<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1965</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Chris Rock is Born</div><div class='timeline-text'>On February 7, 1965, Chris Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1984</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Starts Stand-up Comedy</div><div class='timeline-text'>At 19 years old, Chris began performing stand-up comedy in New York City's Catch a Rising Star Club.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1990</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Joins Saturday Night Live</div><div class='timeline-text'>Chris Rock joined the cast of NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL), where he would stay for three seasons.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1996</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Releases First Comedy Album</div><div class='timeline-text'>Chris Rock released his first comedy album, "Born Suspect," to critical acclaim.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1999</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Wins First Emmy Award</div><div class='timeline-text'>Chris won his first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Program for HBO's The Chris Rock Show.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>2005</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Hosts the Academy Awards</div><div class='timeline-text'>Chris became the first African American to host the Academy Awards ceremony.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>2014</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>"Top Five" Release</div><div class='timeline-text'>Chris Rock wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed film "Top Five".</div></div></div>