By Jose Mujica
January 23, 2020
On February 8, Lil Duval will bring his distinct brand of comedy to the Queen City, stopping at the Knight Theater for his Living My Best Life comedy tour. Throughout his career, the Atlanta-based comic from Jacksonville has cultivated his own unmistakable style, mixing in satirical music numbers alongside his irreverent stand-up comedy. A natural entertainer, Duval always knew what he was destined for, saying that “People always found me funny. It wasn’t that I was trying to be funny; they just found me funny.” He’s put that innate gift to good use, hitting new peaks and continuing to develop as a performer almost 20 years into his career.
While newer fans may be most familiar with his 2018 single “Smile (Living My Best Life)” ft. Snoop Dogg and Ball Greezy, which hit #56 on the Billboard Hot 100, Duval explained that music has always been an integral part of his comedy. Even long before his first single and music video “What That Mouf Do” dropped in 2014, Lil Duval developed one of the most impressive resumes in regards to hip hop music videos, with appearances in classics such as TI’s “Rubberband Man” and “Whatever You Like,” Yung Joc’s “It’s Going Down,” Jeezy’s “My President,” and Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz’ timeless hit “Get Low.”
Surrounded by so many legends in the music industry, it was only natural for Duval himself to incorporate music into his own act. “My comedy has always been comedy and music put together, but now I have original content, original music to go with it,” Duval said. “It gives it a bigger effect.” When asked if fans can expect any new single dropping in 2020, Duval hinted at a track titled “Nasty” which he was shooting a video for soon. If Duval’s prior singles are any indication, “Nasty” is sure to be equal parts hilarious, suggestive, and catchy.
Never one to shy away from controversy, Duval’s provocative sense of humor has found a perfect place in the social media age and he’s grown an impressive following on both Twitter and Instagram. Duval mentioned, however, that this is nothing new, boasting his popularity on MySpace, back when it reigned supreme in the early days of social media. “I got on social media about 15 years ago and I seen what it was right then,” Duval said. “What everyone has seen recently, I saw way back then. I just put my flag in and marked my territory.”
That foresight proved profitable as his celebrity and relevance have been on an upward trajectory since. It makes sense then, as we inquired about his seemingly unshakable positivity, that Duval emphasized the importance of keeping your eyes open: “Pay attention to people’s actions. Actions always speak louder than words.” It’s been this adept perception of culture and attentiveness to its developing trends that has gotten Lil Duval where he is.
A modern renaissance man, Duval has his hands in a lot of pots, from music to comedy to film, with another movie set to drop in 2020. When probed for advice he would give to aspiring entertainers, Duval hesitated before explaining that he doesn’t “like to give advice on peoples’ careers because if I had taken people’s advice when I was coming up then I wouldn’t be here… There is no blueprint. Just pay attention and don’t listen to nobody.” Given how well it’s worked out for Lil Duval, it seems like worthwhile advice.
Catch Lil Duval on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Knight Theater and save $10 using our special link!
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