Hannibal Buress returns with his first comedy special in four years, Miami Nights, premiering via YouTube live stream.
The special comes three years after the Chicago native’s 2017 arrest by Miami police for alleged “disorderly conduct.” Buress uses this special to discuss his experience in Miami, alongside the backdrop of a national and international conversation around police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement.
While the jokes are new, the subject of this special serves as another reminder of the common plagues of police violence against Black people in America. The arrest was reportedly prompted by Buress asking an officer to order him an Uber. The incident, caught on police body camera, went viral as footage of Buress speaking directly to his future audience surfaced. “Hey, whats up YouTube! It’s me, Hannibal Buress,” Buress says in footage of the arrest. “This cop is stupid as f***. Hey, put this camera on.”
In February of the following year, Miami prosecutors dropped the case. Buress is fortunately alive and well to tell the tale for us to watch from the comfort of our homes.
The free stream follows Dave Chapelle’s widely praised comedy special 8:46, which also premiered on YouTube through Netflix’s comedy channel. Chapelle’s special directly addressed the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May.
Like most celebrities during the time of COVID-19, Buress is no stranger to live streaming. He rewatched all of his old specials during a YouTube live stream last month, and recently streamed himself playing the newly released Last of Us 2.
Check out Miami Nights now on YouTube above.
