Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - cleaning paint off fireplace brick

I'm hoping this is an easy one - My home's previous owner was a very sloppy painter, apparently, and never heard of tape or dropcloths. Consequently, the brick around the fireplace in our livingroom has some white paint on it. I assume latex, as that was what was in some other rooms we've messed with. How can I clean the paint off the brick? Also, come to think of it, there's about 45 years of smoke stains along the top, too that would be nice to clean up a bit. It's a pretty rough brick, not smooth.

Thanks! Andy