Born in Chicago

Moved with family to a "crazy" L.A. neighborhood

Began acting in plays at the Inner City Cultural Center

TV debut, guest shot on CBS's 1985 revival of "The Twilight Zone"

Did guest shots on various TV shows including "21 Jump Street", "Frank's Place", "The Wonder Years", and "Matlock"

TV miniseries debut, "The Women of Brewster Place" on ABC

First assignment as a TV series regular, "New Attitude", a short-lived ABC sitcom

Played teenaged son of Della Reese on "The Royal Family" (CBS)

Feature debut, "Menace II Society", directed by the Hughes brothers

Cast as a regular on "South Central", a Fox comedy-drama

Starred in the feature, "The Inkwell"

Reteamed with the Hughes brothers for "Dead Presidents"

Had featured role in "The Postman"

Starred as pop singer Frankie Lymon in "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?"

Produced and starred in the independent feature "Love Come Down"

Featured in the action feature "Biker Boyz"

Along with Vin Diesel, co-starred in "A Man Apart"

Portrayed Quincy Jones in "Ray" the biopic of legendary blues singer Ray Charles

Starred in Paul Haggis' directorial debut "Crash," a multicharacter study of L.A. race relations

Cast opposite Jeremy Piven in the indie comedy "Keeping Up with the Steins"

Co-starred with Tyrese Gibson in Vondie Curtis-Hall's "Waist Deep"