Mike Epps
Overview
Follows comedian Mike Epps as he discusses how a little delusion and a lot of hustle made him a star.
Cast
Reviews
3 min readThe Currency of Confidence
There's a distinct kind of comfort in watching a veteran comedian who no longer has anything to prove. I'm not talking about the hungry energy of a newcomer trying to dismantle the form, but the relaxed, almost conversational cadence of a guy who just wants to tell you how he survived. Mike Epps: Delusional (2026) operates entirely in this secondary register. latestnetflix.com's take is that it's a messy, occasionally frustrating hour of stand-up that ultimately reveals more about the architecture of a Hollywood career than it does about the state of the world.
(And honestly, I think that's exactly what Epps intended).
Directed by Royale Watkins, this marks Epps's fifth Netflix special. He is currently enjoying a massive late-career television surge with the multi-cam sitcom The Upshaws, making this return to the stage feel less like a promotional necessity and more like a victory lap. The opening stretch of the hour tries to grapple with the current news cycle—rapid-fire hits on ICE, Donald Trump, and Diddy.
Frankly, these bits feel obligatory. I'm not totally sure Epps is genuinely interested in political commentary; the jokes land with the faint thud of stale Twitter discourse.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.2/10
"A personal, emotionally charged stand-up special that trades steady laughs for raw storytelling and motivational confession, leaving reactions split."
The second half, where Mike Epps breaks down his journey and struggles, hits hardest for many, coming off heartfelt, inspiring, and surprisingly vulnerable while still getting some laughs. latestnetflix.com's view is that at the same time, long-winded stories, stretches of weak or repetitive material, and a heavy turn into biography and pep talk leave others bored or wishing for a tighter, joke-dense set.
What viewers praise
- Emotional life story The autobiographical closing stretch about how he hustled his way up is moving, motivating, and stands out from standard stand-up material.
- Strong storytelling presence Epps is praised as a compelling storyteller with an uncle-like vibe who can hold attention when he locks into a focused story.
- Classic raw humor The early portions deliver his familiar, politically incorrect, streetwise style that long-time followers came for.
- Career-best for some Several viewers call this the best or most mature special he has done, appreciating the mix of realness and comedy.
Common complaints
- Inconsistent laughs Many find the first 10–15 minutes slow and large chunks of the set not very funny, with only scattered big laughs.
- Rambles and drags Long stories, repetition of familiar topics, and a meandering structure make sections feel dull or directionless.
- Biography over comedy The back half turns so heavily into recounting clubs, movie titles, and his journey that the comedy special starts to feel like a motivational talk.
- Won’t win new converts Those already lukewarm on his stand-up feel this is mediocre or prefer his film roles, seeing nothing here that changes their mind.
Recommended for
Mike Epps loyalists Stand-up storytelling fans Autobiographical comedy seekers Motivational comedy watchers Raw, unfiltered humor fans
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsThe man who chewed him out in New York directed the fifth Netflix hour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71JUpIa8y6s
Deadline logged Delusional as Mike Epps's fifth Netflix special, after Don't Take It Personal in 2015, Only One Mike in 2019, Indiana Mike in 2022, and Ready to Sell Out in 2024. The stream date is 27 January 2026. Royale Watkins directed. Southpaw Productions. Ron Allchin produced. Epps is an executive producer with Mark A. Ritchie, Thomas Cobb, Niles Kirchner, Kyra Epps, and Watkins. latestnetflix.com's read is that Netflix's logline is breakups, fame, and how "a little delusion and a lot of hustle" made him a star.The official trailer went up on 15 January. 
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Sean L. McCarthy at Decider says the taping sat at Yaamava Resort and Casino near San Bernardino, timed with the fifth and last season of The Upshaws, which had dropped earlier that month. Epps does not spend the hour selling the sitcom. He walks through Next Friday with Ice Cube, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Jumping the Broom, Soul Men with Bernie Mac, and a Showtime at the Apollo bill from when Destiny's Child was still a Houston quartet. Deadline adds the longer resume. Def Comedy Jam in 1995, later hosting that show, a 2024 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for The Upshaws. ,
Two years in county, then the thank-you list
Decider reports he opens topical, including a shot at Donald Trump and a Diddy aside, before turning the set toward his own record. He reminds the room he sold drugs to an informant. Two years in county jail, down from a possible 20. He thanks people who housed him and an $85 food-stamp handout. He names comedians TK Kirkland and Red Grant. He gets quiet about an aunt in Atlanta who took him in. Watkins is the same man who gave him a hard talk when he first hit New York. About 30 years later, Watkins is on the special as director. Epps jokes about being high on an early movie role and says he has some 20 years clean. The title is the closer. "Sometimes you got to be delusional."
Wikipedia lists the 2026 hour at 59 minutes. TMDB matches the 27 January US date and Watkins in the director slot. Rotten Tomatoes prints the same runtime and stream date. Deadline says he is repped by UTA, Artists First, producing partner Niles Kirchner, IAG for stand-up, and Yorn, Levine, Barnes. The hour is a casino-stage origin story, with the old New York minder calling the shots, while the sitcom that made Epps an awards-night regular was already on its last season. , , ,
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.