20 of Our Favorite Celebrities from Compton
Compton is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. According to Wikipedia, The city’s population, as of the 2010 United States Census, was 96,456. The unincorporated community of Willowbrook borders Compton on the north and northwest, the unincorporated community of Rancho Dominguez on the west, the city of Long Beach on the southwest, and both Wilmington and San Pedro in Los Angeles County on the south. The Compton Creek runs through the center of the city. Neighborhoods in Compton include Sunny Cove, Leland, Downtown Compton, and Richland Farms.
The city is generally a working-class city with some middle-class neighborhoods. It is home to a relatively young population, at an average of 25 years of age, compared to the American average of 37. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county, with a long history of rap music and the military industry. Since the 1980s, when gangsta rap became popular in Compton, frequent gang and street violence has been involved, yet there are many celebrities who were born and raised in the area.
20. Lynn Manning (Playwright, Poet, and Actor )
Lynn Manning (April 30, 1955– August 3, 2015) was an award-winning playwright best known for co-founder of the Watts Village Theater Project. He also teaches after-school drama workshops to students of the Watts community. His most notable works include What Big Ears, What a Voice, The Death of Bessie Smith, This Far by Faith, and an adaptation of Langston Hughes’ short story “Thank You, Ma’am.”
19. Oracene Price (Tennis Coach)
Oracene Price is the mother of tennis champions Serena Williams and Venus Williams. She coached both her daughters, who have won a combined total of 30 Grand Slam titles since they were four years old. Considered to be an instrumental figure of American women’s history tennis, Oracene was named one of the “Most Influential Black Women In Sports” by Examiner.com for helping guide her two daughters to become successful professional players at such a young age.
18. Rizza Islam (Journalist)
Rizza Islam (born Rizza A. Rahman on December 24, 1983) is a Bangladeshi-American journalist and news anchor who has worked in major American news networks. She was the first Bangladeshi reporter to be hired by the CNN Newsource agency for the Los Angeles bureau. She joined PBS Newshour in 2015 as a multimedia reporter, becoming the first Bangladeshi-American to be hired by the network.
17. Aja Brown (American politician)
Aja LaShay Bullock Brown is an American politician who was the youngest mayor of Compton, California. She served from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2017, after being elected in a special election with 55% of the vote on April 11, 2013. She became Compton’s 34th Mayor and the city’s second female mayor when she took office on July 1. In 2014, Brown was included in Fortune magazine’s 40 Under 40 list, which recognized “brightest stars under the age of 40 in business, government and other areas.”
16. Douglas Dollarhide (American politician and educator)
Douglas L. “Doug” Dollarhide (born 1951) is an American politician and educator who served as the mayor of Compton, California, between 1994 and 1996, becoming Compton’s first African-American mayor. He also served on the city council between 1982 and 1994. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Master’s degree in Education from National University.
15. Tyga (American Rapper)
Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born November 19, 1989), known by his stage name Tyga, is an American rapper signed to Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Republic Records. He released his self-titled debut album in 2008, his second album in 2009, and his third album, titled Careless World: Rise of the Last King, on February 24, 2012. His fourth studio album was originally scheduled to be released in 2013 then later reached April 2015, but it has yet to be released. He is also the founder of his record label, Last Kings Records.
14. Eazy-E (Musician)
Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright is affectionately called “The Godfather of Gangsta Rap.” He was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California. After dropping out of high school in the tenth grade, he supported himself primarily by selling drugs before investing in Ruthless Records and becoming a rapper. The genre’s pioneer, Eazy, is credited with breaking hip-hop music into the mainstream and transitioning it from an underground phenomenon into a part of pop culture.
13. Doris Davis (Actor and Politician)
Doris Davis (born April 28, 1945) is an American politician and actor who became Compton’s first female mayor upon her election in 1999. She was formerly a member of the California State Assembly between 1994 and 1998. In addition to her work as a politician, Davis has also pursued an acting career which includes roles in television and independent films such as House Party 2 and Every Man’s Desire.
12. Ulis Williams (athlete)
Ulis Williams (born February 24, 1994, in Compton, California) is an American track and field athlete specializing in the long jump. He won gold at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships. At age 17, he became the youngest person to win the long jump event at the 2011 CIF California State Meet. His personal bests are 7.83 meters outdoor (2015) and 8.46 meters indoors (2018). He went to high school at Centennial High School, coached by Errick McCray Sr.; he also competed collegiately for Arizona State University.
