It’s been nearly a decade since Katt Williams graced Atlanta with his comedic charm.
His last show in the city was in 2017 at Philips Arena, before it was renamed to State Farm Arena. He performed to a sellout crowd during Super Bowl weekend. Williams’ hair was laid. It was the year after the 5-foot-5 provocateur had multiple run-ins with the law, which resulted in him being banned from two Georgia counties: Hall and Dawson.
Since then, the comedic legend has experienced a star-turn of a career. In 2018, he won an Emmy for his appearance on the former FX series “Atlanta.” Last year, he took social media by storm with his viral Shannon Sharpe interview. For nearly three hours, he captivated an audience of roughly 90 million viewers for his controversial statements on Hollywood’s most powerful. It remains the most-watched interview in YouTube history.
This year, he starred in the Issa Rae-produced film “One of Them Days,” alongside SZA and Keke Palmer. His signature-laid bob is now replaced with dreads.
At his Atlanta show on Saturday (his first of two nights at State Farm Arena), Williams doubled down on his controversial takes, while motivating the crowd to be their best selves. His “Heaven on Earth” tour stop was hosted by fellow Georgia resident Mo’Nique. Mark Curry, Tommy Davidson and Melanie Comarcho were among the openers.
Williams took the stage around 10 p.m. He walked out to a collection of Kendrick Lamar songs, including recent fan-favorite “Peekaboo.”
“I’ve missed y’all so much, and I appreciate this from the bottom of my heart,” he told the audience.
His 45-minute set was part sermonizing, part conspiracy theory-inspired and part down-to-earth. Williams opened the show by greeting each demographic in the crowd: “I want you to know that you are safe....there will be no ICE in this building whatsoever other than the ice I’m wearing,” he told Latin attendees.
Credit: Robb Cohen Photography & Video/
Credit: Robb Cohen Photography & Video/
The beginning primarily featured the 53-year-old showing love to his fans. He encouraged the crowd to keep winning in life, regardless of the obstacles they may face.
At the start of last year, Williams, thanks to his Sharpe interview, delivered a prophecy for 2024: “All lies will be exposed.” It was a line that felt more and more definitive, given the year’s pop culture antagonism (best highlighted in the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef).
But, for 2025, Williams expressed a more positive tone. He stated multiple times that 2025 was the year that people should expect “a blessing.”
“I don’t care where you are in your life, you’re too hard on your self. You’re doing a good job.”
Later in the show, he poked fun at Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx, Usher, Mike Tyson and even Bronny James (”He is 0 for 600. You at home have the same field goal percentage”). He reflected on how last year’s virality made him Hollywood’s most-hated.
“Some of you may know that I talk too much. That’s a lesson I learned. In 2025, I made a New Year’s resolution that I’m not talking about nobody else. Just me. But I had already wrote this before I got here.”
He also took time to acknowledge last year’s presidential election and Donald Trump’s first days in office.
“We just watched Kamala Harris take one of the worst beatings we have ever seen in politics,” he joked. “She didn’t have enough electoral college votes to graduate. I got 24 of them from Shannon Sharpe.”
Williams ended his set by reminding the audience that “we’re all family.” He gave a message to the white members in the crowd.
“White people, it has been said for thousands and thousands of years that white people do not season their food. I want you all to know that for the first time in history, there are more white people seasoning their food now than ever existed in the history of human kind. And we see you.”
Sunday is the second night of his Atlanta stop. Doors open at 6 p.m. The show starts at 7 p.m.
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