Jerome Benton

Actor and Musician Jerome Benton is an American Icon with a celebrated history of 30 over years of success in music and Hollywood. A Minneapolis, Minnesota native, Jerome’s early achievements include sports accolades on the football field in high school and college. His position of being in the “right place at the right time” led to his departure from college to join the Minneapolis Sound scene in 1980.

Fellow Minneapolis native Prince formed a new group called “The Time” under the Warner Brothers music label. The group was a mixture of local famed music groups “Enterprise,” “Champagne” & “Flyte Tyme,” which included Jerome’s brother Terry Lewis. From this point forward Jerome stepped to the forefront as Valet & “Mirror Man” to The Time’s lead singer Morris Day. As the group solidified their presence in music, Jerome quietly became a star and created the role of “hypeman”. His acting career began in 1984 with his pivotal role in the iconic film Purple Rain. He next worked with another Prince penned project, a group called “The Family.” His next film was the black and white cinematic feature Under The Cherry Moon in which Jerome carried a lead role with Prince.

Citing a new direction, Jerome began working exclusively with his brother Terry Lewis and his producing partner Jimmy Jam. With Terry & Jimmy now music industry hit makers, Jerome was given a platform for creative input and artistry with such stars as Herb Alpert and Janet Jackson. Appearing in various music videos and live performances, Jerome developed his own distinctive brand of showmanship. His own stage presence has brought out the best in those he’s worked with.

Jerome then began working exclusively behind the scenes on various projects with Flyte Tyme Productions. During this time Jerome began his own independent projects. His first venture was a stage play “Love Makes No Sense.” Starring music legends Alexander O’Neil and Cherrelle, the play featured Jerome’s ability to feature established music talents before theatre audiences. Additional appearances include Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back & the television series “Eve.” Jerome rejoined The Time in 2008 for a series of special concerts & was featured on the 2011 album release “Condensate.”

Jerome spends his time working on various film projects and hosting special events. He also supports his friends and former bandmates as a project contributor. His most recent appearance includes his work with The Time on “Let’s Go Crazy – The Grammy Solute to Prince” on CBS.