny guy makes it look natural and easy.”