As a young comic I am always in the pursuit of footage of those who've made it before me. One of the things that I talked about in the preview for the look at my life as a comic is playing the "dozens". The "dozens" is a part of African American oral tradition, and has been a part of black culture ever since.
In the usual daily YouTube browsing I came across the HBO show Snaps. This show was ahead of its time a comedy competition roast show. Kind of likeMTV's Yo Mamma, but in 1994 and uncut on HBO. This show was full of talented comedians early in there careers. This show featured players that now are the biggest names in comedy. Tracy Morgan, Monique, Rickey Smiley, and a young Michael Blackson are on this episode of Snaps . Amazing how all of this young talent that went on to be on primetime television shows, movies, and even Oscar nominations started out on this show.I remember when I was little my father got the Snap book for Christmas. On the Monique show she even talked about a Snaps album.
What many people don't know is that before the show Snaps there was a smaller show shot in Harlem New New York in like 1993 called Uptown Comedy Club. This show also featured Tracy Morgan and Monique as well as young talent like Pierre, Carlos Mencia, Debra Wilson, Sommore, Cheryl underwood, and Chris Tucker. Funny because I thought that all these roast origionated on the Internet, but it seems that when the internet was new they just took the "Yo Mamma jokes" form these shows and put them online. Now people can see where they came from. Check more videos after the jump
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