All About Lola and Zahra
He may be a funny man, but Chris Rock is a family man, first and foremost.
The legendary comedian is a father of two daughters, Lola Simone Rock and Zahra Savannah Rock, whom he shares with his ex-wife Malaak Compton-Rock. Rock and Compton-Rock split in 2014 and their divorce was finalized two years later.
Rock has said he's not a "cool dad," but the Saturday Night Live alum believes his daughters have made him a better comedian. "I think I'm a better artist. Everything I've done since I've had kids is better than the stuff I did before I had kids," he said in 2007.
Here's everything to know about Chris Rock's two kids.
Lola Simone Rock, 21
Rock's older daughter Lola was born on June 28, 2002, in New York City. While Lola appeared on several red carpets with Rock as a kid, her life has remained relatively private.
He has always been extremely proud of Lola. Rock posted about her successes in school — and missing her — while on the road in November 2017. "Lola got a great report card today. And Zahra got an A on her math test. I'm on tour Missing my babies Dallas tonight," he wrote.
She graduated from the Bergen Passaic chapter of Jack & Jill of America in June 2020 where Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith gave a surprise speech at the virtual ceremony.
In a sweet Instagram tribute around the same time, Lola's mother, Compton-Rock, revealed what Lola planned to do next. "I could not be prouder of the young woman she has become and am excited for her to begin university in Europe," Compton-Rock wrote. "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!"
When Lola turned 18 in June 2020, Rock celebrated by getting tattoos together — his first-ever ink. "First tattoo for King @chrisrock and his wonderful daughter," wrote New York City tattoo shop Bang Bang on Instagram. Rock got a tattoo of a Basquiat crown on his right shoulder while Lola chose a dinosaur with a matching crown in the same spot.
In March 2023, during his live Netflix special, Selective Outrage, Rock told a story about Lola. He shared that during a high school class trip to Portugal, his daughter, and her friends, got busted for drinking. According to the comedian, Lola played the situation off like it was no big deal, so he asked the dean not to let his daughter off easy.
"I need you to kick my daughter out of this school," he said, recounting the conversation with the school's administration. "I need my Black child to learn her lesson right now before she is up on OnlyFans and some s---."
Rock continued: "They kicked her out. They kicked them all out, but they kicked my child out first."
Zahra Savannah Rock, 19
Rock and Compton-Rock welcomed their younger daughter Zahra on May 22, 2004. She appeared on the red carpet with her dad at just 3 years old at the Bee Movie premiere in 2007.
In 2016, the comedian pulled a viral stunt at the Oscars to get celebrity attendees to buy Zahra's girl scout cookies. "I've been away from my two daughters at a very important time in their life," he said, adding, "I have missed most of Girl Scout cookie season."
He continued, "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?' 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!" Rock and Zahra ended up raising $65,243 for the cause.
These days, the 18-year-old is a student at the University of Southern California. The teenager is passionate about travel and activism, and even uses her platform on Instagram to advocate for abortion rights.
Rock has discussed social justice issues with kids since they were young. In 2014, he told PEOPLE how he explained the Ferguson decision — in which a police officer was not indicted for killing an unarmed Black teenager — to his girls. "It's a hard one to answer right now," he said in the red carpet interview. "I kind of just explained to them what's going on. You're not always going to get the benefit of the doubt in this world."
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