A Storyteller for the Culture: Nick Brooks is One of One
TBMC Staff
Nick Brooks is not just a name you feel it. It sounds like a beat drop, a bold paragraph, a film’s opening line, a father’s steady whisper to his daughters. It’s a declaration. From Northeast D.C. to Los Angeles, from hustling mixtapes to publishing bestsellers, from surviving systemic hurdles to reimagining what a multi-hyphenate Black creative can be Nick Brooks is building a legacy, one line, one lyric, one lens at a time.
“I really feel like I’m just getting started.”
Born and raised in Washington D.C., Nick Brooks grew up navigating the duality of two very different worlds—his mother’s academic discipline and his father’s artistic wild spirit. “My mom was all school, school, school. And my dad, he was more of a Rolling Stone,” he reflects. “High school Nick was a hustler I was outside a lot. But I was always right on the edge, trying to stay righteous, trying not to fall into what my friends were doing. That duality made me who I am today.”
It’s a journey filled with unlikely plot twists. Music was supposed to be the escape. That led him to Oklahoma, and then back to D.C., where he graduated from Howard University. From there, a pivotal turn: education. While working with the nonprofit Concerned Black Men of D.C., Brooks discovered his passion for writing, especially for Black youth.
“That work really ignited me working with boys who felt invisible. I wanted to write stories that saw them, centered them, affirmed them.”
The affirmation became transformation. He applied to USC’s School of Cinematic Arts “the top film school in the world,” as he calls it and not only got accepted but received a full-ride George Lucas scholarship and won a writing and directing award. The kid who used to read rap lyrics like scripture was now scripting award-winning films and television.
But then came 2020. The pandemic. The shutdown.
Instead of pausing, Nick pivoted.
The Revolution Will Be Rhymed
In just five years, Brooks has published five novels, sold three television shows, and launched his official rap career all while raising twin daughters with his wife and creative partner in life.
His latest creation, Up in Smoke, isn’t just a book it’s an experience. A literary murder mystery set against the backdrop of a Black Lives Matter protest. A musical companion album told from the perspective of the villain. A fusion of art and activism, grief and genius.
“It started with a question from a 10th grade girl: ‘How do we combat systemic oppression?’ I didn’t have an answer. But I knew I needed to try.”
Rather than write a manifesto, Nick wrote a novel and paired it with an album that carries hidden clues to the murder at the heart of the story. Featuring artists like D Smoke, Fat Trel, Boldy James, and Dave Farris, the album is more than a soundtrack it’s a cipher of coded truths.
“What I’ve done with Up in Smoke has never been done before in literature or in hip hop. And I mean that.”
What’s more powerful is why he did it.
“I write for reluctant readers. Because I was one. I was the kid reading rap lyrics. So if I can pull in kids who think books aren’t for them, that’s the revolution.”
Promise Boys and Presidential Producers
The industry took notice. His breakout novel Promise Boys landed the largest publishing deal ever for a debut Black male author. Soon after, he sold the TV adaptation to Higher Ground, the production company of none other than Barack and Michelle Obama. He’s also worked with SpringHill (LeBron James), Ryan Coogler, and Rick Famuyiwa (director of The Wood and The Mandalorian), even shadowing on the set of The Mandalorian’s third season.
“It was surreal one minute I’m writing a book, the next I’m walking through the set of Star Wars. But even with all that, the goal is still the same tell our stories in ways the world hasn’t seen before.”
Like many creatives post-pandemic, Brooks faced setbacks. The 2023 writers’ strike stalled progress on some projects, and industry shifts slowed momentum. But as always, he adapted.
Currently, he’s working at Rockstar Games on Grand Theft Auto VI another curveball, another chapter.
“It’s about balance. Some things are economic, some are passion, and some push your career forward. Right now, I’m aiming to direct my first feature film. That’s the next level for me.”
For Nick, success is not measured in credits, but in presence. As a father to twin daughters and a devoted husband, family remains his grounding force.
“Being a husband and father is my North Star. That’s what all of this is for.”
He speaks with deep reverence for his wife, calling her his “other half” and “anchor,” the person who makes his orbit possible. Their bond is more than love it’s partnership.
“I couldn’t do any of this without her. Not just practically but emotionally. Her belief in me gives me fuel to keep going.”
A Call to Brotherhood
As the interview winds down, Nick’s focus widens.
“I want Black men to love on each other more. Compete less. Collaborate more. We’re not each other’s enemy we’re each other’s answer.”
That love extends to the next generation. Nick is adamant that if we want different outcomes for our youth, we have to be present, proactive, and purposeful.
“We’ve got to do something. It’s not getting better on its own. If we don’t show up for our young Black boys, who will?”
Nick Brooks is not just an author. Not just a rapper. Not just a filmmaker. He’s a visionary who is fusing Black imagination with Black liberation. He’s building an ecosystem where books, beats, and brotherhood all intersect.
“I’m a creative, yes. But I’m also a revolutionary. I believe stories can spark movements.”
