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Shiek Mahmud-Bey was born in Brooklyn, NY. Shortly after his younger sister was born, the family relocated to Jamaica, Queens. Coming from a large extended family, Shiek is one of five siblings. His father served as a United States Army Sergeant Major, while his mother was a cosmetologist. Shiek’s passion for acting was sparked after his mother took him and his siblings to see a Broadway production of The Wiz starring Stephanie Mills. However, it wasn’t until his first stage performance years later with the Char "Actors" Improvisation Theater Company—founded by Roni Dengel, Fredrick Rolf, and the late Adolf Caesar—that he fully realized his deep love for acting. While working alongside Morgan Freeman, Shiek was advised to learn as much as possible about the business. This led him to enroll at NYU, where he studied film production, cinematography, and writing.
In August 2002, Shiek portrayed Rubin "Hurricane" Carter in The Way Out, a play he helped develop. The New York Times praised his performances during the run at a small Lower East Side theater as part of the New York International Fringe Festival, saying they "will be remembered." The New York Daily News remarked that "Shiek's fierce performance as the former boxer convicted of a triple homicide goes a long way toward making audiences forget Denzel Washington." His work earned him the Best Performance award at the New York International Fringe Festival. The following year, Shiek returned to a sold-out run of Acts of Contrition, playing a Catholic priest accused of pedophilia—a role he fought hard to secure. Initially, producers doubted his ability to convincingly portray a Catholic priest with complex layers but ultimately gave him a chance. Once again, Shiek earned critical acclaim, showcasing his wide range and chameleon-like talent.
Shiek has performed alongside some of Hollywood and television’s biggest stars, including Joe Mantegna, Marcia Gay Harden, Robert DeNiro, Nicolas Cage, Andy Garcia, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Joaquin Phoenix. His roles have varied widely, including FBI agents, the sole African American terrorist in the first World Trade Center attack, street thugs, a Guyanese consulate official, a corrupt Army sergeant, police detectives, and more. His most significant film breakthrough came when the late Sidney Lumet offered him the opportunity to portray one of New York City’s most notorious drug lords opposite an all-star cast.
