Top Billin’: Stories of Laughter, Lessons, and Triumph

Comedian Bellamy debuts with an animated account of his life, starting with his humble beginnings in Newark, N.J. “Hard work, and even more work, was one of the key lessons of my youth,” he writes, recounting waking up at 4 a.m. during high school to help his father clean a bank, one of the many gigs his parents worked to stay afloat. While at Rutgers University, Bellamy took African American studies classes that he credits with opening his eyes to the historical and cultural contributions of Black people, and he “vowed to represent my family and Black men in a positive light whatever I chose to do.” His time at Rutgers was also when he decided to transform his penchant for making people laugh into a career as a stand-up comedian, drawing inspiration from Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor as he honed his skills on the New York City comedy circuit. He chronicles his biggest successes, including a breakout feature on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam in 1992, his stint as a video jockey for MTV, touring with Janet Jackson, and acting roles in How to Be a Player and Love Jones. Bellamy’s conversational style crackles with energy, but there aren’t as many laugh-out-loud moments as one might expect. Still, Bellamy’s fans will want to check this out. (Apr.)