Christopher 'Play' Martin Biography 2024 - Rapper And Actor

Christopher Martin is a famous American-born actor, rapper, and digital creator. He is notably known as Play, developed from his MC name "Playboy." The rapper formed a duo with Christopher Reid and released three albums between 1980 to 1990.

In addition to being a rapper, Christopher Martin is also an actor. Martin has appeared in various films, which added to his fame in the industry. The talented celebrity was also a hip-hop professor at the Florida A&M University. So, let us know more about Christopher Martin's biography and career.

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Early Life, Family, and Education

Christopher Martin was born to his parents on July 10, 1962, in Queens, New York. The talented American has shared pictures of his parents on his social handles but has not revealed any information regarding them. Sadly, Christopher Martin's mother has already died. The rapper expressed his sadness at her passing on his Instagram account a while ago. His father was a former felon who turned into a Christian minister after his spiritual rebirth. His father and mother were of Jamaican descent. He was raised alongside his three sisters named Lela Martin, Bridgette Martin, and Teri Martin.

Christopher Martin loves to share his family's pictures on his social handles. Image Source: Play's Instagram.

The talented artist graduated from the High School of Art and Design in New York. As a young kid, Play was exposed to some very dark stuff. His living area in New York was a gritty place to be at the time, with crime rates up the charts. He was exposed to drugs, gangs and even dropped out of school many times. Despite his hardships, the rapper went on to have a successful career. 

Career

Christopher Martin pursued his career in music and soon entered a group called Quicksilver and the Super Lovers. It was featured by Hurby Luv Bug, a Haitian music producer also known as "Fingerprints." During his ventures with the music group, Play encountered another music group called the Turnout Brothers and met Christopher Reid, who performed as Kid Coolout for the band. After their respective bands parted ways, Play and Kid decided to function as a team. The duo named their group Fresh Force Crew and displayed their rap songs and dance moves. They later changed the group name to Kid 'n Play in 1987. 

Kid 'n Play was very popular in the late 80s and 90s. The duo worked alongside Mark Eastmond, who is also known as DJ Wiz. The pair recorded three albums between 1988 and 1991 titled 2 Hype, Kid 'n Play's Funhouse, and Face the Nation. Their single Rolling with KId 'n Play was listed top 11 on the Billboard R&B singles chart, while their other song Funhouse topped the no.1 spot on the Billboard rap singles chart. The duo's other single, Aint Gonna Hurt Nobody, was another no.1 Rap hit. Martin's contribution for the group to release hits after hits have probably made the rapper a rich man. 

After his music career, Christopher Martin appeared in five movies alongside his music partner Christopher Reid. Their success on the big screen landed Kid 'n Play their own NBC Saturday morning cartoon as well. Furthermore, Martin and Reid were featured in an animated special called Freaknik: The Musical by Adult Swim. After their third House Party sequel, the music duo founded their own record label called Kick Power Records. The American rapper and actor has undoubtedly earned a lot of wealth throughout his career.

Kid 'n Play recorded three albums together alongside appearing in several movies. Image Source: The90sarea/Instagram.

The talented performers entertained their audience with their songs and their Kick Step, the duo's trademark dance move. The move was influenced by the 1920s period dance "The Charleston." Their aerobic dance moves were also popular in their feature film House Party, starring Tisha Campbell and A.J. Johnson. While on the stage, Martin regularly wore eight-ball jackets during his performances. 

The duo parted ways in 1995 and began working separately. Play founded a multimedia company called HP4Digital Works alongside an online news magazine, Brand Newz, while Kid continued his acting profession on several films. He is also the founder of Playground Solutionz. Also, Christopher Martin began focusing on Christian-based hip-hop music projects after becoming a born-again Christian. He later joined the North Carolina Central University in Durham as a faculty member and taught credited hip-hop courses. He was also a judge at the 8th annual Independent Music Awards. His endeavors in various fields must have helped him to generate a significant amount of wealth.

Christopher "Play" Martin's Net Worth and Earnings. 

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Christopher Martin's net worth is about $300K. He is a famous rapper and actor known for his expertise in the entertainment industry. His experience and years of work in the field have helped Play earn a lot of money. The TV celebrity worked his way up in his career and has established a big name for himself in the music field. Listed below are some of his music albums alongside their prices with reference to Music Stack.

Christopher Play Martin has been very successful through his music career, which has resulted in his income growth. As mentioned before, the actor has also starred in several films, which also adds up to his net worth. Here are some of Christopher Martin's movies alongside their box-office collection, according to Rotten Tomatoes. 

Though his salaries and earnings are unknown to the public, we can be sure that the celebrity has accumulated a lot of wealth throughout his career. As mentioned before, Play is a producer and a CEO as well; with such a name for himself in the entertainment industry, we are sure that Christopher Play Martin has played in thousands of dollars. His former music partner Christopher "Kid" Reid's net worth is estimated to be $500K.

Relationship With Shari Headley and Children

Christopher Martin was previously married to American actress Shari Headley. The ex-couples exchanged their vows in May 1993 and were blessed with offspring a year later. The pair named their son Skyler Martin. Unfortunately, the lovely couple ended their marriage after three years of sharing a home. The ex-partners couldn't handle their marital life and ended their relationship with a divorce in 1995. 

Christopher Play Martin loves to post pictures of his children on social media. Image Source: Play's Instagram.

The African American actor also has a child named Vannessa Martin Jackson, whom he shares with his ex-girlfriend Janae Yvonne Jackson, before his marriage with Shari Headley. Sadly, Christopher "Play" Martin has been unable to lead a romantic life with his ex-partners but focuses on giving his children his love. The actor loves his kids very much and often post pictures of them on his social media handles. Despite rumors of his death, Christopher Play Martin is alive and kicking. The rapper is working on his future career projects and is possibly leading a single life.

Trivia

• The actor has 73.8K followers on his Instagram account. 
• Christopher Play Martin's ex-wife Shari Headley's net worth is estimated to be $2 million. 
• His is 5 feet 11 inches tall.