<P> Tucker was born on August 31, 1971, in Atlanta, Georgia, the youngest son of Mary Louise (née Bryant) and Norris Tucker . One of six children, Tucker learned early in life that humor has the power to draw attention to himself both at school and at home . His father was an independent businessman who owned a janitorial service . Tucker grew up in Decatur, Georgia; after graduating from Columbia High School, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy and acting . Tucker grew up in a Pentecostal Christian household, as his mother and father were members of the Church of God in Christ during his childhood . </P> <P> In 1992, Tucker was a frequent performer on Def Comedy Jam . He made his cinematic debut in House Party 3 and gained greater film recognition alongside rapper Ice Cube in the 1995 film Friday . In 1997, he co-starred with Charlie Sheen in Money Talks and alongside Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element . </P> <P> Along with Jackie Chan, Tucker starred in the 1998 martial arts action comedy Rush Hour and its sequels, Rush Hour 2 and Rush Hour 3, in which he played Detective James Carter, an LAPD detective . After the commercial success of the first Rush Hour, he held out for a $20 million salary for Rush Hour 2, and was paid $25 million for Rush Hour 3 . The latter was part of a $40 million two - movie contract with New Line Cinema that also included an unnamed future film . He was also to receive 20% of the gross from Rush Hour 3 . </P> <P> Tucker did not reprise his role as Smokey in Next Friday (2000) or in Friday After Next (2002) because he had become a born - again Christian after filming Money Talks (1997). He starred in Michael Jackson's video "You Rock My World" and made a cameo appearance in Tupac Shakur's "California Love". On February 13, 1999, Tucker participated in the NBA All - Star Weekend's Celebrity Game . Other celebrities participating included rapper Master P, NBA Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Dominique Wilkins, wide receiver Terrell Owens, and four Harlem Globetrotters . </P>

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