Review: Unsuccessful Thug: One Comedian’s Journey from Naptown to Tinseltown – Mike Epps

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

From Naptown to Tinseltown—legendary stand-up comedian and actor Mike Epps finally tells all in this outrageous, hilarious, no-holds-barred memoir.

Before starring in Def Comedy Jam and Showtime at the Apollo—before the sold-out comedy shows, Uncle Buck, and becoming his hero Richard Pryor in a bi...

From Naptown to Tinseltown—legendary stand-up comedian and actor Mike Epps finally tells all in this outrageous, hilarious, no-holds-barred memoir.

Before starring in Def Comedy Jam and Showtime at the Apollo—before the sold-out comedy shows, Uncle Buck, and becoming his hero Richard Pryor in a biopic—there was Indianapolis. And not the good part. Mike Epps is one of America’s favorite and funniest people, but the path to fame was paved with opportunities to mess it up. And mess it up he did.

Growing up in “Naptown”—what people who live there really call rough-around-the-edges Indianapolis—Epps found himself forced to hustle from an early age. Despite his mother’s best efforts, and the love of his well-behaved brother, “Chaney,” and his beloved sister, Julie, Epps was drawn to a life of crime, but as he quickly discovered, stealing and dealing didn’t really fit his sweet sensibilities. Not to mention he wasn’t very good at it—take, for example, the day he had to call the cops on himself when a dog wouldn’t let him leave a house he was burgling. After several arrests and more than a few months in jail, Epps finally realized that he was an unsuccessful thug, and instead turned to the next most obvious career path: stand-up comedy.

Heading first to New York, then all over the country, and finally to Hollywood, Mike Epps carved out a unique place in American comedy, combining hysterical tales of his family and friends with a mordant take on life in the Naptowns of America. Comedy saved Mike Epps, and here he reveals exactly how he finally grew up and got out, barely. And when describing how he survived when so many of his friends didn’t, Epps makes clear what he’s thankful for and sorry about. Unsuccessful Thug is about growing up black in America, facing down racism in Hollywood, and ultimately how it feels to fail at thugdom, pull yourself up by the bootstraps, and end up selling out arenas and starring in movies across the country.

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I’m not the biggest Mike Epps fan but I was somewhat interested in his story. I didn’t know much about Mike Epps going into this book. Yes! I have watched Movies & TV shows featuring Mike Epps but that’s about the extent of it. By the way, I enjoy him more in serious roles than his comedic roles. I digress.

Mike Epps writes about his childhood, jail time, his start in comedy, how he feels about Hollywood, and much more. Once I started reading this book it was hard for me to put it down. After reading about his childhood – it’s a miracle he turned out to be a Hollywood star.

His childhood wasn’t an easy one. From barely having anything to eat, evictions, scams, different daddies, and more evictions – he was able to make it through. No matter what they went through his mother was always a strong motivating force in his life. I definitely can’t forget about his Grandmother who was there to take them in when they went through their evictions.

I know recently Mike was involved in a messy divorce that became final in 2017. If you are looking for any exclusive information on what happened during his marriage – keep looking because you won’t find it here. He sums up his marriage of 11 years in a few sentences. As a reader of memoirs – I wish he would have opened up more about his marriage. No matter how it ended – she did play a big part in his life. But it’s his prerogative – his books = his decision.

He also opened up about his struggles with cocaine which is not surprising because he started using at the age of 14. I have always heard rumors of his drug use but never paid it any attention – so it was good to hear it directly from him. He discussed his feelings about being in Hollywood. I was shocked about some of the revelations.

There also was a part in the book that I felt as though he was trying to “clear his name” about not giving back. He started giving examples of how he gave this and that – how he helps his family, friends, and etc. Mike is clear about wanting everyone to know he has made mistakes in his life but he isn’t as bad as some people may make him out to be. I found myself saying to myself – “We get it, Mike! No need to explain.”

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. One thing that stayed with me after I read the book was Mike’s appreciation for his Mom. She went through so much and was still able to instill some good values in her kids. Often times we don’t appreciate or understand what our parents have been through until we are adults. After reading this book, I think I may start fancying Mike Epps just a little more.

Reviewed by: Orsayor

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