# Lil Duval
**Lil Duval** (born Roland Powell, 1977) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and recording artist from [Jacksonville, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacksonville-florida), known for the MTV2 shows *Guy Code* and *Ain't That America* and for the 2018 single "Smile (Living My Best Life)" with [Snoop Dogg](https://www.edgepedia.org/snoop-dogg) and Ball Greezy, which reached number one on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lil-duval-mn0001561435) • [2](https://www.hot97.com/black-history-month/exclusive-lil-duval-talks-we-dem-ones-comedy-tour-the-future-of-black-comedy/). His stage name pays homage to his home county in Florida.[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lil-duval/bio/3000235659/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1977, Jacksonville, Florida (Duval County)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lil-duval-mn0001561435) |
| Stage name | "Lil Duval," adopted in tribute to Duval County, Florida[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lil-duval/bio/3000235659/) |
| Break | A 2001 Oakland Bay Area competition led to the Budweiser comedy tour with Cedric the Entertainer[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/lil-duval/) |
| MTV2 years | Series regular on *Guy Code* and *Hip Hop Squares*; host of *Ain't That America* (2013–2014)[5](https://www.mic.com/articles/53665/mtv2-s-ain-t-that-america-shows-just-how-funny-freedom-can-be) |
| Biggest hit | "Smile (Living My Best Life)" (2018): number 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100[2](https://www.hot97.com/black-history-month/exclusive-lil-duval-talks-we-dem-ones-comedy-tour-the-future-of-black-comedy/) |
| Film work | *Meet the Blacks* (2016), *Grow House* (2017), *The Trap* (2019), *The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2* (2021)[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/lil-duval/) • [6](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621261821) |
| Latest project | Executive producer and star of the independent horror-comedy *Camp Duval: Ain't Nobody Dying Today* (2026)[7](https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/09/07/lil-duval-to-premiere-independent-comedy-horror-film-in-jacksonville-on-sept-10/) |
## Early life and comedy start
Powell was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, in Duval County, and graduated from the city's First Coast High School[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/lil-duval/) • [8](https://jacksonvillefreepress.com/hometown-hero-lil-duval-leading-in-entertainment-and-as-a-community-role-model/). He grew up during the 1990s hip-hop boom and loved [Tupac Shakur](https://www.edgepedia.org/tupac-shakur)'s music, at first hoping to make hip-hop albums of his own before comedy took over[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/lil-duval/).
**Atlanta years.** After high school he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and by 2000 was a regular performer at the Uptown Comedy Corner club, which he has described as the place where he realized within four or five shows that he was genuinely funny[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/lil-duval/) • [9](https://balleralert.com/up-and-coming-comedic-baller-lil-duval/). His stand-up career is also traced to the Uptown Comedy Center in Atlanta in [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide)'s summary[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lil-duval/bio/3000235659/).
A 2001 performance at a competition in Oakland caught the attention of [Cedric the Entertainer](https://www.edgepedia.org/cedric-the-entertainer)'s road manager, who invited him to perform on a Budweiser-sponsored comedy tour alongside Cedric and four other comedians, playing venues from [Madison Square Garden](https://www.edgepedia.org/madison-square-garden) to the L.A. Amphitheater[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/lil-duval/) • [9](https://balleralert.com/up-and-coming-comedic-baller-lil-duval/). That road exposure led to appearances on *Showtime at the Apollo*, the platinum DVD *Cedric the Entertainer Presents: The Starting Line Up*, and work on Cedric's sketch comedy series[10](https://www.dead-frog.com/comedians/comic/lil-duval) • [9](https://balleralert.com/up-and-coming-comedic-baller-lil-duval/).
## Television career
In 2003 Duval debuted on BET's long-running standup showcase *ComicView*, and his performances there allowed him to appear on the show three more times in the following years[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/lil-duval/). He also became a finalist on BET's talent show *Coming to the Stage*, which Dead-Frog records as a 2005 appearance[10](https://www.dead-frog.com/comedians/comic/lil-duval).
