Roland Powell, better known by his stage name Lil Duval aka Shortbread, is an American stand-up comedian.
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Lil DuvalCelebrities aren't exactly pouring out of Jacksonville, Florida but that's just made Roland Powell'southward grind more than ferocious. Proclaiming himself "Lil Duval" later on the county from which he hails, he has literally put his abode turf on his dorsum every bit he touches every nook and cranny available with his special brand of humor.

Some comedians piece of work at making people laugh. Others but do. Born with the gift to make people laugh, Lil Duval explains that, for him, "one-act was a natural thing. People e'er found me funny. It wasn't that I was trying to be funny; they merely found me funny."

Participating in pep rallies in high schoolhouse and other activities where all eyes were on him really kicked Lil Duval into high gear. The limelight merely suited him and he wanted more. "I heard them screaming for me and I was like 'oh aye, this is what I need to exist doing,'" he smiles. "I knew I would exist in amusement because I felt like an entertainer."

Ultimately, he envisioned himself on the big screen and particularly admired the work of Chris Tucker. That's how he got into comedy actually. "I saw Chris Tucker on Friday and I was like 'that'south what I want to do.' And then I saw him on Def Comedy Jam so I was like 'oh that's the way you do it. You go a stand up-upwardly comedian and you'll be in the movies.' That's how it started to build."

Not i to waste time, Lil Duval went right at it, taking to the stage of Atlanta's legendary Uptown Comedy Corner. Pretty soon, he was a regular in that location too every bit any other spots with a microphone and people ready to express joy. A hilarious 2001 functioning at a contest in Oakland caught the attention of Cedric the Entertainer'due south camp and Lil Duval was invited to striking the route with Cedric and four other comedians. That successful run on the road led to a featured spot on Cedric the Entertainer: Starting Lineup, first televised and and so released on DVD.

During the tour, Lil Duval developed his signature routine "Stalker's Anthem (Bitch U Mine)." Set to Musiq Soulchild's 2000 hit "But Friends," Lil Duval twists the original song, which preaches almost taking it slow and making the daughter comfortable, into a pressure-filled encounter at a club: "Girl I know this might sound strange/Just let me know if I'm outta order, steppin to you this style/See I been ownership y'all drinks for a while/And I'll allow you know . . . . Bitch U Mine!"

you are my girlfriendThe anthem received even more notoriety when Lil Duval began appearing on BET's ComicView in 2004. For three seasons, Jacksonville, Florida's number i class clown kept the ComicView audiences in stitches with this and other routines. A forever hustler, Lil Duval stayed on the road, slanging his make of humor. Along the manner, he also released two underground one-act DVDs: Dat Boy Funny (2003) and Put Your Easily on Me (2005). Additionally, he appeared in Three 6 Mafia's Choices 2: The Setup as well every bit hot videos like T.I.'s "Rubberband Man," "24s," "Whatever Y'all Like" and Yung Joc's "It'south Goin Downwardly" and "Java Store."

Nearly recently, he'due south added Twitter to his entrada and regularly dispenses his thoughts via @lilduval as raw and witty as only he can. So much and so that he now has over 260,000 followers. It's Lil Duval'south ability to ride the electric current and know what people want that keeps him winning. "I was always on the internet. Information technology's but like in the streets," he explains. "When new dope comes out, if you desire to stay popping in the streets, you become with the new dope. When people were nevertheless on MySpace, I was popular on MySpace. I had similar a 100,000 friends. The new thing is Twitter."

Embracing the new is indeed a part of Lil Duval's brand-up merely he prides himself most on staying true to himself. "I stay in my own lane. I don't do what everyone else is doing. I try to do what I'm doing. I like to exist the one that'south beingness followed instead of following someone else. In that location's no pattern to this shit and so I mean, when you follow somebody else'due south blueprint, just considering it worked for them, doesn't mean information technology'll work for y'all."

Hip Hop Square- Lil DuvalThat sense of originality is ane of the reasons Lil Duval attracted the attention of hip-hop'south reigning king early on. A fan since 2001, when Duval first started wrecking stages, T.I. didn't hesitate after on to add Lil Duval to his characterization Grand Hustle's comedy roster. "He'due south someone who says what everyone else is thinking and scared to say," shares T.I. "He talks nearly life's nearly difficult and embarrassing moments. To take these things and find means to make people express mirth, especially when folks encounter fit to cry, is comedy at its finest."

Just Duval's non done yet. "Everything that you tin practise and even more than that hasn't been done still" is a serious goal for him. "Whatever it is the people want me to practice, I'm going to practise it. And, I'thousand going to be the best at it," he promises, refusing to residue until he reaches the pinnacle of "comedy at its finest."

Lil Duval's is seen on MTV'southward Guy Code, Ain't That America and Hip Hop Squares.