Chris Rock may seem like a devoted family man – he once stated that he would ‘shoot’ anyone who hurt his daughters, and he even got a matching tattoo with his eldest – but the actor recently made a shocking admission about being a parent.
During his brand new Netflix special, called Selective Outrage, which premiered on March 4, the comedian, 58, revealed that he sometimes ‘doesn’t like his kids’ because they’re so ‘rich and spoiled.’
Chris’s honesty about his children left many people on the web stunned, especially because he has continuously gushed over them in the past.
The Grown Ups star welcomed his two daughters, Lola, 20, and Zahra, 18, with his ex-wife, Malaak Compton-Rock, whom he wed in 1997, but divorced in 2014 after nearly two decades together.
And while he later said that becoming a parent was the ‘best’ thing to ever happen to him, he has admitted that he actually had no interest in being a father at first. But after the terrible attack on the Twin Towers took place in September 2001 – he had a change of heart.
Chris Rock, 58, revealed that he sometimes ‘doesn’t like his kids’ because they’re so ‘rich and spoiled’
He welcomed his two daughters, Lola, 20, and Zahra, 18, with his ex-wife, Malaak Compton-Rock, whom he wed in 1997, but divorced in 2014 after nearly two decades together
To ring in the New Year, the girls vacationed on the stunning Caribbean island St. Martin with their mom
Chris explained in a previous interview that the incident lead to him having an epiphany, and he asked himself, ‘What have I done with my life?’
While they were growing up, Chris seemed like every inch the doting father. He once said he was ‘proud to be a dad every day’ and said ‘there’s no bad parts about it.’
He also went viral in 2016, after he shamelessly begged his celebrity friends at the Oscars to buy his daughter’s Girl Scout cookies, which resulted in her reportedly selling more than $65,000 worth.
His two daughters are now both studying in Paris, France, at some of ‘the best schools’
But Chris was also fiercely dedicated to ensuring that his daughters didn’t get special treatment – and he even had Lola thrown out of high school after he caught her drinking alcohol on a family vacation.
Despite his best efforts, the 58-year-old’s daughters have certainly lived a glamorous life full of extravagant trips, invites to elite parties, hangouts with other famous faces, and VIP treatment.
And now, the father-of-two has spoken out about the harsh realities of raising kids while being a millionaire – something that is vastly different from his ‘poor’ upbringing.
‘I love my kids, I love my kids, but I don’t like them. I don’t like my kids. You know the reason I don’t like my kids? Because my kids are rich,’ he said in the Netflix special.
‘My kids are rich and spoiled. I know some people are like, “Chris, you’re rich.” Yeah, I’m rich. But I identify as poor. My pronouns are “broke.”‘
As Chris shares his honest take on being a dad, FEMAIL has rounded up everything you need to know about his two daughters – who are now both studying in Paris, France, at some of ‘the best schools.’
From how they changed Chris’ life to their lavish upbringing and personal achievements, here’s everything you need to know about Lola and Zahra Rock.
Change of heart: Chris said he didn’t want to become a father at first – but he had a different outlook after September 11
Chris met his future wife, Malaak, at a party hosed by Essence magazine in 1994 (seen). The two quickly hit it off and started dating, and they went on to tie the knot in November 1997
While Chris admitted that he didn’t have an interest in becoming a father at first after the terrorist attack against the Twin Towers on September 11, he said he had a change of heart
Chris met his future wife, Malaak, at a party hosed by Essence magazine in 1994.
At the time, Malaak – who graduated from Howard University with a degree in arts and production management and earned her masters in global development and social justice from St. John’s University – was working as a publicist.
He and Malaak welcomed two daughters together
The two quickly hit it off and started dating, and they went on to tie the knot in November 1997.
‘She’s changed me. She’s really calmed me down and centered my life,’ he told Ebony magazine that year.
While Chris admitted that he didn’t have an interest in becoming a father at first, after the terrorist attack against the Twin Towers on September 11, he said he had a change of heart.
‘I said to myself, “The world’s falling down, and what have I done with my life?” he recalled to Oprah Magazine in 2002.
‘We’ve been married five years, but we’ve never planned anything – it has always been about today.
‘After September 11, I said, “It’s time. Let’s have a baby.”‘
He and Malaak welcomed their first child together, a baby girl named Lola Simone, on June 28, 2002, followed by their second, another daughter named Zahra Savannah, on May 22, 2004.
