These days, it seems like nepo babies are the only ones managing to make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry, but in Mike Epps’ day, climbing to the top looked a lot different. The 53-year-old was born on November 18th, 1970 in Indianapolis, where his parents encouraged their son’s comedic talents from a young age. This support gave the young star the confidence necessary to perform stand-up as a teenager, eventually relocating to Atlanta to work at the Comedy Act Theater before relocating to Brooklyn.
It wasn’t until 1995 that Epps got his breakout opportunity, but before that, he wound up in trouble with the law. The Bait actor served two years in Chicago on drug charges but has come a long way since then, entertaining Black Americans in numerous movie roles and raising his four children to live out dreams of their own. Read on to uncover Mike Epps’ net worth and how he amassed it. Afterward, let us know which of the superstar’s acting performances you think has been the best in the comments.
The Indianapolis Native Has Come a Long Way From the Def Comedy Jam Tour
Mike Epps was tapped to join the Def Comedy Jam tour in 1995; this opportunity, along with his appearance in two HBO broadcasts of his stand-up helped garner some attention. Two years later, he made his feature film debut in Strays, Vince Diesel’s first directorial attempt. While he wasn’t in the first Friday film, Ice Cube brought Epps on board for 1999’s Next Friday, offering the father of four an auction for Day-Day Jones after being impressed with his stand-up. From there, the midwest-born multi-talent was consistently booked for movies like 3 Strikes, How High starring Method Man and Redman and the family classic, Dr. Doolittle 2. The latter wans’t the only time Epps voiced a bear on the big screen, as he took on the role of Boog from Martin Lawrence in Open Season 2 in 2008.
The funny man and the “No Vaseline” rapper have worked together several times over the years, such as on Friday After Next and All About the Benjamins. Elsewhere in the early 2000s, Epps connected with Beyoncé on the set of The Fighting Temptations. You might also recognize him from the Resident Evil franchise or The Honeymooners. By 2008, Mike Epps was working more consistently than ever before, appearing in Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, The Grand, Soul Men and Hancock alongside Will Smith. He followed his biggest year to date with an appearance in The Hangover as Black Doug and closed out the decade with a comedy album called Funny Bidness. That debuted at No. 9 on the Top Comedy Albums chart, boasting appearances from Young Dro, Slim Thug, Too $hort, DJ Quik, Flo Rida, Snoop Dogg and Jeezy.
As he stepped into the 2010s with total confidence, Epps shared his Under Rated & Never Faded comedy special and hosted the annual BET Hip Hop Awards. His work as Willie Earl in Jumping the Broom earned the 53-year-old an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor, and 2012 proved he can handle more than just comedic roles as he acted alongside Jordin Sparks and Whitley Houston in Sparkle. Other movies that came out during this time in Epps’ career were Repentance, School Dance, Stealing Cars, Nina and Meet the Blacks. He’s one of the many famous faces you’ll recognize in 2017’s Girls Trip, and his 2015 comedy special, Don’t Take It Personal, reminds us to remain lighthearted when it comes to canceling comedians.
What Is Mike Epps’ Net Worth?
![Mike Epps Net Worth pictured: Mike Epps](https://cms.blavity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/GettyImages-1192243197-compress.jpg)
Based on estimates from Celebrity Net Worth, Mike Epps is valued at $5 million. While it might not be as high of a number as some of his co-stars and Black actor contemporaries, the entertainer seems content with how life is working out for him so far. Later this year you can expect to see him in the Lady in the Lake miniseries, and we’re curious to know what else he’s got up his sleeve for us.