11. Richard Sherman (American football player)
Richard Sherman III (born May 26, 1988) is an American football cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He has been named to four Pro Bowls and is a three-time first-team All-Pro, receiving the honor in 2012, 2013, and 2015 as a member of the Seahawks. He was also part of the 49ers team that won Super Bowl XLVII. During his time at Stanford University, he became known for his ability to adapt to an ever-changing using multiple positions while excelling at each.
10. David Irving (American football player)
David Irving (born December 1, 1993) is an American football defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at Iowa State University. He has also been a Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. According to some sources, he was born in Compton but raised elsewhere. His father is African-American, while his mother is Mexican-American. One of his achievements in athletics was in 2014 when he broke a 22-year old Big 12 Conference record. There is no doubt that David Irving would inspire many at Compton.
9. Larry Allen (American football player)
Larry Allen (born February 26, 1971, in Hamburg, Arkansas) is a former American football guard who spent his 14-year career playing for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. Dallas drafted him in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft. After being named to 10 Pro Bowls, Allen was a member of the 2008 and 2009 Super Bowl champion New York Giants and he and Jason Witten joined Gene Upshaw as the only players to play in both of their team’s Super Bowl wins. He played college football at Sonoma State University. He is considered one of the greatest guards and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
8. Anthony Anderson (American actor and comedian)
Anthony Anderson (born August 15, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and game show host who has starred on his sitcom, All About the Andersons, and as one of the main cast members in the ABC comedy series Black-ish. He has also had supporting roles in films such as Transformers and The Departed and starred in Kangaroo Jack’s film. His first job was as a dishwasher at McDonald’s.
7. Niecy Nash (American actress, comedienne, dancer, and reality television host)
Niecy Nash (born June 13, 1970) is an American comedian and actress who has starred in several television shows such as Reno 911!, The Soul Man, and Getting On. She also has a successful career in films. Nash hosted the TBS reality show Funniest Wins, The Great Big Stand Up Show, and Scream Queens.
6. Kimberly Anyadike (American pilot and flight instructor)
Kimberly Anne Anyadike (born May 1, 1995) is an American pilot and flight instructor. She holds the world record for flying solo around the world at 19 years, 10 months, and 23 days old, making her the youngest pilot to fly solo worldwide. She has impressed and encouraged many people in Compton with her hard work ethic. For most people, she would be an inspiration to the younger generation. Her admiration runs through the veins of many young people in Compton, encouraging them to break the stereotypes.
5. Serena Williams (American tennis player)
Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American professional tennis player ranked No. 1 in women’s singles tennis. The Women’s Tennis Association has ranked her world No. 1 in singles on six separate occasions. She became the world no. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002, and achieved this ranking for the sixth time on February 18, 2013. Some tennis observers also regard her as the greatest female tennis player of all time. Martina Navratilova has described the American as the greatest female player in history.
4. Wood Harris (American actor)
Wood Harris (born April 5, 1969) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying drug kingpin Avon Barksdale on the HBO crime drama series The Wire and his roles in Remember the Titans, Coach Carter, Justified, and Ant-Man. The man has a long history in the Compton area and has been personally affected by violence. He is among the many African-American celebrities from the city with a success story.
3. Violet Palmer (American basketball referee)
In Compton, CA, Violet Palmer (born August 23, 1965) is a retired professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association. According to Wikipedia, she was the first female official in any major professional sports league in the United States to reach the highest competitive level. In 2015, Palmer ranked sixth in the list of top North American referees in terms of career games officiated with 869 as of that date. She is an inspiration to those young women who aspire to make a difference in sports.
2. Dr. Dre (American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur)
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), better known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur born in Compton, CA. A founding member of the pioneering gangsta rap group NWA, he has produced albums for and overseen the careers of many rappers, including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, The Game, and Kendrick Lamar. he has performed in multiple super-bowl halftime shows, including the Sunday, February 13, 2022, Super Bowl LVI halftime show.
1. Kendrick Lamar (American rapper, songwriter, and record producer)
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. He embarked on his musical career as a teenager under the moniker K-Dot, releasing a mixtape that garnered local attention and led to his signing with Carson-based independent record label Young Money Entertainment. He has built a strong fan base and a reputation for consistently churning out well-received albums.
Conclusion:
Compton is a city on the rise, and its natives have been showing off their talent. In terms of success stories, so many celebrities from Compton have managed to go out of the ghetto and become successful individuals in their respective fields. If you’re an aspiring celebrity or want to know how some people have achieved greatness while still living in the city, you should check out some of these people. These are not only talented individuals but also good role models for those trying to make it out of the dangerous Compton streets.
You can also read:
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- 20 of Our Favorite Celebrities from Queens, NY
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