Chico Bean is an American comedian, actor, rapper, writer, and producer best known as a recurring cast member of MTV’s Wild ‘N Out since Season 5 of the show.
He co-founded the traveling comedy group the Freestyle Funny Comedy Show and later helped build the 85 South Show into one of the biggest independent comedy podcasts in the country.
Who is Chico Bean?
Chico Bean’s real name is Anthony Jamal Bean. He was born on February 20, 1987, in Washington, DC.
One of his uncles gave him the nickname Chico, and he later combined it with his last name to form his stage name.
Bean grew up in Southeast Washington, DC, a part of the city shaped by tight community bonds, cultural richness, and real hardship.
His background in that environment gave him a comedic voice that feels grounded and authentic to urban Black American life.
Beyond stand-up, he works across acting, rap, songwriting, and production. His credits include the BET Hip-Hop Awards (2020), The Dirty 3rd: Next Generation (2022), and the E! sketch comedy series The James Davis Project.
Bean is also a podcast regular and has toured nationally as both a solo act and as one-third of the 85 South Show.
His comedy draws from personal experience, fatherhood, cultural observation, and his gift for freestyle musical improvisation.
That combination, sharp wit paired with quick-draw singing and rapping, is what made him a standout on Wild ‘N Out and keeps audiences coming back on tour.
Early Life of Chico Bean
Chico Bean grew up in Southeast Washington, DC. His father died as a result of gun violence on the streets of DC when Bean was only two years old.
His mother, Tawanda Bean, raised him as a single parent under difficult circumstances. Bean has spoken publicly about losing six family members to gun violence.
That experience shaped a decision he made early: unlike some of his uncles who lived on the streets without leaving a lasting legacy, he wanted to be remembered. Comedy became the vehicle for that goal.
During his school years, Bean performed at talent shows and neighborhood events. Those early performances helped sharpen his instinct for crowd engagement.
He enrolled at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, where his stand-up career officially began.
Bean joined the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity during his time at the university. He also performed at fraternity events and college pageants before committing to comedy full-time.
His initial aim had been to work as a news anchor, but the pull of live performance won out.
In May 2021, Bean lost his mother Tawanda. He informed his fans through an Instagram post, sharing a photo from her memorial service with a heartfelt caption honoring her life and role in his.
Chico Bean Age / Birthday
Chico Bean is 39 years old as of 2026, born on February 20, 1987. His zodiac sign is Pisces, a sign often associated with creativity, emotional depth, and strong intuition.
He continues to tour nationally and remains one of the most active figures in American stand-up comedy.
Chico Bean Ethnicity and Nationality
Chico Bean is American by nationality, born and raised in Washington, DC. He is of African-American descent.
His upbringing in Southeast DC is a recurring theme in his comedy and a defining part of his stage identity.
Chico Bean Height and Weight
Chico Bean stands 5 feet 9 inches tall, which is approximately 175 centimeters. His weight is reported at around 198 lbs (90 kg).
He has spoken about wanting to improve his fitness in recent years, and his high-energy stage presence reflects his natural stamina during long touring runs.
Chico Bean Education
Bean attended Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. It was during his time there that he first began doing stand-up comedy, performing at on-campus events before moving into local clubs and open-mic nights.
His university years gave him his first real performance reps outside of his DC neighborhood.
Chico Bean Career
Chico Bean’s career started in the comedy clubs of Greensboro, North Carolina, and grew into a national presence built across television, podcasting, touring, and digital media. His output spans more than fifteen years of continuous work.
Early Career (2007–2012)
Bean began performing stand-up comedy in Greensboro, North Carolina, around 2007 while still at Winston-Salem State University.
He started at open-mic nights and small local clubs, testing material in front of crowds that gave no mercy to weak punch lines.
His early break came when he earned a regular slot opening for comedian Chris Wiles. That experience gave him a foundation in reading audiences and pacing a set at a professional level.
By 2009, Bean had teamed up with fellow comedians B-Daht and Darren Brand to form the Freestyle Funny Comedy Show.
The group later added DeMar “OsamaBinDrankin” Rankin, Sr. Together, they performed at comedy clubs, universities, and colleges across the South and East Coast, building a reputation for improvisational energy and crowd-driven material.
The turning point came when Nick Cannon heard about Bean’s work in North Carolina and flew him to New York to perform at the Gotham Comedy Club for Cannon’s Fresh Faces of Comedy event.
Bean’s audition was shaky, but Cannon saw enough potential to back him. That connection opened the door to television.
Wild ‘N Out and Breakthrough (2013–2020)
In July 2013, Chico Bean joined Wild ‘N Out as a recurring cast member, starting with Season 5.
The show, hosted by Nick Cannon, is an improv comedy and rap battle series that has aired on MTV, VH1, and MTV2.
