You may have heard of Mario Barrett, the R&B singer and songwriter who rose to fame with his hit single “Let Me Love You” in 2004. You may have also heard of Chris Rock, the stand-up comedian and actor who is widely regarded as one of the best comedians of all time. But are these two celebrities related? Do they share a common ancestry or a family connection? The answer may surprise you.
Mario Barrett’s Background
Mario Barrett was born on August 27, 1986, in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother, Shawntia Hardaway, was a drug addict who struggled to raise him and his half-brother, Derryl “D.J.” Barrett Jr., who is a professional drummer. His father, Derryl Barrett Sr., was a singer in a gospel group called Reformation. Mario lived with his grandmother, who supported his dream of becoming a singer. He learned to play the piano and joined a musical group in high school. He was discovered at age 11 by producer Troy Patterson, who signed him to J Records at age 14
Mario released his self-titled debut album in 2002, which featured the top 10 single “Just a Friend 2002”. His second album, Turning Point, came out in 2004 and contained the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single “Let Me Love You”, which won him two Billboard Music Awards and a Grammy Award nomination. He has since released three more albums: Go (2007), D.N.A. (2009), and Dancing Shadows (2018). He has also appeared in several movies and TV shows, such as Step Up (2006), Freedom Writers (2007), and Empire (2018-2020). In 2019, he starred in the live TV production of the musical Rent
Chris Rock’s Background
Chris Rock was born on February 7, 1965, in Andrews, South Carolina. His parents, Rosalie and Julius Rock, moved to Brooklyn, New York, when he was a baby. He has six younger siblings: Andre, Tony, Kenny, Jordan, Andi, and Brian. His father was a truck driver and newspaper deliveryman who died in 1988. His mother was a teacher and social worker for the mentally handicapped. Chris grew up in a poor and rough neighborhood and faced racism and bullying at school. He dropped out of high school at age 17 and pursued a career in comedy
Chris gained prominence as a stand-up comedian in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with his edgy humor and quick wit that tackled subjects such as race relations, human sexuality, and politics. He joined the cast of Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1993 and appeared in movies such as New Jack City (1991), Boomerang (1992), and CB4 (1993). He reached mainstream success with his HBO specials Bring the Pain (1996), Bigger & Blacker (1999), Never Scared (2004), Kill the Messenger (2008), Tamborine (2018), and Selective Outrage (2023). He also created, wrote, produced, and narrated the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009), which was based on his early life. He has starred in movies such as Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), Dogma (1999), Bad Company (2002), The Longest Yard (2005), I Think I Love My Wife (2007), Death at a Funeral (2010), Top Five (2014), The Week Of (2018), and Amsterdam (2022). He has also appeared in TV shows such as Empire, Kevin Can Wait, and Fargo. He made his Broadway debut in The Motherfucker with the Hat (2011). He hosted the Academy Awards twice: in 2005 and 2016
Are They Related?
So, are Mario Barrett and Chris Rock related? The short answer is no. They do not share any blood or legal ties that would make them family members. They are not brothers, cousins, or even distant relatives. They are simply two successful African American entertainers who happen to have similar last names.
However, that does not mean that they have never crossed paths or interacted with each other. In fact, Mario revealed in an interview that he often gets mistaken for Chris Rock when he travels abroad. He said that people would approach him and ask him to say some of Chris Rock’s jokes or lines from his movies. He also said that he once met Chris Rock at an event and asked him if he ever gets mistaken for him. Chris Rock replied, “No, but I get mistaken for Eddie Murphy all the time.”
So, there you have it. Mario Barrett and Chris Rock are not related, but they do have a sense of humor about their name confusion. Maybe one day they will collaborate on a project and make us laugh even more. Until then, we can enjoy their individual talents and achievements in the music and comedy industry.
