Ever since his infamous Bill Cosby rape joke went viral, Chicago’s Hannibal Buress has gone from strength to strength.

But it didn’t happen overnight for the stand-up comic. Buress has put in the hard work over a number of years, refining his comedic timing while testing his skills in film and television — all on his way to becoming one of America’s funniest comedians.

Following his breakout on Comedy Central’s The Awkward Comedy Show, Buress released his first comedy album, My Name Is Hannibal — 50 minutes of eye-watering hilarity showcasing his insightful wit, and his unique mixture of observational comedy, self-deprecating humor, dark satire, and pickle juice.

With the success of his stand-up career, Buress landed a job writing for Saturday Night Live in 2009. After only one of his sketches aired in a year with the show, Buress moved on to writing for Tina Fey’s 30 Rock. Six months later, he shifted his full attention back to his stand-up routine, releasing the instant classic Animal Furnace in 2012.

Meanwhile, Buress continued acting, joining fellow comic and pal Eric Andre for The Eric Andre Show, a surreal parody of low-budget public-access talk shows. Buress also scored a recurring role on the hit comedy Broad City, playing a lovable, well-meaning dentist and on-again-off-again love interest of the show’s main character.

In 2014, with his career gaining traction, a joke Buress had been using for six months finally pushed him into the mainstream. Jabbing at Bill Cosby and his habit of putting down young comedians, Buress told the audience, “Yeah, but you raped women, Bill Cosby, so, kinda brings you down a couple notches.” A clip of the joke found its way to the internet, and Buress became an overnight success (ten years in the making). Cosby, meanwhile, is awaiting trial for 
sexual assault.

Since his game-changing remark, Buress is a man in demand. His first Netflix special, Comedy Camisado, aired in 2015, and he’s landed roles in the upcoming blockbusters Baywatch and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

All this along with having just completed a whirlwind international tour, Buress has definitely gone up a couple notches.

PHOTO: Getty Images / Maarten De Boer