Christopher B. Stokes (born 1969 or 1970) is an American filmmaker and former record executive. He founded the record label the Ultimate Group (or TUG Entertainment) in 1997, whose roster included B2K, Omarion, Jhené Aiko, Marques Houston, IMx and NLT, among others. He has also directed the 2004 dance drama film You Got Served, as well as the direct-to-TV films House Party 4 (2001) and Somebody Help Me (2007).
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Career
Stokes first became connected with film and television through the talent of whom he managed. In 1992, Marques Houston made his acting debut in the animated comedy film Bebe's Kids, and received his big break as a regular on Sister, Sister in 1994. All three members of Immature appeared in the film House Party 3 (1994).
Stokes' first film credit came in 2001 as the writer and director of House Party 4, which starred Immature, which by then had transitioned to their new name IMx. He then served as the writer and director of the 2004 dance film You Got Served, which was commercially successful and starred members of his TUG label; The cast included Houston, as well as rapper Lil' Kim.
In 2007 Stokes launched a clothing and fashion line, the Christopher Brian Collection, which debuted at Magic in Las Vegas February 2007. The line featured Kim Kardashian as the principal spokesmodel and was available at Dash, her Calabasas boutique. Promotional images for the brand featured topless pictures of Kim Kardashian wearing just the Christopher Brian pants.
He also wrote and directed the horror films Somebody Help Me and Somebody Help Me 2. The first of which made a television premiere on BET on Halloween 2007, and released to DVD the following November. Both were distributed by Vivendi. The company's second feature, No Vacancy, another horror, was completed in 2011 and the first of Stokes' films not star talent from his musical career. It was distributed by Grindstone / Lionsgate Home Entertainment.
