- 80-year-old Rosalie Rock is the mother of the famous American stand-up comedian and actor Chris Rock
- The mother-of-seven was married to Julius Rock until his death in 1988 following an unsuccessful ulcer surgery
- Chris Rock’s mother has worked as a teacher and social worker, while she is also the author of Mama’s Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Household of Successful Children
Rosalie Rock is an American teacher, social worker, and author who is in the spotlight for being the mother of Chris Rock. She is also the founder of Rock This 619 and also the host of The Mom Show, a weekly radio show that is broadcast in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
As an author, Rosalie Rock published the book Mama’s Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Household of Successful Children to share how she raised her 7 kids and still cared for 17 foster children at the same time. Rock was previously married to Julius Rock, Chris Rock’s father until he passed in 1988 after receiving surgery for an ulcer.
Rosalie Rock Was Raised An Only Child
Chris Rock’s mother, Rosalie was born on February 15, 1945, and she is currently 80 years old. She was raised as an only child in the United States by her parents Wesley Tingman and Pearl McClam.
She is the great-granddaughter of Julius Caesar Tingman, who was enslaved for 21 years before he served in the American Civil War as a member of the United States Colored Troops.
Rosalie Rock was Previously Married to Julius Rock
As stated, Rosalie Rock was married to Julius Rock for several decades until his aforementioned sad passing. Before his death, Julius he was a truck driver and newspaper deliveryman. Julius’s father, Allan Rock also worked as a cab driver and a preacher in New York City.
Rosalie’s marriage with Chris Rock’s father produced seven children (six boys and a girl). Also, her husband had another child from a previous relationship.
The Rock family history was profiled on the PBS series African American Lives 2 in 2008 and a DNA test showed that they are of Cameroonian descent.
Meet All Rosalie Rock’s Children
1. Chris Rock
Chris Rock is the oldest child of Rosalie Rock. The American stand-up comedian is famous for his work in several comic films and stage performances. He has received quite a number of awards including Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, and Golden Globe Awards.
The 60-year-old comedian was ranked No.5 on Comedy Central’s list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time and also No.5 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time.
The father-of-two was previously married to Malaak Compton-Rock but it ended in 2016. He is now rumored to be dating screenwriter, Lake Bell.
2. Andre Rock
Unlike his brothers, Andre is not in the limelight. Reports say he runs a truck business named Julius Rock Trucking Inc. The company is named after his father, who was also in the same line of business before he died.
Read Also: Andre Rock Is Chris Rock’s Brother: Everything To Know About Him
3. Tony Rock
Tony Rock is also a stand-up comedian. He is best known for playing Uncle Ryan on Everybody Hates Chris (2008-2009). Tony has also appeared in many films including What Goes Around Comes Around (2012).
4. Kenny Rock
In the wake of Will Smith’s attack on Chris Rock at the Academy Awards, Kenny challenged the actor to a boxing match. He reportedly revealed this alongside celebrity boxing promoter Damon Feldman.
5. Jordan Rock
Jordan Rock also works in the entertainment industry as Chris and Tony. He has featured in the three seasons of Netflix’s series Love as Kevin. He has also appeared in other films as well including the Netflix film The After Party, Gotham Comedy Live, and NBC’s Last Comic Standing.
Jordan Rock is the youngest in the family. He grew up watching his brothers perform which is why he refers to them as his inspiration.
6. Brian Rock
Just like Andre, Brian also stays out of the spotlight. There are speculations that he works as a church minister.
7. Andi Rock
Andi Rock is the only daughter of Rosalie Rock. Born in 1985, she currently works as a therapist for children with autism. Andi has followed in her mother’s footsteps career-wise. Aside from her career, Andi is a football enthusiast and has been spotted attending several games.
Andi has been married to Brett Nelson since 2020.
Aside from her seven children, Rosalie also raised her husband’s eldest child Charles Ledell Rock, who died after suffering from alcoholism in 2006.
Other Facts about Rosalie Rock
1. Chris Rock’s Mother is a Trained Teacher and Social Worker
Rosalie Rock has spent almost all her life as a teacher. She used to teach mentally disabled children. Rock worked in a preschool and daycare center for 17 years. She first started teaching in order to help her parents and also to get her out of Jim Crow South Carolina.
As part of her work as a social worker, she has worked for the welfare of more than 17 foster children. She did not only teach children but also help the kids stay clean and well-fed.
The mother-of-seven founded the Rock This 619, a nonprofit youth empowerment organization that is aimed at helping children. The name is gotten from the home where she raised her children 619 Decatur Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.
2. She is also an Author
Aside from her teaching career, Chris’ mother published her first book Mama Rock’s Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Household of Successful Children in 2008. Also, she has worked as a Host for the show, The Mom Show, a weekly radio program that is broadcast in Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.
3. Rosalie Rock Reacted to Will Smith and Chris Rock Oscars Incident
Following the incident between Chris Rock and Will Smith at the stage 94th annual Academy Awards, Mama Rock as she is fondly called revealed she initially thought the encounter was staged until Will started using abusive words.
She also added that she felt bad that the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Star never apologized to her son. However, it is known that Will later apologized via social media and also resigned from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Also, he was later banned from attending the Academy Awards for 10 years.
On his own part, Chris Rock has remained relatively silent about the incident.
4. Her Son, Chris was Diagnosed with a Non-verbal Learning Disorder in 2020
The multi-award-winning actor and comedian revealed in September 2020 that he was diagnosed with a non-verbal learning disorder. According to reports, the neurological condition made it difficult for him to understand non-verbal social cues.
5. What is Rosalie Rock’s Net Worth?
Having worked as a teacher and also a social worker, the philanthropist might have earned just enough to raise her children. At the moment, Rosalie Rock’s net worth can only be speculated to be around $500,000. Nevertheless, her son Chris is said to have a net worth of not less than $60 million.
A chunk of Chris Rock’s net worth is from his career in the entertainment industry. Reports say his net worth would have been higher but he lost as much as $40 million in a divorce settlement with his ex-wife Malaak Compton. Despite that, Rosalie’s eldest son is still considered one of the highest-paid comedians in the world.
Besides being a successful teacher, Rosalie Rock has also raised all her children to be successful. She now shares her experience with her parents through her book and radio show. Although she lost her husband while she was still in her forties, Mama Rock chose not to remarry. She made the decision to raise her 7 kids alongside other children singlehandedly. At the age of 80, Rosalie is still a doting mother and motivational speaker.
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