Comedian Ali Siddiq tells Jackson audience ‘I Got A Story To Tell’

By Savannah Willis

JA Guest Writer

Comedian Ali Siddiq is a relative newcomer to some on the comedy scene, even though he’s been grinding since 2014. He made a big splash during his set on Comedy Central (YouTube Series)…“This Is Not Happening.” 

Originally scheduled to perform at Thalia Mara Hall, Siddiq landed in Jackson at the Mississippi Coliseum on Saturday, October 19th to a captive audience who didn’t mind the venue change. Siddiq didn’t skip a beat at incorporating the venue change into his set in a way that made the room laugh with him and without making us the butt of the joke.

I don’t know if I would describe Ali Siddiq as a comedian with a storytelling style or an immensely talented storyteller who happens to be undeniably hilarious. Regardless of how fans might describe him, we all sat up straight to listen when this Houston, Texas, native’s latest tour, “I Got A Story To Tell,” stopped in Jackson. 

I, like so many others, was introduced to Siddiq in 2014.  Having over 14 million views to date, he recounts stories from life behind bars, specifically a prison riot that has many of us still heeding the warning, “Mexicans Got On Boots.”

Siddiq immersed the audience in his very personal experiences through laughter – inducing stories in a way that makes you feel like you’ve known him all your life. Never holding back, he revealed unflinching realities of stories about his six-year incarceration in Hondo, Texas, and the joys and hardships of growing up in Houston’s 3rd Ward. Unsurprisingly, Siddiq’s humor found a diverse audience in Jackson. 

In “I Got A Story To Tell” Siddiq shared his new life experiences since turning 51, the stark differences between his mother’s parenting and grandparenting styles, and brought us along for his 9-year-old son’s first field trip to the hood. 

It was a night to remember with Ali Siddiq and just like “Mexicans Got On Boots” he left us with a catchphrase “I Been A Grown Cat Too Long” that we won’t forget anytime soon! 

Keep your eye on Ali Siddiq and be sure to catch him as he is a rising star who has a packed tour schedule that may be coming to your town.