Ask standup comedian Ralphie May what keeps his approach so distinctive and he credits hip-hop as the core influence. "Rap is the music, hip-hop is the lifestyle," May explains, pointing to the slang and street-smart cadence that run through his delivery. Born in Chattanooga, TN, yet raised in Clarksville, AR, he absorbed the styles of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and Sam Kinison from an early age. At 13 he began shaping his own material; three years later a car crash placed him in a ten-day coma, left him with 42 broken bones, and confined him to bed long enough for his weight to climb sharply. He has continued to battle the issue yet refuses to mine it for easy laughs onstage, preferring tougher terrain and trusting his own confidence.
A radio contest offering the winner a chance to open for Sam Kinison presented one such test. May paused his University of Arkansas studies, entered, and claimed the spot. Kinison urged him toward Houston, where he honed his set in local clubs before relocating to Los Angeles to work as an actor and writer. In 2003 he placed second on the reality series Last Comic Standing; the resulting visibility brought talk-show and game-show bookings plus a recording contract. Dreamworks-associated label Melee issued his debut CD/DVD Just Correct in 2004, which earned platinum certification. The following year he dropped 27 pounds while appearing on Celebrity Fit Club and became the sole white comic featured on The Big Black Comedy Show, Vol. 4 DVD. In 2006 he signed with Warner Bros.-associated label Jack Records and delivered the CD/DVD Girth of a Nation; a year later his Comedy Central special Prime Cut arrived as the label’s second release from him. The 2009 set Austin-Tatious appeared on the Image label.
