Biography
Sam D. Walker II hails from the Bronx, NY and is a producer and former television executive for Black Entertainment Television (A Paramount Company). Over the last year, he has overseen the Red-Carpet Programming for BET's Tentpole Programming (ex. BET Awards and Soul Train Awards), the return of Rap City (Rap City '22), the documentary Welcome To Rap City (BET+) and the music programming surrounding Hip Hop's 50th Anniversary.
Over his twenty-seven years of experience, he has served as a director, producer, and production manager primarily with BET/Viacom/Paramount. He has either created, worked in conjunction with, or overseen many of their legacy programs such as The BET Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, BET Experience, Rap City, Planet Groove, Hits From the Street, Lift Every Voice, The BET Life Of (Series), The BET Black College Tour, Access Granted and Notarized (BET's NYE Top 100 Countdown). His programming budgets have ranged from one hundred thousand ($100k) to ten million dollars ($10m). Over the last two years alone, his programs have consistently doubled their lead-ins with well over one hundred million impressions.
Mr. Walker's other career highlights include working with, then up-and-coming director, Ava Duvernay, on her Hip Hop documentary, My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women in Hip Hop. He was the Executive Producer on the Hip Hop Documentary, The Message. He has also worked with Screen Gems on the Stomp The Yard movie campaign. The movie, Stomp The Yard, debuted at #1 in the box office. Additionally, he produced the BET Black College Tour focusing on highlighting HBCU's for ten years.
Aside from the countless artists his programs have introduced, he has worked with: Lamorne Morris (New Girl), Javicia Leslie (God Friended Me, Batwoman), Jay Pharoah (SNL, White Famous, The Quiz Show With Balls), Terrence J (106 & Park, E News), Lil Duval (comedian, "Smile (Living My Best Life)"), Alfred Shearer (Hits From The Street, Glory Road), Red Grant (comedian), and many more.
Sam D. Walker II is a graduate of George Washington University with a degree in Radio and Television and minor in Theatre. He has also worked as an independent producer/contractor with HBO, WorldVision, and The Source Magazine. He has recently left Paramount Global to begin the production consulting firm, WalkRight Media based in the Washington, DC area.
