Sean Lampkin, who played Nipsey in the sitcom Martin, has died at the age of 54. Tributes have poured in for the late comedy actor, who was best known for his small but memorable role as the bartender on Martin Lawrence’s show. The latter made sure that Sean Lampkin worked in his films and TV shows, as an actor or as his assistant.
Lampkin’s family announced that the actor passed away on March 8, but hasn’t revealed the cause of his sudden death yet. His untimely passing comes as a shock to fans. Sean Lampkin’s iconic performance as Nipsey in Martin made him a household name among the show’s audiences.
Exploring Sean Lampkin’s rise to fame as Nipsey
Before getting his breakthrough sitcom role, Sean Lampkin made a name for himself as a standup comedian. His comedy career began at an early age as he performed on stage across many clubs and theaters.
Lampkin was noticed soon enough, and this introduced him to the iconic comedy actor Martin Lawrence while his sitcom Martin was still airing on Fox during the 90s. From 1994 to 1997, he played a supporting character called Nipsey on the show in its third, fourth and final season.
In the show, he played a funny good-hearted bartender who owned Nipsey’s Lounge, where the main characters used to hang out a lot. He became an instant hit among fans. They kept looking forward to Lampkin’s charming sense of humor in each episode.
Sean Lampkin’s friendship with Martin Lawrence
Apart from his role in the sitcom, Sean Lampkin was a close acquaintance of the show’s creator, Martin Lawrence. The actor made sure his friend had a role in his films like Bad Boys 2, Big Momma’s House, and its sequel Life.
So good to see my brothers Sean Lampkin and Martin Lawrence from back home as they stopped by to support the #summerhorns tour. pic.twitter.com/DRZJ8cmc0h
— Kenny Lattimore (@kennylattimore) September 15, 2019
Before he died, Sean Lampkin was also reportedly Martin Lawrence’s right-hand man who took care of his security detail at times. In almost all of the latter’s filmography, Lampkin served as an executive assistant to him.
What is Martin Lawrence’s sitcom about?
Martin was a huge success during its run on Fox. It was a classic in the history of African American television sitcoms and revolved around Martin Payne, a wisecracking radio personality in Detroit. He spent most of his time hanging out with his group of friends.
The main characters included his girlfriend Gina Waters (Tisha Campbell), his best friend Tommy Strawn (Thomas Mikal Ford), his neighbor Cole Brown (Carl Anthony Payne II), and his boss Stan Winters (Garrett Morris).
However, the show was not shy of some major controversy. Tisha Campbell filed a lawsuit against Martin Lawrence and the producers, claiming that he sexually harassed her on set. This led to Campbell’s departure from the show during the final season, and it was ultimately canceled by Fox due to the controversy.
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