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Meet Chris Rock’s brother Tony: from humble Brooklyn beginnings to carving his own path in stand-up comedy and acting … plus, what did he have to say about the Will Smith slapping incident?

Meet Chris Rock’s younger brother Tony Rock, who is also a stand-up comedian – but what did he have to say about the Will Smith slapping incident? Photo: @chrisrock/Instagram
Meet Chris Rock’s younger brother Tony Rock, who is also a stand-up comedian – but what did he have to say about the Will Smith slapping incident? Photo: @chrisrock/Instagram

The younger sibling of the comedy legend has defended him in times of controversy; he also founded MyRock Foundation, a charity advocating for the prevention of diabetes among African-Americans

Comedy legend Chris Rock just hosted SNL, with his monologue – which played at current events including the Luigi Mangione phenomenon and Donald Trump’s reappointment as US president – earning high praise. The 59-year-old is still enduring his share of controversy, however.

This month, gossip columnist Cindy Adams revealed in a piece for the New York Post that the comedian had been invited to perform at billionaire Anthony Pratt’s holiday party but “stormed out” mid-set. In her own words, he went “momentarily ape” after seeming to notice that his set was being filmed by someone.

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Tony Rock is nine years younger than his famous brother, Chris Rock. Photo: @chrisrock/Instagram
Tony Rock is nine years younger than his famous brother, Chris Rock. Photo: @chrisrock/Instagram

While fan reactions were mixed, the Dogma star’s younger brother, Anthony “Tony” Rock came to his defence. In a conversation with TMZ, the younger Rock referred to audience members who illegally tape unreleased material as “f***ing a**holes”.

“If you record it and put it up before the joke is perfected, it’s like a chef giving you a plate of food before it’s finished. … You should wait for the finished product,” he said, justifying his brother’s angered response.

So what else do we know about Tony Rock? Read on to learn more.

What was his childhood like?

Tony Rock and his mother, Rose Rock, in May. Photo: @tony_rock/Instagram
Tony Rock and his mother, Rose Rock, in May. Photo: @tony_rock/Instagram

The fourth child of Rosalie “Rose” Rock and Julius Rock grew up with a wide family circle in Brooklyn. With six brothers and a sister as well as 17 foster siblings living with them, thanks to his mum’s generosity, he was “rich in family”, he told People magazine in June 2018.

The family’s humble financial situation, he says, inadvertently encouraged his creativity and soon, he was bitten by the comedy bug, just like his older brother. Before pursuing a career in comedy, however, he helped make ends meet by joining the workforce at the age of 14. In an interview with BlackDoctor, Tony fondly recalled working with his father at the New York Daily News.