Cipha Sounds got his start carrying crates and opening for Funkmaster Flex at legendary New York nightspots, the Tunnel and the Palladium. Eventually his talent for song selection and infectious personality brought him to Hot 97 (New York’s #1 Hip Hop station), where he moved up the ranks—from Flex’s intern, to running his own show “Cipha Saturdays,” and finally to hosting the coveted morning spot. During his 17 years at Hot 97, and as a host for Eminem’s Shade 45 on SiriusXM, he helped launch the careers of Rihanna, Rick Ross, 50 Cent, and Sean Paul. His keen ear also led him to work as an A&R executive for Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella and Pharrell Williams’ Star Trak record labels. Jay-Z, Rihanna, J.Lo, Mariah Carey, Lil Kim, and Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) are just a few artists he’s worked with as a live DJ.
Whether on the radio, as a VJ for MTV, or as a live DJ, Cipha always maintained a sharp sense of humor on the mic. He first emerged on the comedy scene as the official DJ for Chappelle’s Show and has worked with the eponymous host ever since. Despite persistent encouragement from Dave to pursue comedy, it wasn’t until well after the iconic series ended—when Cipha attended his first improv show—that he was fully inspired towards a career in comedy.
He came up studying improv at the original UCB while practicing stand-up throughout NY. He created the critically acclaimed UCB show Take It Personal – The Hip Hop Improv Show, which featured guests like Questlove, Zoe Kravitz, Donald Glover, 2 Chainz, and Fat Joe. He went from being a regular DJ at SNL afterparties to opening for Michael Che on international tours, appearing in his Netflix special and in That Damn Michael Che for Max. Cipha is known for hosting the TruTV series Laff Mobb Laff Tracks and more recently garnered critical acclaim as the host of A&E’s Hip Hop Treasures alongside producer LL Cool J. His earlier on-screen work includes a small role in Spike Lee’s 25th Hour and Wild-N-Out, which he served on as a consulting producer.
When not traveling the world to do stand-up with Chappelle, Michael Che, Michelle Wolf, Mo Amer, Ronny Chieng, and others, you can catch him at New York’s Comedy Cellar or headlining celebrated clubs around the country. You can listen to him Monday through Friday on New York’s 94.7 The Block and on the beloved Hip Hop podcast Juan EP Is Life (with Hot 97 and ESPN’s Peter Rosenberg). In 2023, Cipha became a key player on Bert Kreischer’s long-running Fully Loaded Festival Tour. He also performed at SXSW, New York Comedy Festival, and Just For Laughs.
PLANO COMEDY FESTIVAL
The Plano Comedy Festival is the largest comedy festival in North Texas presenting over 100 comedy acts in 6 days. The festival will feature stand-up, magic, characters, alternative comedy, panel discussions, workshops, and a Best of Fest Comedy Brunch.
The mission of the Plano Comedy Festival is to enrich the City of Plano and surrounding communities with the comedic arts by organizing an annual comedy festival that contributes to Plano’s artistic development. Since 2018, over 500 comedians from all over the United States and internationally have showcased their talent on our stages providing opportunities to grow, network, and make great comedy together.
Plano Comedy Festival, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization and is funded in part by the City of Plano.
Stay up to date with the latest information about the Plano Comedy Festival such as the 2024 festival lineup, full schedule, and more via the official Plano Comedy Festival website https://planocomedyfestival.com.
Follow on social media @planocomedyfestival or @planocomedyfest and hashtag #planocomedyfest.
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