Earthquake

Nathaniel Stroman, universally recognized as Earthquake, was born in Washington, D.C. His stage name, given by his mother, reflects his impactful arrival. After graduating from Ballou High School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, a decision he later stated was motivated by a desire for independence from his home. His military service began with an appearance in the “Tops and Blues” talent show.

Earthquake transitioned into comedy in the early 1990s, beginning with performances in small clubs. By 1993, he had become a co-owner of Uptown Comedy Corner in Atlanta’s Buckhead district, where he further developed his comedic style as the house host. His career gained national recognition in 1997 when he joined the Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam Tour. In 2002, he was part of the Latham Entertainment Presents Comedy Tour. He later opened his own clubs, Earthquake’s Comedy Corner II, in both Dallas, TX, and Atlanta, GA. In 2004, ABC developed a sitcom based on his life, titled “Earthquake,” though it ultimately did not proceed.

His acting and voice-over career developed alongside his stand-up. He performed a half-hour HBO special for “One Night Stand” in 2005, the same year he debuted his show “About Goddamn Time.” In 2006, he appeared in Kevin Smith’s film “Clerks II” and voiced Root the Rooster in the CGI film “Barnyard” and its accompanying video game, a role he reprised in the TV series spinoff “Back at the Barnyard.” He also took on the recurring role of Uncle Mike on “Everybody Hates Chris.” From 2018 to 2021, he had a recurring role on the CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood.” In 2022, his Netflix special, “Chappelle’s Home Team- Legendary: Earthquake,” was produced by Dave Chappelle. He continues to host “Quakeshouse” for SiriusXM and Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network, and in 2025, his Netflix special “Earthquake: Joke Telling Business” is slated for release.