Derek Watkins (born February 13, 1974), known professionally as Fonzworth Bentley, is an American rapper, actor, television presenter, and author. He is perhaps best known for being

Sean Combs Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...

' former personal valet and assistant, as first seen in ''

Making the Band 2 ''Making the Band'' is an ABC/ MTV reality television series that exists in separate iterations, each focusing on a specific music act. It spawned musical acts O-Town, Da Band, Danity Kane, Day26, and Donnie Klang. Except for the first iteration ...

'', and was the host of MTV's ''

From G's to Gents ''From G's to Gents'' is an American reality television series aired on MTV, which features misdirected young men willing to change their lives and become gentlemen. The show is hosted by Fonzworth Bentley Derek Watkins (born February 13 ...

''. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia.

Career

He first appeared rapping on

Da Band Bad Boy's Da Band was an American hip hop group put together by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and signed to P. Diddy's Bad Boy Records. The group's story was documented for three seasons of MTV's ''Making the Band 2'' reality series. Career During ...

's 2002 album '' Too Hot for TV'', in the track "Cheers to Me, Mr. Bentley (Interlude)". In 2003, Bentley was featured on the "Good Day, Good Sir" skit on OutKast's ''

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below ''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop duo Outkast. It was released on September 23, 2003, by Arista Records. Issued as a double album, its length of over two hours is spread across solo albums from both ...

''. In 2004, he made a cameo in the music video of

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

's "

The New Workout Plan "The New Workout Plan" is a song from Kanye West's debut album, ''The College Dropout''. Released in late 2004, the single peaked at #59 on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The music video was released in 2004, with cameos from John Legend, ...

". Bentley is credited as a songwriter on multiple ''

Yeezus ''Yeezus'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for the production, ...

'' tracks including “

On Sight __NOTOC__ This glossary of climbing terms is a list of definitions of terms and jargon related to rock climbing and mountaineering. The specific terms used can vary considerably between different English-speaking countries; many of the phrases d ...

,” “

Black Skinhead "Black Skinhead" (also stylized as "BLKKK SKKKN HEAD") is a song by American rapper Kanye West, from his sixth studio album '' Yeezus'' (2013). It was produced by West and Daft Punk. The song's lyrics center on racial tensions and the crumbli ...

,” “ I Am a God,” and “ Hold My Liquor.” He is also credited as a producer on West's “

Ultralight Beam "Ultralight Beam" is a song by American recording artist Kanye West from his seventh studio album ''The Life of Pablo'' (2016). The song features vocals by R&B singers The-Dream and Kelly Price, rapper Chance the Rapper, gospel singer Kirk Fr ...

.” His debut album, ''C.O.L.O.U.R.S.'', was released via iTunes on April 26, 2011. He was also featured, playing the violin in the " Yes We Can" music video in support of

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

's 2008 presidential campaign.

Other media work

Bentley was an executive producer for ''Borrow My Crew'' in 2005, in which he allowed one boy, Cory Cole, to borrow the entourage of

P. Diddy Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...

for two days. In 2008, he hosted the MTV reality series ''

'', which ran for two seasons. In 2007, Bentley authored an

etiquette Etiquette () is the set of norms of personal behaviour in polite society, usually occurring in the form of an ethical code of the expected and accepted social behaviours that accord with the conventions and norms observed and practised by a ...

book, ''Advance Your Swagger: How to Use Manners, Confidence and Style to Get Ahead''. In May 2009, Bentley hosted one of the afterparties following the

White House Correspondents' Dinner The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) is an organization of journalists who cover the White House and the president of the United States. The WHCA was founded on February 25, 1914, by journalists in response to an unfounded rumor t ...

in Washington, D.C.

Public service

In 2007, Bentley contributed to KnowHow2GO. Bentley's involvement in the campaign has included creation of a radio public service advertisement ("Wanna Go?") and participation in the 2007 YMCA Black and Hispanic Achievers Teen Leadership Summit in Orlando, Florida. Bentley sang as a member of the chorus for "

We Are The World "We Are the World" is a charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album ''We Are the World''. Wit ...

", a remake of the original for Haiti, in February 2010.

Works

Television

* ''

'' (2008–09) * ''Top Ten Gentlemen's Club'' (2008) * ''Confessions of a Celebrity Assistant'' (2006, the E! Channel) * ''VH1 Fashion Rocks'' (2006) * ''All Shades of Fine: 25 Hottest Women of the Past 25 Years'' (2005) * ''P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy'' (2005) * ''Caleta Condor, Chile'' (2005) * ''Before, During and

After the Sunset ''After the Sunset'' is a 2004 American heist action comedy film directed by Brett Ratner and starring Pierce Brosnan as Max Burdett, a master thief caught in a pursuit with FBI agent Stan Lloyd, played by Woody Harrelson. It was shot in the Bah ...

'' (2005) * ''Borrow My Crew'' (2005) * ''Fade to Black'' (2004) * ''

Making the Band ''Making the Band'' is an ABC/MTV reality television series that exists in separate iterations, each focusing on a specific music act. It spawned musical acts O-Town, Da Band, Danity Kane, Day26, and Donnie Klang. Except for the first iteration o ...

2'' (2002–2003, series)

Films

* ''

Honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

'' (2003) – Barber * ''

Fat Albert ''Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids'' is an American animated television series created, produced, and hosted (in live action bookends) by comedian Bill Cosby, who also lent his voice to a number of characters, including Fat Albert and himself. Film ...

'' (2004) – Salesman * '' Idlewild'' (2006) – Voice of Flask * ''

We Were Once A Fairytale ''We Were Once a Fairytale'' is a 2009 drama short film directed by Spike Jonze and starring American rapper Kanye West. It is the second collaboration between Jonze and West, since they co-directed the music video for West's single " Flashing Li ...

– cameo appearance * ''

Think Like a Man Too ''Think Like a Man Too'' is a 2014 American romantic comedy film directed by Tim Story. It is the sequel to the 2012 film ''Think Like a Man'', based on Steve Harvey's book '' Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man''. The script was written by David A. ...

'' (2014) - Limo Driver

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bentley, Fonzworth Living people Male actors from Atlanta American male television actors American male film actors American fashion designers African-American rappers Morehouse College alumni Fashion Institute of Technology alumni 1974 births 21st-century American rappers Purple Ribbon All-Stars members 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American people