**MTV2.** Duval became a series regular on the network's highest-rated show, *MTV2's Guy Code*, alongside comedians such as [Charlamagne tha God](https://www.edgepedia.org/charlamagne-tha-god) and [Andrew Schulz](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrew-schulz), and on *Hip Hop Squares*[5](https://www.mic.com/articles/53665/mtv2-s-ain-t-that-america-shows-just-how-funny-freedom-can-be) • [2](https://www.hot97.com/black-history-month/exclusive-lil-duval-talks-we-dem-ones-comedy-tour-the-future-of-black-comedy/). In 2012 he and Schulz served as special MCs for the U.S. telecast of the MTV EMA from [Frankfurt](https://www.edgepedia.org/frankfurt)[11](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Guy-Codes-Lil-Duval-Andrew-Schulz-to-Serve-as-MCs-for-2012-MTV-EMA-20121009).
In July 2013 he began hosting *Ain't That America*, a sketch program built around outrageous viral videos with a live studio audience, which he described as sitting between *Tosh.0* and late-night talk[5](https://www.mic.com/articles/53665/mtv2-s-ain-t-that-america-shows-just-how-funny-freedom-can-be). The second season premiered on January 15, 2014, and the series ran for two seasons and 20 episodes before ending in 2014[12](https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/aint-that-america-with-lil-duval-premieres-jan-15-on-mtv2/) • [13](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3105676/).
## Music and the hip-hop connection
Even before releasing songs of his own, Duval was a fixture on rap records and in rap videos, supplying interlude and skit material for releases by [Trae tha Truth](https://www.edgepedia.org/trae-tha-truth), Three 6 Mafia, Devin the Dude, and T.I., and appearing in videos for Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Wale, E-40, Young Jeezy, Yung Joc, and others[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lil-duval-mn0001561435) • [3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lil-duval/bio/3000235659/). He has also written articles for *Ozone* magazine[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lil-duval/bio/3000235659/).
**Recording singles.** From 2014 he began headlining parodic, irreverent singles: "What Dat Mouf Do" (with Trae), "Drop It Off," and "I Ain't Stressing" appeared through 2017[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lil-duval-mn0001561435). In 2018 came "Smile (Living My Best Life)," built on a Midnight Star sample and featuring Snoop Dogg and Ball Greezy; the song rose to number one on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, his first airplay chart-topper, and peaked at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lil-duval-mn0001561435) • [14](https://www.nextbiography.com/lil-duval/) • [2](https://www.hot97.com/black-history-month/exclusive-lil-duval-talks-we-dem-ones-comedy-tour-the-future-of-black-comedy/). Later releases include "Nasty" with Tank and [Jacquees](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacquees) (2020) and "F****n Tonight" with Rotimi (2022)[6](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621261821).
## Film career
Duval's filmography includes *Scary Movie 5* (2013), *School Dance* (2014), *Meet the Blacks* (2016), *Grow House* (2017), *The Trap* (2019), and *The House Next Door* (2019); he reprised his *Meet the Blacks* role in the 2021 sequel *The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2*[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/lil-duval/) • [6](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621261821).
**Independent filmmaking.** In 2026 he took his most controlling creative role yet as executive producer and star of the horror-comedy *Camp Duval: Ain't Nobody Dying Today*, produced with Rich Broke Entertainment and Swirl Films. He bypassed the traditional Hollywood distribution model with a six-city interactive premiere tour beginning in Jacksonville, a limited theatrical run with [AMC Theatres](https://www.edgepedia.org/amc-theatres), and a global VOD release timed for [Halloween](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween) on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and CampDuval.com[7](https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/09/07/lil-duval-to-premiere-independent-comedy-horror-film-in-jacksonville-on-sept-10/). In interviews he has described the project as part of a larger plan to build an ecosystem in film and entertainment for emerging comedians, and he has said the film was inspired by his real-life sanctuary and platform for new talent[15](https://podcastrex.com/shows/the-breakfast-club/lil-duval-is-building-his-own-hollywood).
## Community work and hometown ties
Duval has kept Jacksonville central to his career. For more than a decade he has hosted annual community events there, the best known being **Duval Day**, which began as a neighborhood block party and has grown into a gathering with music, food vendors, local businesses, and family activities drawing thousands of attendees to the city's Northside neighborhoods[8](https://jacksonvillefreepress.com/hometown-hero-lil-duval-leading-in-entertainment-and-as-a-community-role-model/). The Jacksonville City Council has recognized him with a "Lil Duval Day" commemoration in the city[16](https://jaxcityc.legistar.com/View.ashx?GUID=5325F363-CB80-4FEC-87E7-B0C0A5605740&ID=1208045&M=M).
