Entertainment

Actor Tackles Rehab, Drug Addiction in New Drama

Published

10 years ago

March 18, 2015

Oakland Post

Actor Shiek Mahmud-Bey (Courtesy of 25th Frame Films)

by Stacy M. Brown

Special to the NNPA from The Washington Informer

Shiek Mahmud-Bey isn’t yet a household name, but has been hailed as one of Hollywood’s most talented actors.

The Brooklyn-born thespian, best known for 1996’s “Night Falls on Manhattan” and starring in NBC detective drama “The Profiler,” is now tackling a new challenge.

Mahmud-Bey has created, written, directed, produced and stars in the television psychological drama “The Inner Circle,” a gritty look at how substance abuse reaches across ethnicity, class, gender and age groups.

The hourlong drama, currently being shopped to HBO, Netflix and others, is set in hardscrabble Detroit and offers a fresh perspective of how drug and alcohol abuse is costly for society and, if left untreated, places a burden on the workplace and health care system.

The drama is co-written by Steven Williams, the screenwriter who helped to establish a solid foundation for the storyline.

Mahmud-Bey said he and creative partner Paris Jones aimed to shoot the entire pilot in only four days, after casting the show in just two.

“We were very specific,” Mahmud-Bey said of the casting. “I needed actors who could take notes and were committed. The chosen actors were given scripts and had two weeks to prepare. During the actor’s preparation period, Paris and I were introduced to Mr. Andre Johnson, CEO of Detroit Recovery Center — an introduction made possible by actress Whitney Johnson. Mr. Johnson, being a huge support to us, arranged for the cast to go to group meetings and talk to people who are in recovery.

“There was no compromise in accomplishing this goal,” Mahmud-Bey said. “We did not want to just create a sizzle reel. We both were willing to take a chance and were very clear about our mission.”

The creators enlisted Craig Harmer as director of photography and David Fienup was chosen for sound.

Mahmud-Bey said each episode depicts the suffering of patients and their loved ones and brings audiences closer to understanding the pain and circumstances that led them to rock-bottom.

While the title symbolizes the patients in the group, it also represents the inner circle of deep, debilitating pain that addicts cover up with layers of denial, lies and self-loathing.

The resulting compulsive — and at times uncontrollable — behaviors often lead them to rehab, voluntarily or otherwise.

“Many people assume that drug abusers lack moral principles or will power and that they could stop using drugs if they wanted to,” he said. “Several contributing factors may be the cause of substance abuse, such as environment and genetics, which makes quitting difficult. This makes spreading information about the biological, environmental and developmental complexities of drug addiction, along with prevention and treatment initiatives, an imperative.”

Mahmud-Bey is also working on a new talk show that he created, “Psychological Perspectives with Doc B,” featuring Dr. LaSonia Barlow, a Detroit psychologist who has done extensive work with the substance abuse and mental health population.

Barlow, who was also a psychological consultant for “The Inner Circle,” will delve into such topics as the use of the controversial AIDS drug Truvada and children of incarcerated parents.

The talk show and the new drama about addiction fit neatly in what’s already shaping up to be a busy year for the actor.

“It’s going to be my year,” he said. “I’ve got a lot going on but these are important projects, and if I don’t help people to evolve and grow, then I’ve failed as an artist.”

Click here to view the trailer for “The Inner Circle”: http://youtu.be/v8-7O5MhWjk

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.