Darryll Brooks is a veteran entertainment executive, producer, and cultural innovator whose career spans more than four decades in concert promotion, artist management, community programming, and media production. He is the co-founder of C D Enterprises, Inc. (CDE)—one of the nation’s most respected independent entertainment companies—and the founder of I Hear Ya Entertainment, LLC, a full-service event management, audio, video, and digital media production company.
Brooks began his career in Washington, D.C., co-founding the nonprofit Compared To What, Inc. with longtime partner Carol Kirkendall. Together, they created pioneering youth arts and technical-training programs, including the Summer Hut and Winter Workshops, which placed talented young people into professional touring jobs. They also launched Human Kindness Day, a major cultural celebration on the National Mall featuring student showcases and concerts which honored Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, Dick Gregory, Nina Simon and Muhammad Ali drawing crowds of more than half a million.
Brooks and Kirkendall later formed Tiger Flower and Company and G Street Express, emerging as leading concert promoters. They became early national champions of Rap and Hip Hop, producing some of the genre’s first national tours for the Sugar Hill Gang, Run-DMC, Whodini, Grandmaster Flash, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, NWA and others. Their work also helped shape R&B, Funk, and Pop touring, promoting Earth, Wind & Fire, Prince, Rick James, the Commodores, and Parliament/Funkadelic—where they helped engineer the iconic Mothership landing.
A major figure in Washington, D.C.’s Go-Go movement, Brooks promoted Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, Rare Essence, Little Benny, and produced the landmark concert film “Go-Go Live at the Capital Centre,” a defining moment in Go-Go culture.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Brooks expanded into full artist management. Working alongside Idol Makers Management and Herby Azor, he guided the careers of Salt-N-Pepa and Spinderella, helping elevate Salt-N-Pepa into global superstars whose work achieved multi-Platinum success. He also promoted Kid ’N Play, Day Ta Day, OutKast, and Grammy-winning artist Mya, directing touring, production, publishing, film/TV projects, and major brand partnerships.
Throughout his career, Brooks has produced concerts, tours, and special events for a wide range of artists including Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Chris Rock, Parliament/Funkadelic, and many more. He also co-created the Summer Spirit Festival, a longstanding D.C. cultural celebration of Soul, Hip Hop, R&B, and Jazz.
Today, as founder of I Hear Ya Entertainment, LLC, Brooks provides professional audio recording, video production, livestreaming, and post-production services, continuing his lifelong mission: empowering creators, amplifying voices, and bringing dynamic artistic visions to life.
