Comedian Chris Rock has filed for divorce from his wife of 19 years, Malaak Compton-Rock, a philanthropist, reports FOX News.

Over the weekend, the New York Post obtained a statement from Rock's attorney, Robert S. Cohen.

"This is a personal matter, and Chris requests privacy as he and Malaak work through this process and focus on their family," the statement says.

Compton-Rock, 45, also released a statement obtained by the Post.

"After much contemplation and 19 years of marriage, Chris and I have decided to go our separate ways," she said, adding that their two children remain her top priority.

An unnamed source told E! News the couple has "been living separate lives for some time."

The news of Rock, 49, filing for divorce from his wife is not a surprise considering tabloid reports of marital trouble in recent years and Rock's jokes about marriage used in his standup routine.

One riff involved the late South African leader Nelson Mandela.

"Marriage is so tough man, Nelson Mandela got divorced -- he got out of jail after 27 years of torture, spent six months with his wife and said, 'I can't take this [expletive] no more,'" Rock once said.

A decade ago, there seemed to be signs of marital trouble during Rock's interview with NBC's Stone Phillips.

"Take yourself to the door and wave, 'Hey, see you later,'" Rock told Phillips. "You don't walk around the house like you're Stone Phillips. You're 'Her husband.' That's it."

Rock also described marriage as miserable and sexless in his 2004 HBO special "Never Scared."

Tabloids reported the couple were having relationship problems in 2007, but the couple adamantly denied the rumors in a statement to People magazine.

"Though we have tried in the past to take the high road and not comment on the tabloid media, we find it necessary to express on record how unfortunate it is that the Daily News, specifically, and other tabloid outlets have chosen to print untrue rumors and lies about our family and marriage," the statement said in part.

Rock's wife is the founder and executive director of a nonprofit organization called styleWORKS, which is a full-service salon that provides free services to women leaving welfare and entering the job market.

Rock is currently promoting his recently released film, "Top Five." The "Top Five" star and director wed Compton-Rock on Nov. 23, 1996. They reside in New Jersey with their two daughters Lola Simone, 12, and Zahra Savannah, 10, according to People magazine.

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