Malik Yoba

With his shaved head, the tall husky, Yoba made a strong impression as J.C. Williams, the caring, level-headed cop who puts duty before his private life in "New York Undercover" (Fox, 1994-98). Yoba began his career as a member of CityKids, an organization that fosters cultural pluralism and youth empowerment. He made his singing debut with the group at Carnegie Hall in 1991 and the following year he composed the theme and additional songs for an ABC Saturday morning series called "CityKids," produced by Henson Productions. Yoba moved in front of the cameras and displayed his facility with accents when he was cast as "Yul Brenner," one of the Jamaican bobsledders under the tutelage of John Candy in "Cool Runnings" (1993). Other feature work has included portraying a neighborhood figure known only as The Creeper in "Smoke" and its sequel, "Blue in the Face" (both 1995). In 1994, Yoba guest-starred on an episode of the NBC series "Law & Order." Executive producer Dick Wolf liked what he saw and cast Yoba in "New York Undercover." Taking his position as a TV series star and role model seriously, the actor has appeared in "Diamonds in the Rough," a Black Entertainment Television (BET) special about kids in housing projects, and also on a BET panel, "Black Family: Today's Values, Tomorrow's Vision." He has also continued his involvement with CityKids, serving as a vice president of the organization.