Michael Blackson | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Blackson in 2019 | |
| Born | Kojo Bediako November 28, 1972 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Partner | Rada Darling |
| Children | 4 |
| Website | michaelblacksonfoundation.org |
Michael Kojo Blackson (né Kojo Bediako, born November 28, 1972) is a Ghanaian-Liberian actor, philanthropist,[1] and comedian based in the United States. His stage surname is a parody of pop singer, Michael Jackson.
Early life
Michael Kojo Blackson was born Kojo Bediako on November 28, 1974, in Liberia to Ghanaian parents.[2][3][4][5] His family lived in the slum of Clara Town in Monrovia.[6] He spent his young years in between Monrovia and Ghana before relocating to the United States in the mid-1980s. His father died in 2008.[7] Michael lived in Newark, New Jersey, when he was 13, and then settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when he was 15. He began pursuing comedy after his coworker at Domino's suggested he start open mic.[8] He made one of his first appearances on screen as a student extra in the 1989 film Lean On Me.[9]
Career
In 2005, he released a comedy sketch CD entitled Modasucka: Welcome to America.[10] Also in 2005, he made an appearance on the TV series 30 Rock, P. Diddy Presents: The Bad Boys of Comedy on HBO,[11] and starred in a commercial for Chappelle's Show on Comedy Central.
In 2011, Blackson appeared on Starz's Martin Lawrence Presents: 1st Amendment Stand-Up and Showtime's Shaquille O'Neal Presents All Star Comedy Jam.[12][13]
In 2019, Blackson appeared in the "Wakonda" official music video by Akon.[14]
Personal life
On July 31, 2021, Blackson proposed to his girlfriend, Rada Darling, during a radio interview on The Breakfast Club, they continue to be together as partners.[15] On November 24, 2021, he became a U.S citizen.[5] Blackson is the uncle of Miami Dolphins cornerback Eli Apple.[16] As part of his work in philanthropy he built a school in Ghana that was commissioned in early January 2023. The school, which is eponymously named Michael Blackson Academy, is located at Agona Nsaba in the Agona East District of Ghana’s Central Region where he grew up.[17]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Next Friday | Customer #1 | |
| 2006 | Repos | Coffee | Video |
| The Last Stand | Comic #6 | ||
| 2007 | The Savages | Howard | |
| Black Supaman | Akon | Video | |
| Banana Leaves | Chuks | ||
| You're Triflin | Michael the Comedian | Video | |
| 2008 | Internet Dating | Akeem the Dream | Video |
| 2009 | The Mail Man | Mohammed | |
| What We Do | Taxi Cab Driver | Video | |
| 2010 | My American Nurse 2 | Freddie | |
| Ex$pendable | - | Video | |
| 2011 | Threading Needles | Landlord | |
| 2012 | In Sickness and in Health | Yusuf | TV movie |
| 2013 | One Night in Vegas | Mr. Roland | |
| Coffin Dodgers | (Voice) | Short | |
| Mutumbo the Lost Prince | Mutumbo | ||
| 2014 | Kony Montana | Kony Montana | |
| 2015 | Tooken | Fake Akon | |
| More Money, More Family | Bootleg | ||
| 2016 | Meet the Blacks | Mr. Wooky | |
| 2018 | Easy Money | Caine | |
| The Stuff | Security Guard | ||
| Nobody's Fool | Thug | ||
| Got My Hustle Up | Michael | ||
| Sliders | Caine | ||
| 2019 | Angel and the Mailman | Akin | |
| I Got The Hook Up 2 | Officer Midnight | ||
| The Lick Movie | Kofi | ||
| 2020 | American Dream | John | |
| 2021 | Coming 2 America | Nexdorian Lieutenant | |
| Someday Isles | Principal | ||
| The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2 | Mr. Wooky |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Snaps | Himself | Episode: "Episode #1.1" |
| 2000 | ComicView | Himself | Episode: "ComicView: New Orleans Party Gras" |
| 2005 | The Bad Boys of Comedy | Himself | Episode: "Episode #1.6" |
| 2006 | 30 Rock | African Man | Episode: "Jack Meets Dennis" |
| 2008 | ComicView | Himself | Episode: "ComicView: One Mic Stand" |
| 2009 | 1st Amendment Stand Up | Himself | Episode: "Cortney Gee/Mark Viera/Ronnie Jordan/Michael Blackson" |
| 2011-12 | Are We There Yet? | Various Roles | Recurring Guest |
| 2014 | The Arsenio Hall Show | Himself | Episode: "Episode #1.145" |