Protective father: Chris was every inch the doting dad throughout Lola and Zahra’s childhood, and once admitted that if anyone tried to hurt them, he would shoot them
Since the birth of his daughters, Chris has gushed about being a parent on numerous occasions. He is seen with Zahra
He told Chicago Parent in 2010, ‘Every day I’m proud to be a dad. Every morning. Every evening. There’s no bad parts about it. We’re laughing all the time.’ He is seen with Zahra
‘Being with my kids is the best, most fun thing. It’s a privilege. It’s not something I call a sacrifice,’ he said in another interview. Malaak is seen with Zahra when she was a baby
Since the birth of his daughters, Chris has gushed about being a parent on numerous occasions.
He told Chicago Parent in 2010, ‘Every day I’m proud to be a dad. Every morning. Every evening.
‘I just live in the moment… There’s no bad parts about it. My kids are young – six and four – so we’re deep in it still. We’re laughing all the time.’
‘When I hear people talk about juggling, or the sacrifices they make for their children, I look at them like they’re crazy because “sacrifice” infers that there was something better to do than being with your children,’ he said in a separate interview.
‘And I’ve never been with my kids and gone, “Man, I wish I was on my stage right now.” I’ve never been with my kids and gone, “Man, it’d be so great if I was on a movie set right now.”
The doting father also spoke out about wanting to protect his daughters (seen with their mom) in 2014, admitting that if anyone ever tried to hurt them, he’d have a hard time not retaliating
‘If Lola told me a guy hit her, I would get my gun and shoot the guy. I would put DNA on the bullet to make sure everybody know,’ Chris (seen with Malaak and Lola in 2003) said
‘But I’ve been doing a movie and wished that I was with my kids, I’ve been on tour and wished that I was with my kids.
‘Being with my kids is the best, most fun thing. It’s a privilege. It’s not something I call a sacrifice.’
The doting father also spoke out about wanting to protect his daughters in 2014, admitting that if anyone ever tried to hurt them, he’d have a hard time not retaliating.
‘You’ve got girls so you might have to watch out. You might have to hurt somebody,’ he revealed.
‘If Lola came home and told me a guy hit her, I would get my gun and shoot the guy. I would put DNA on the bullet to make sure everybody knows I did it.’
Messy ending: Chris and Malaak’s marriage came crashing down in 2014, after nearly 20 years together, and he later admitted to cheating on her with at least three women
Chris and Malaak shocked the world when they announced that they were getting a divorce in December 2014, after nearly 20 years of marriage. They are seen in 2005
Chris and Malaak shocked the world when they announced that they were getting a divorce in December 2014 after nearly 20 years of marriage.
At the time, the pair said that their ‘children would remain at the center of their lives’ and that ‘their well-being’ was their top priority in a statement.
The exes were in the process of adopting a third child, another daughter named Ntombi, when they decided to go their separate ways.
Their divorce was finalized in 2016, and Malaak ended up adopting Ntombi on her own.
Years after their split, Chris admitted to being unfaithful throughout their two-decade romance.
In an interview with Rolling Stone , he confessed to sleeping with at least three different women while he was married to Malaak, adding, ‘I was a piece of s**t’
The exes were in the process of adopting a third child, another daughter named Ntombi (center), when they decided to go their separate ways. Malaak ended up adopting her alone
In an interview with Rolling Stone, he confessed to sleeping with at least three different women while he was married to Malaak, adding, ‘I was a piece of s**t.’
But in the end, he said he wanted to keep the details of their breakup private and added that he hoped the two could stay civil.
When asked if he would use his failed marriage as source material for his comedy, the actor explained, ‘No. It’s not fair. I have a mic, she doesn’t.
‘God forbid people are bugging her in the supermarket. That’s not cool. I’m going to have to see her at weddings and graduations.’
Following their split, Malaak – who now runs a nonprofit organization called Angelrock Project Foundation, which promotes volunteerism, social responsibility and sustainable change – found love again with a businessman named Eric Maurice.
Strict as could be: Chris once had Lola thrown out of high school after he caught her sneaking out to drink alcohol during a family trip to Portugal
During his Netflix special, Chris revealed that he once went out of his way to get Lola (seen) thrown out of high school to teach her a lesson after he caught her drinking alcohol
While it’s unclear if Lola was let back into school, it does seem that she went on to graduate because she is now studying documentary filmmaking at a college in Paris, France
During his Netflix special, Chris revealed that he once went out of his way to get Lola thrown out of high school to teach her a lesson.
