Comedian Mike Epps, Indianapolis native and star of the hit show “The UpShaws,” is coming to Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana’s Hard Rock Live venue on Saturday, November 22. Doors open at 7 p.m. .
Mike Epps is generating an extraordinary amount of buzz among his peers for being not only one of the funniest comic actors in town, but also for his burgeoning dramatic talent.
Mike can be seen in the fifth season of the Netflix comedy “The UpShaws” which he stars in and produces. The show is set in his hometown of Indiana about a working-class family. The show has been nominated for seven 2024 NAACP Image Awards with Mike winning for “Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series.” The show was also nominated for two People’s Choice Awards nominations.
Mike can also be seen in the Amazon Prime show “I am a Virgo” which premiered at the SXSW festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and a Gotham Award. In February 2024 his seventh stand up special “Ready to Sell Out” premiered on Netflix with the New York Times calling him “unquestionably a star.” He can currently be seen in the Amazon MGM comedy “The Underdoggs” which debuted in homes in more than 240 countries and territories around the globe. Mike stars alongside star and director Snoop Dogg, George Lopez, and Tika Sumpter. He can also be seen in the HBO Max series “Winning Time” ; the Netflix comedy special “Snoop Dogg’s F*cn Around '' The Marvel film “Madam Web” and in “The Come Up” for director Sanaa Lathan on Paramount+.
Mike can also be seen in the HGTV special “Buying Back the Block.” The show followed Mike and his wife Kyra who bought several homes on his childhood block in Indianapolis, with the goal to revitalize the neighborhood and bring back the charm, community and character that Mike valued growing up. One of the houses belonged to his grandmother.
In the last couple years he has been seen in the Amazon feature “Troup Zero” starring opposite Viola Davis, Allison Janney, and Jim Gaffigan; and in the A24 film “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” which both premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. In 2019, his fifth stand up special “Just One Mike” premiered on Netflixs and he starred opposite Eddie Murphy in the comedy “Dolemite is my Name” which was nominated for Golden Globe, Broadcast Film Critic Awards and a NAACP Image Award. In 2017 Harper Collins published his first book, Unsuccessful Thug about his life growing up around violence and how comedy gave him a better life.
Mike was seen in the HBO-Emmy Winning biopic “Bessie” based on Bessie Smith, played by Queen Latifah. The film chronicles how Smith overcame her tempestuous personal life to become one of the most acclaimed performing and recording artists of the 1920s and ’30s, earning the nickname Empress of the Blues. Mike plays Richard Morgan, a bootlegger and romantic interest to Bessie Smith. The film also won a Critics Choice Award for “best miniseries/ movie” as well as a Primetime Emmy for “Television Movie or Limited Series.”
Mike was seen in three seasons of the Starz series “Survivor’s Remorse” produced LeBron James and Mike O’Malley which he won a 2016 NAACP Image award for “Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series” for his portrayal as Uncle Julius.
In 2011, he was awarded an NAACP Image Award for “Best Supporting Actor” for his role in the Sony Pictures film, “Jumping the Broom." He continued to receive critical praise for his dramatic turn in 2012 with "Sparkle," opposite Whitney Houston and Jordan Sparks. In 2016 he further pursued his dramatic side with two important roles: starring opposite Forest Whitaker and Anthony Mackie in the Lionsgate thriller, "Repentance," being released through Lionsgate/Codeblack Entertainment., followed by the independent Nina Simone biopic, “Nina,” starring Zoe Saldana. In “Nina,” he plays the legendary Richard Pryor, who opened for the singer in the early 60’s.
He is also currently on a national stand up tour and since 2000, Epps steadily climbed his way up the stand-up comedy ranks when he was recognized by a national audience in 1995 for appearing on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam (which, years later, he would go on to host). During a performance at LA’s Comedy Store, Epps caught the attention of Ice Cube. This led to the first of three feature films they would do together: the cult hits “Next Friday,” "Friday after Next," and “All About the Benjamins.”
Other features include the Hangover franchise, “Girls Trip” “Faster,” “Hancock,” “Lottery Ticket,” “Next Day Air,” “Roll Bounce,” “The Fighting Temptations”, the Resident Evil franchise, “Bait”, “How High,” “Dr. Dolittle 2”, "Talk to Me", and "Guess Who?"
Epps has been seen in over 40 cities and 3 continents doing standup.
Tickets for Mike Epps start at $74.10. This show is all reserved seating. Ages 21 and up. The Hard Rock Live box office is open every Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on show days starting at 12 p.m. Visit https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/050062F2C9FF6827
Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is located at 5400 West 29th Ave. in Gary, IN, directly adjacent to the I80/94 Burr Street Interchange. For more information, call 219-228-2383 or visit www.hardrockcasinonorthernindiana.com.
About Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana:
Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana’s $300 Million casino and entertainment destination opened to the public on May 14, 2021. Hard Rock’s premier 200,000-square foot entertainment complex features over 1700 slots and 80 table games totaling more than 2,100 gaming positions. In addition to the Hard Rock Live performance venue, Hard Rock Casino’s five dining options include Hard Rock Café, Council Oak Steaks and Seafood, YOUYU Noodle Bar, Fresh Harvest, and Constant Grind Coffee Shop, and also features a retail shop. For more information, contact https://www.hardrockcasinonorthernindiana.com.
About Hard Rock Live:
The Hard Rock Live performance venue is outfitted with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems. The sound equipment features an L-Acoustics K2 line array system with KS28 subwoofers and KIVA-II front fill. Hard Rock Live has excellent sightlines. Hard Rock Live can seat up to 1,894 with an overall capacity of 2,700 including standing room only.