Michael Elliot Epps (born November 18, 1970)[1] is an American stand-up comedian and actor.

In 2010, Epps also released a stand-up comedy special, Under Rated & Never Faded, and hosted the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards.

Epps starred alongside Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston in the 2012 remake of Sparkle, in his first non-comedic role as the main antagonist, Satin, a stand-up comic by day, an evil and abusive drug kingpin by night, who is engaged in an affair with the titular character's sister.

Epps also has featured in rapper French Montana's Mac Wit Da Cheese mixtape, which was released on April 19, 2009.

[10] Part of his stand-up comedy in Under Rated & Never Faded was sampled for the song "I'm On Everything" by Bad Meets Evil on their first EP, Hell: The Sequel[11] and on the track "Runaway", from J. Cole's second album Born Sinner.

[citation needed] This artist had just been released from prison after serving three years for a drug indictment in which he was the suspected distributor of large amounts of narcotics.

[citation needed] The record deal which was reportedly worth $175,000 was later terminated after Phillip "Philthyphil" White was charged with first-degree murder in Oakland, CA in 2007.

[12] Epps has made cameo appearances in many music videos, mostly by hip hop artists, including "Gangsta Nation" (2003) by Westside Connection, "A Bay Bay" (2007) by Hurricane Chris, "No Effort" (2017) by Tee Grizzley,[13] and "Bank Account" (2017) by 21 Savage.

[16] On June 1, 2014, Epps purportedly assaulted fellow stand-up comedian LaVar Walker outside of the Uptown Comedy Club.

Epps allegedly struck him in the face and kicked him in the stomach and back, while one of the other two men threw the victim's cellphone and crushed his prescription glasses.

[18] Epps married OWN Network executive and Iyanla: Fix My Life producer Kyra Robinson, in Newport Beach, California, in June 2019.