| 2015 | In the Cut | Customer | Episode: "The Ball's in Your Court" |
| 2017 | 50 Central | African Traveler | Episode: "Amistad Travel Agency" |
| 2017-18 | Leave It to Stevie | Himself | Episode: "Standing Down" & "The Game of Faith" |
| 2017-19 | Wild 'N Out | Himself/Cast Member | Cast Member: Season 8 & 10 & 12 & 15 |
| Hip Hop Squares | Himself/Panelist | Recurring Panelist | |
| 2018 | BET Social Awards | Himself/Host | Main Host |
| Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta | Himself | Episode: "I'm Telling" | |
| Rich Africans | Michael | Main Cast | |
| 2019 | Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards | Himself/Host | Main Host |
| Transitions | Kodjoe | Episode: "Nigerian Nightmare" | |
| Dr. Blackson | Dr. Blackson | Main Cast | |
| 2020 | Casting One Mo' Chance | Himself/Judge | Main Judge: Season 1 |
| 2021 | VH1 Couples Retreat | Himself | Main Cast: Season 1 |
| MTV Cribs | Himself | Episode: "Michael Blackson/Ashlee Simpson & Evan Ross/Johnny Weir" | |
| 2022 | Sherman's Showcase | Fada | Episode: "Sherman From Africa: Live from Lagos" |
| 2023 | The Michael Blackson Show | Mr. Michael Blackson | Main Cast |
Music Videos
| Year | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "Dat Baby Don't Look Like Me" | Shawty Put featuring Lil Jon and Too Short |
| 2014 | "Sugar Daddy" | LeLe XO |
| 2020 | "Czar" | Busta Rhymes featuring M.O.P. |
References
- ↑ "Blackson in philanthropy". January 7, 2023.
- ↑ Blackson, Michael [@MichaelBlackson] (June 5, 2012). "#MyNameWasSupposedToBe Kojo Bediako but immigration told me they couldn't pronounce it" (Tweet). Retrieved November 6, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ↑ Michael, Blackson [@MichaelBlackson] (April 4, 2012). "The 1st 1 in da NYC area dat can tell me what day of da week I was born gets 2 tickets. Hint, My middle name is kojo" (Tweet). Retrieved November 6, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ↑ Blackson, Michael [@MichaelBlackson] (May 10, 2012). "I was born in west Africa, my mom had me on the plane between Ghana n Liberia, I'm Ghaberian" (Tweet). Retrieved November 6, 2023 – via Twitter.
- 1 2 "Michael Blackson Becomes U.S. Citizen, Says It's a Dream Come True". TMZ. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ↑ Blackson, Michael [@MichaelBlackson] (October 11, 2011). "If u r in Liberia please go to klara town which is part of monrovia n give my cousin $90, he just called me" (Tweet). Retrieved November 6, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ↑ "Michael Blackson on Instagram: "This is the first time I'm showing ya a pic of my real dad. I'm not sure what happened between him and my mom but my sister has been in…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ↑ Michael Blackson Addresses His Haters, Trashes Kevin Hart + More, archived from the original on December 15, 2021, retrieved June 20, 2021
- ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ↑ "Modasucka. Welcome to America". Retrieved October 23, 2018 – via Amazon.
- ↑ "P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy DVD news: The HBO Show with Underground Comedians Doin' Their Thing Comes to DVD Soon - TVShowsOnDVD.com". November 4, 2008. Archived from the original on November 4, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- ↑ "Friday finale of Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment on Starz". Monsters and Critics. September 10, 2009. Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
- ↑ "'Shaquille O'Neal Presents: All-Star Comedy Jam - Live from Dallas" (Press release). Prnewswire.com. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
- ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Akon - Wakonda (Official Video)". YouTube.
- ↑ "Comedian Michael Blackson proposes to girlfriend on 'The Breakfast Club'". TheGrio. July 22, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ↑ Patrick Magee (December 21, 2012). "Eli Apple is still roasted by Saints fans, and his uncle, Michael Blackson, understands why". nola.com. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ↑ "Blackson opens school in Ghana in January 2023". January 7, 2023.