He said he asked the dean to expel her after he found out she had snuck out during a family trip to Portugal to drink alcohol with her friends.
‘I could not be prouder of the young woman she has become,’ Malaak gushed when she first started school in 2020
‘They kicked her out. They kicked them all out, but they kicked my child out first,’ he said.
‘Lola was like, “Daddy, stop it. You’re so serious. I’ll be back in school in no time.”‘
While it’s unclear if Lola was let back into school, it does seem that she went on to graduate because she is now studying documentary filmmaking at a college in Paris, France.
‘I could not be prouder of the young woman she has become and am excited for her to begin university in Europe,’ Malaak gushed on Instagram when she first started school in 2020.
‘Food and travel is her love language and she sees life through the lens of communicating through food, culture, and community.
‘I am so excited to parent her through this next phase of life. She is an extraordinary human being and I love her so.’
Lola doesn’t have a public social media account and it’s unclear what school she is attending, but her mother has visited her in the City of Lights on multiple occasions.
As for Zahra, now 18, she is a student at the University of Southern California, but is currently studying abroad in Paris near her sister
Lola doesn’t have a public social media account but Zahra (seen) does – where she’s racked up nearly 10,000 followers – however, she only has 27 posts in total
As for Zahra, now 18, she is a student at the University of Southern California, but is currently studying abroad in Paris near her sister.
‘Paris is beginning to feel like home. After 20 years of visiting this amazing city as a tourist, I now visit like a semi-local,’ Malaak wrote in November.
‘With my oldest daughter in her junior year of university and my middle daughter doing an exchange, I have ample reason to visit. I have become a true Francophile.’
Unlike her sister, Zahra does have a public Instagram account – where she’s racked up nearly 10,000 followers – however, she only has 27 posts in total.
She did share a tribute to her famous father on his birthday in February, writing, ‘So proud to be your daughter. I love you.’
Anything for his girls: Chris went viral for shamelessly promoting Zahra’s Girl Scout cookies at the Oscars – which resulted in more than $65k in sales – and he got matching tattoos with Lola
It appears that the girls are pretty close with their dad – and Lola even got a matching tattoo with her father when she turned 18. Hers is seen left while his is seen right
In 2016, Chris went viral after he made a plea at the Oscars to get his celebrity friends to buy Girl Scout cookies from Zahra, which reportedly resulted in her selling more than $65k worth
He said: ‘I want you to reach into your millionaire pockets and I want you to buy some of my daughter’s girl scout cookies’
It appears that the girls are pretty close with their dad – and Lola even got a matching tattoo with her father when she turned 18.
The comedian got a Basquiat crown inked onto his right shoulder – which was his first body art – while Lola opted for a dinosaur with a matching crown in the same spot.
Back in 2016, Chris went viral after he made a plea at the Oscars to get his celebrity friends to buy Girl Scout cookies from Zahra.
‘Last night Zahra, my youngest, called me up and said, “Daddy how come we never sell the most cookies? How come Mrs. Dunn wins every year?”‘ he told the audience.
‘It would mean so much to my little girl if we could beat Linda Dunn… I want you to reach into your millionaire pockets and I want you to buy some of my daughter’s girl scout cookies.’
According to People, his announcement resulted in her selling more than $65,000 of cookies.
Lavish lifestyle: Lola and Zahra certainly enjoy the perks of being related to the famous actor, and they often jet off on glamorous vacations and hang with other celebrities
Being the daughters of one of the most famous stars on the globe comes with its perks, and the girls certainly live a lavish lifestyle (Zahra is seen horse-riding)
Being the daughters of one of the most famous stars on the globe comes with its perks, and the girls certainly live a lavish lifestyle.
They often jet off on glamorous vacations and have met a slew of famous faces over the years – including Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, and Cardi B.
Chris said they enjoy skiing, horseback riding, and fencing. Zahra is seen
To ring in the New Year, they vacationed on the stunning Caribbean island St. Martin with their mom.
‘It was amazing visiting old haunts and discovering new places, especially great restaurants and beach clubs,’ Malaak captioned a series of pictures from the trip.
‘But the greatest moments for me were just being lazy with my girls around the villa just soaking up the sun, listening to music and being together.
‘With two of my girls in college, these moments don’t happen often enough so they are magical and appreciated.
‘They will be back to school soon and I miss them already.’
When it comes to their hobbies, Chris revealed in his Netflix special that they enjoy skiing, horseback riding, and fencing, and that they speak ‘multiple languages.’
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