Keenen Ivory Wayans was the first to achieve national prominence by successfully creating, launching and hosting a 1990s black-oriented comedy satire on Fox TV.

Wayans moved to Los Angeles in order to pursue film and TV opportunities. He held small parts on shows such as "CHiPs" and "Cheers". After hooking up with Eddie Murphy and earning writing credit on Murphy's live performance feature Eddie Murphy Raw, Keenen's visibility rose. He had his first film hit with Hollywood Shuffle follwed by I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.

The sketch-oriented, Emmy-winning variety series "In Living Color" was Keenen's creative baby, ironically, Keenen would be one of the first of the cast to leave the show over creative issues and contract disputes. In 1997, he produced " The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show", a talk show in which he served as the cool, urban-styled host, the show only lasted one season.

In 2000, he directed the hilarious horror spoof Scary Movie, followed by Scary Movie 2 in 2001, and later directed White Chicks, all three of which starred his brothers Marlon and Shawn.