Bean quickly established himself as one of the most memorable voices on the show. His Wildstyle battles and Sucka MC battles became fan highlights.
His face-off against rapper Safaree drew particular attention, as did his ongoing battles with fellow cast member Karlous Miller.
His versatility stood out from other cast members. Beyond written jokes, Bean could freestyle rap, break into improvised singing, and steer any battle segment with quick instincts. He has appeared in well over 100 episodes of the show across its run.
In 2020, Bean also served as a producer on the BET Hip-Hop Awards TV special. That credit expanded his profile beyond performing and into production.
85 South Show and Recent Work (2018–Present)
Around 2018, Bean joined Karlous Miller and DC Young Fly to build the 85 South Show, a podcast that grew into one of the most-watched independent comedy platforms in the country.
The show built its audience without corporate backing, growing from a podcast into a nationwide touring production.
By 2025, the 85 South crew was celebrating ten years of working together, recounting their journey from shared financial struggle to headlining major venues in a wide-ranging interview with radio host Angie Martinez.
Their “Spin the Block Tour” ran through 2025, bringing the show’s live format to cities across the United States.
In 2025, Bean released his first solo comedy special, LOL Live with Chico Bean, executive produced by Kevin Hart.
The special, available on Hulu, covers fatherhood, fame, and generational differences, blending personal storytelling with cultural commentary.
The 85 South Show also launched the “Spin the Block Tour 2026,” with Bean, Miller, and DC Young Fly continuing to tour together nationally.
Chico Bean Awards and Recognition
Bean has not yet received major industry awards, but his career milestones speak to his standing in comedy.
His production credit on the 2020 BET Hip-Hop Awards represents formal recognition beyond performance.
The Freestyle Funny Comedy Show, which Bean co-created, earned him a reputation for building touring comedy infrastructure independently before platforms like podcasting made that route mainstream.
Chico Bean Tours and Concerts
Bean has performed at venues across the United States throughout his career, including clubs in Virginia Beach, Ohio, Tampa, Pennsylvania, and Atlanta.
He has performed multiple shows per night at comedy clubs such as the Pittsburgh Improv and the Funny Bone Comedy Club in Tampa.
His 85 South Show dates have moved into major entertainment venues. The Spin the Block Tour in 2025 and 2026 placed Bean, Karlous Miller, and DC Young Fly in front of large ticketed audiences nationwide.
As a solo headliner, his shows typically run 90 minutes to two hours. His live sets mix crowd work, freestyle rap, musical improvisation, and storytelling drawn from his personal life and his DC upbringing.
Chico Bean Children
Chico Bean has one daughter, Pierce Chanel. He has not shared publicly who her mother is.
Bean posts about Pierce regularly on his social media accounts and has spoken about her being his primary motivation in life.
Bean has also referred to Pierce by the nickname Wanda, in memory of his late mother Tawanda.
In a 2022 Father’s Day Instagram post, he called Pierce his “mini-me” and expressed what she means to him.
Pierce Chanel has grown up largely out of the public eye despite her father’s high profile.
Chico Bean Net Worth
Chico Bean’s estimated net worth is $4 million as of 2026. His income comes from multiple streams built across his career in television, touring, podcast production, and social media.
His longest-running income source is his recurring role on Wild ‘N Out, where he has appeared in more than 100 episodes across multiple seasons on MTV, VH1, and MTV2.
Television comedy roles of that tenure and visibility carry consistent per-episode fees that compound over years of work.
His 85 South Show co-venture with Karlous Miller and DC Young Fly adds both digital ad revenue from the podcast’s YouTube presence and live touring income.
The show built its audience without label or network backing, which means its creators retain greater control over its earnings.
The Spin the Block Tour dates in 2025 and 2026 represent ticketed event revenue on top of that base.
The 2025 Hulu comedy special LOL Live with Chico Bean, produced under Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat banner, also brings a licensing deal into his earnings picture.
Bean also earns from paid social media posts on Instagram, where he maintains a following of over 2.5 million.
His solo touring dates at clubs and theaters across the country add further income on top of his podcast and television work.
Chico Bean Social Media
Bean is active on Instagram as @chicobean and on X (formerly Twitter) as @chicoBean.
He posts frequently on both platforms, sharing content related to his comedy, his daughter, and his touring schedule.
His Instagram audience exceeds 2.5 million followers, making it his primary channel for audience engagement.
Conclusion
Chico Bean built his career from open-mic nights in Greensboro into a nationwide comedy presence across television, podcasting, touring, and streaming, with a debut special on Hulu under Kevin Hart’s production banner in 2025.
His work on Wild ‘N Out, the 85 South Show, and his solo stand-up circuit reflects a performer who has continuously grown his platform across more than fifteen years without a moment of standing still.