1. Chris Rock
![Chris Rock Chris Rock](https://media.timeout.com/images/103140847/750/422/image.jpg)
![Chris Rock Chris Rock](https://media.timeout.com/images/103140847/750/562/image.jpg)
This wild-eyed, ferociously eloquent comedy mainstay used his experiences as a black student targeted by bullies in white schools to build a style of stand-up that challenges American race relations without finger wagging. Appealing to many audiences with his raw observations, unflappable intelligence and gravel-dipped voice, Rock transforms his comedy into a higher form of social discourse without compromising his opinions, whether he’s tearing up the Apollo or the Oscars.
Photograph: Jake Chessum