| Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy | 2021 | Self - Journalist | Movie |
| NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½ | 2021 | Self | TV Show |
| A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks | 2021 | Self | Movie |
| Superstar | 2021 | Self | TV Show |
| Invisible Blackness with Adrian Younge | 2021 | Self - Guest | TV Show |
| Soul America | 2020 | Self | TV Show |
| Surviving R. Kelly | 2019 | Himself | TV Show |
| The Black Godfather | 2019 | Self - Music and Culture Historian | Movie |
| The Movies | 2019 | Self - Author and Filmmaker | TV Show |
| 1968: The Year That Changed America | 2018 | Himself - Author | TV Show |
| The 2000s | 2018 | Himself - Author and Filmmaker | TV Show |
| Shut Up and Dribble | 2018 | Himself | TV Show |
| Black Hollywood: 'They've Gotta Have Us' | 2018 | Himself - Author, Journalist, Critic, Director, and Producer | TV Show |
| From the Vaults | 2018 | Self - Music & Culture Critic | TV Show |
| The Nineties | 2017 | Himself - Author and Filmmaker | TV Show |
| Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History | 2017 | Self | TV Show |
| The Eighties | 2016 | Himself - Author and Filmmaker | TV Show |
| Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music | 2016 | Self | TV Show |
| Hip-Hop Evolution | 2016 | Self | TV Show |
| The Seventies | 2015 | Himself - Author, 'The Death of Rhythm and Blues' | TV Show |
| The Sixties | 2014 | Himself - Author, 'The Death of Rhythm & Blues' | TV Show |
| Unsung Hollywood | 2014 | Himself | TV Show |
| Finding the Funk | 2013 | Self | Movie |
| Soul Power! | 2013 | Self - Author | TV Show |
| Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell | 2012 | Himself (1 episode, 2012) | TV Show |
| Bad 25 | 2012 | Self | Movie |
| Big Morning Buzz Live | 2011 | Self | TV Show |
| Treme | 2010 | Self | TV Show |
| Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child | 2010 | Himself | Movie |
| 30 for 30 | 2009 | Self | TV Show |
| Moving Pictures Live! | 2009 | Self | TV Show |
| Life After | 2009 | Self | TV Show |
| Lens on Talent | 2009 | Self | TV Show |
| Unsung | 2008 | Self | TV Show |
| 4th Annual VH1 Hip-Hop Honors | 2007 | Himself (voice) | TV Show |
| American Gangster | 2006 | Himself (4 episodes, 2007-2008) | TV Show |
| The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | 2005 | Himself | TV Show |
| Black in the 80s | 2005 | Self | TV Show |
| Unstoppable: Conversation with Melvin Van Peebles, Gordon Parks, and Ossie Davis | 2005 | Self | TV Movie |
| 500 Years Later | 2005 | Himself | Movie |
| And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop | 2004 | Himself (unknown episodes) | TV Show |
| The N Word | 2004 | Himself | Movie |
| Get Up, Stand Up | 2003 | Self - Interviewee | TV Show |
| Last Call with Carson Daly | 2002 | Self | TV Show |
| It's Black Entertainment | 2002 | Himself | TV Show |
| Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary | 2001 | Himself | Movie |
| Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks | 2000 | Himself | TV Movie |
| ESPN SportsCentury | 1999 | Self | TV Show |
| The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame... | 1999 | Himself (3 episodes, 2005-2007) | TV Show |
| SexTV | 1998 | Self | TV Show |
| The Chris Rock Show | 1997 | Ricco Bell's Associate | TV Show |
| Chris Rock: Bring the Pain | 1996 | Himself | TV Show |
| The Arsenio Hall Show | 1989 | Himself | TV Show |
| 48 Hours | 1988 | Self | TV Show |
| The Oprah Winfrey Show | 1986 | Self | TV Show |
| American Masters | 1985 | Self | TV Show |
| The South Bank Show | 1978 | Self | TV Show |
| Good Morning America | 1975 | Self | TV Show |
| Great Performances | 1971 | Self | TV Show |
| Omnibus | 1967 | Self - Music Critic | TV Show |
| Rave | | Self - Music Critic | TV Show |
