Made his stage debut in the fifth grade

Television debut in the CBS series "You Take The Kids"

Cast in the ABC television drama "God Bless The Child"

Cast in NBC series "The Cosby Mysteries" starring Bill Cosby

Lauched his first group, Urban Thermal Dynamics

Made his major label debut with a cameo on De La Soul's "Stakes Is High"

Had a two-episode recurring role on "Brooklyn South" (CBS)

Debut album under the group name "Black Star"

Acted on episodes of "NYPD Blue" and "Spin City" (both ABC)

Made feature debut in "Where's Marlowe?"

Made solo album debut

Starred on MTV's "The Lyricist Lounge Show," mixing comedy sketches, hip-hop and urban poetry

Featured in Spike Lee's "Bamboozled"

Starred opposite Destiny's Child singer Beyonce Knowles in MTV's "Hip Hopera: Carmen"

Had a supporting role in the feature drama "Monster's Ball"

Served as host, co-executive producer and musical director for "Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry" series

Made Broadway debut in "Topdog Underdog"

Cast as a hip hop star in the romance feature "Brown Sugar"

Portrayed the head of a smuggling ring in the feature drama "Showtime"

Had memorable role in the classic remake "The Italian Job"

Starred opposite Alan Rickman in the HBO drama "Something the Lord Made" a dramatization of the relationship between heart surgery pioneers Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas; received an Emmy and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Lead Actor (Mini Series or TV Movie)

Starred with Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick in "The Woodsman"; premiered at sundance

Starred in the HBO original movie "Lackawanna Blues" based on Ruben Santiago-Hudson autobiographical one man show

Co-starred with Bruce Willis in "16 Blocks," a real time action thriller directed by Richard Donner

Portrayed Chuck Berry in the musical biopic "Cadillac Records"