## Style and influence
Duval resists genre labels for his comedy, telling an interviewer that the only thing audiences can expect is "straight laughter"[17](https://www.birminghamtimes.com/2017/01/lil-duval-from-day-one-ive-always-felt-successful/). He has cited [Chris Tucker](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-tucker) as an early influence and [Deion Sanders](https://www.edgepedia.org/deion-sanders) as a model for building a career that goes beyond a single format, and he credits his earliest comedic training to being the smallest kid in his Jacksonville school, where roasting was a survival skill[2](https://www.hot97.com/black-history-month/exclusive-lil-duval-talks-we-dem-ones-comedy-tour-the-future-of-black-comedy/). He was also an early adopter of social media among comics, building a following on MySpace in the mid-2000s and later on Twitter, where his account approached a million followers by 2013[2](https://www.hot97.com/black-history-month/exclusive-lil-duval-talks-we-dem-ones-comedy-tour-the-future-of-black-comedy/) • [5](https://www.mic.com/articles/53665/mtv2-s-ain-t-that-america-shows-just-how-funny-freedom-can-be).
## References
1. [Lil Duval — Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic (Andy Kellman)](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lil-duval-mn0001561435)
2. [Exclusive: Lil Duval Talks 'We Dem Ones Comedy Tour' & The Future Of Black Comedy, HOT 97 (Feb 26, 2025)](https://www.hot97.com/black-history-month/exclusive-lil-duval-talks-we-dem-ones-comedy-tour-the-future-of-black-comedy/)
3. [Lil Duval Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lil-duval/bio/3000235659/)
4. [Lil Duval — Comedian, Actor, Rapper, Singer, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/lil-duval/)
5. [MTV2's 'Ain't That America' Shows Just How Funny Freedom Can Be, PolicyMic/Mic (July 9, 2013)](https://www.mic.com/articles/53665/mtv2-s-ain-t-that-america-shows-just-how-funny-freedom-can-be)
6. [Lil Duval — Movies, TV Shows, Music, and Podcasts, Apple Snapshot](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621261821)
7. [Lil Duval to premiere independent horror-comedy film in Jacksonville on Sept. 10, News4JAX (Sept 7, 2026)](https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/09/07/lil-duval-to-premiere-independent-comedy-horror-film-in-jacksonville-on-sept-10/)
8. [Hometown Hero Lil Duval Leading in Entertainment and as a Community Role Model, Free Press of Jacksonville (Jan 15, 2026)](https://jacksonvillefreepress.com/hometown-hero-lil-duval-leading-in-entertainment-and-as-a-community-role-model/)
9. [Up and Coming Comedic Baller — Lil Duval, Baller Alert (April 20, 2021)](https://balleralert.com/up-and-coming-comedic-baller-lil-duval/)
10. [Lil Duval, Stand-Up Comedy Database, Dead-Frog](https://www.dead-frog.com/comedians/comic/lil-duval)
11. ['Guy Code's Lil Duval, Andrew Schulz to Serve as MCs for 2012 MTV EMA, BroadwayWorld (Oct 9, 2012)](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Guy-Codes-Lil-Duval-Andrew-Schulz-to-Serve-as-MCs-for-2012-MTV-EMA-20121009)
12. ['Ain't That America With Lil Duval' Premieres Jan. 15 On MTV2, CBS Los Angeles (Jan 7, 2014)](https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/aint-that-america-with-lil-duval-premieres-jan-15-on-mtv2/)
13. [Ain't That America (TV Series 2013– ), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3105676/)
14. [Lil Duval Age, Height, Wife, Kids, Net Worth, Next Biography](https://www.nextbiography.com/lil-duval/)
15. [Lil Duval Is Building His Own Hollywood — The Breakfast Club, Podcast Rex (Aug 24, 2026)](https://podcastrex.com/shows/the-breakfast-club/lil-duval-is-building-his-own-hollywood)
16. [Jacksonville City Council Meeting Minutes, 2025-0446, declaring June 12, 2025 as "Lil Duval Day"](https://jaxcityc.legistar.com/View.ashx?GUID=5325F363-CB80-4FEC-87E7-B0C0A5605740&ID=1208045&M=M)
17. [Lil Duval: 'From day one, I've always felt successful', The Birmingham Times (Jan 25, 2017)](https://www.birminghamtimes.com/2017/01/lil-duval-from-day-one-ive-always-felt-successful/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Theater and dance › Stand-up comedy and comedians › American stand-up comedians, contemporary › Stand-up comedians born 1970–1979*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license