Diallo Riddle

Born on May 6, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, Diallo Riddle is the son of American painter and sculptor John Riddle Jr. and Carmen Riddle. He attended Benjamin Elijah Mays High School in Atlanta before graduating from Harvard University with a major in History. After his collegiate studies, Riddle, alongside his creative partner Bashir Salahuddin, established a sketch comedy group called Cleo’s Apartment. This group, which included performers like Robin Thede and Wyatt Cenac, developed a stage show that was later adapted into “The Message,” a web series produced by AOL and HBO, airing in 2007.

Riddle began his professional writing career in television as a staff writer for Comedy Central’s “Chocolate News” in 2008. The following year, he joined “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” contributing as both a writer and performer from 2008 to 2012. During this period, he notably co-wrote segments such as “Slow Jam the News” featuring Barack Obama and several editions of “A History of Rap” with Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake. His writing credits further expanded to include collaborations with Jordan Peele and Tracy Morgan on “The Last O.G.,” Maya Rudolph on “The Maya Rudolph Show” and “Maya and Marty,” and Drake for his hosting duties at the ESPYs and NBA Awards. In 2015, Riddle partnered with Salahuddin and Lorne Michaels for the HBO pilot “Brothers in Atlanta,” which led to his recognition on Variety’s Top 10 Scribes to Watch list.

In recent years, Riddle has achieved significant success as a co-creator, writer, and star of two acclaimed television series: HBO Max’s “South Side” and AMC/IFC’s Emmy Award-winning “Sherman’s Showcase.” Both shows debuted to 100% on Rotten Tomatoes shortly after their premieres. “South Side,” filmed in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, offers an authentic depiction of life on the South Side. “Sherman’s Showcase,” executive produced by John Legend, is a scripted musical variety/sketch comedy that has featured guest stars such as Tiffany Haddish and Common. Riddle and Salahuddin also secured a multi-year overall deal with Warner Bros TV to develop and produce various television projects. As an actor, Riddle has played Stevie on the Netflix series “Marlon,” appeared on HBO’s “Silicon Valley” for multiple seasons, and was seen in a recent season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Outside of his television and film work, Riddle is also a DJ, having performed at events like the KABOO Music Festival and held residencies at venues such as the Dream Hotel’s Highlight Room and Soho House. He has also DJ’d for high-profile events including the Golden Globes and the People’s Choice Awards. Riddle is an active supporter of The Children’s Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting children and families affected by violence in Los Angeles.