Adele Givens has long been making us laugh — and setting us straight in the process with her real, raw, and no-nonsense humor. Born Willadele Givens in Chicago, Illinois, the actress and comedian didn't find her calling in comedy until just before her 30th birthday, when she took the Grand Prize at the Crown Royal Comedy Contest in her hometown. After this victory, she dove headfirst into the comedy world, where she's since stacked up some impressive credits that have taken her from the stage to the screen to even a Kanye West track.

After winning her first comedy contest, Givens worked her way around Chicago's stand-up circuit, and, in 1990, became a finalist (right beyond Bernie Mac) at the Miller Lite Comedy Search Contest. As she became more confident on stage, she soon made the big move to New York City. It was in the Big Apple that she met Def Jam Records' founder Russell Simmons, who invited her to perform on HBO's Def Comedy Jam in 1992. Her TV debut on the show eventually led to even bigger projects, including a starring role in The Queens of Comedy alongside female comedians Mo'Nique, Laura Hayes, and Sommore, in 2001.

Givens has also made appearances on TV shows like Moesha, Martin, The Parkers, Comedy Central Presents, and The Steve Harvey Show, as well as films including The Players Club, Beauty Shop, and Sex Ain't Love. In between her acting work, she spends a good deal of time on the road, performing at sold-out venues across the U.S.

In 2018, her life took quite an unexpected turn when Givens received a phone call from Kanye West asking her to be on one of his tracks. Givens re-recorded lines from her 1992 Def Comedy Jam appearance for his smash single "I Love It," featuring Lil Pump, and also made a memorable appearance in the hit music video. Her brief dive into hip-hop has since helped bring her a whole new audience, which she's taking full advantage of as she continues to bring her signature sassy style across the country.