Grier was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Aretas Ruth (née Dudley) and William Henry Grier, a writer who co-authored the book Black Rage. He graduated from Detroit's premier high school, Cass Tech and received a BA from the University of Michigan, and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. Immediately after graduating, he landed the role of Jackie Robinson in the short-lived Broadway musical Read more...

Grier got his start on the National Public Radio radio drama adaptation of Star Wars in 1980. He was the voice of a nameless X-Wing fighter pilot during the Battle of Yavin. Grier was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award for The First. He later starred as James "Thunder" Early in the hit Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Grier made his film debut Read more...

He was often referred to as the third host of the radio show Loveline, as he was a frequent and popular guest. One of his most famous contributions was a bit where he began calling out various pharmaceutical drugs Dr. Drew was recommending to a caller as though they were the names of black children being yelled at by their parents.

Also, on one of his other infamous episodes on 2002-09-25, Read more...