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Lamont BentleyAmerican actor and rapper
Date of Birth: 25.10.1973
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Lamont Bentley
Lamont Bentley was an American actor and rapper who gained popularity for his role as Hakeem Campbell in the sitcom "Moesha" and its spin-off "The Parkers". He was born as Artimus Lamont Bentley on October 25, 1973, in Milwaukee, the largest city in the state of Wisconsin. He later moved to Los Angeles with his mother Lois, who hoped it would boost her singing career.
Early Career
As a child, Lamont started appearing in television commercials, and as a teenager, he played minor roles in the series "Duet," "Gabriel's Fire," and "Equal Justice." His first notable role was as Rashad in the series "South Central," which aired in 1994 and lasted only 10 episodes despite receiving audience approval. The show depicted the life of an African-American family from South Central, a neighborhood in Los Angeles known as the poorest and most crime-ridden area of the city. The main themes of the series were drugs, unemployment, school, sex, teenage delinquency, and violence. Due to declining ratings, the network decided to cancel the show.
Breakthrough Role in "Moesha"
Lamont appeared in minor roles in several other television series until 1996 when Ralph Farquhar, the creator of "South Central," invited some of the previous cast members, including Lamont Bentley, to his new project, the series "Moesha" (named after the main character). It aired on UPN for six seasons. Lamont, who appeared in 127 episodes, played the role of Hakeem Campbell, the longtime friend and neighbor of the main character. He frequently visited Moesha's home and eventually became her boyfriend. After the end of "Moesha," Lamont continued to act on television while also pursuing a career as a rapper.
Later Career and Tragic Death
In 2001, he portrayed C-Money in the comedy film "The Wash" alongside hip-hop stars Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Dr. Dre, and DJ Pooh. That same year, Lamont played the role of Tupac Shakur, a prominent American rapper, actor, and activist who was killed in 1996 by unknown assailants, in a television biographical film about the life of another globally renowned rapper, MC Hammer.
One of Lamont Bentley's last works was his role as Amir in Spike Lee's crime drama "Sucker Free City." However, on the early morning of January 19, 2005, Lamont Bentley tragically died in a car accident in Southern California. He was driving on Highway 118 when his car went off an embankment. Lamont was ejected from the vehicle onto the busy road, where he was struck by five cars. He left behind two young daughters, Artesia and Brazil.
