Most people know Jamie Foxx as the Oscar-winning actor behind Ray. Fewer know that the man who helped bring him into the world eventually moved into his house.
Shahid Abdula is Jamie Foxx’s biological father. He was not around for most of Jamie’s childhood. He spent years in prison. And today, he lives under the same roof as the son he once walked away from.
This post covers who Shahid Abdula is, why he left, and how the story between him and Jamie Foxx played out over the decades.
Who is Shahid Abdula?
Shahid Abdula is the name Darrell Bishop adopted after he converted to Islam.
He is best known as the father of Jamie Foxx, the American actor, comedian, and singer born Eric Marlon Bishop on December 13, 1967, in Terrell, Texas.
Before his conversion, Darrell Bishop worked as a stockbroker. Beyond that, very little is publicly known about his early life.
You may also see his name spelled as Shashhid Abdullah or Shahid Abdulla in some sources. These are all the same person. The spelling varies depending on the article, but they all refer to Jamie Foxx’s father.
He lives a quiet, private life. Everything the public knows about him comes from Jamie Foxx’s own interviews and his 2021 memoir, Act Like You Got Some Sense.
Who Was Shahid Abdula’s First Wife and Mother of Jamie Foxx
Darrell Bishop was in a relationship with Louise Annette Talley Dixon, the biological mother of Jamie Foxx. The two were together when Jamie was born, but did not stay together.
Neither Darrell nor Louise raised their son. When Jamie was just seven months old, he was adopted by his maternal grandparents, Estelle Marie Nelson and Mark Talley.
Estelle was a domestic worker who also ran a nursery school. Mark worked as a yard worker.
Jamie said in an interview: “Although my parents weren’t around, my grandparents adopted me when I was 7 months old. I was never short on the love of a mother and father, though it came from an earlier generation of family.”
His grandparents raised him in the Baptist faith in Terrell, Texas. That religious upbringing would later become one of the reasons Darrell kept his distance.
Why Shahid Abdula Was Not in Jamie Foxx’s Life
After converting to Islam, Darrell Bishop told Jamie that he could not be a father to a child who was not Muslim. He drew a hard line between his faith and his family.
Jamie described the situation in a 2005 interview with Oprah. He said his father told him, “I’m a Muslim, and since you’re not, I can’t be your father.”
Jamie found it hard to make sense of. His father lived just 28 miles away but never came to see him play football. Jamie passed for more than 1,000 yards as a high school quarterback. His father was not there.
Years later, Jamie told Oprah: “During our last conversation, which was after my grandmother passed, I said: ‘Listen, I understand observing your religion, but is that worth missing out on your son’s life?’”
The answer, for a long time, was yes.
How Shahid Abdula Ended Up in Prison and What It Cost Him
Darrell Bishop was arrested and sentenced to 7 years in prison for possessing $25 worth of illegal substances.
Jamie spoke about this publicly while promoting the 2020 film Just Mercy, in which he played Walter McMillian, a man wrongfully convicted of murder. The film hit close to home.
At the 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, Jamie told ET: “Me having my father, he was put away for 25$ worth of illegal substance for seven years. My father taught me how to play tennis, he taught me how to swim, and to have him taken away from me, I could easily sort of tap into what this story was about.”
Before his arrest, Darrell had worked as an educator in inner-city schools. In a later interview, Jamie said that while his father was in prison, he was sitting beside the very students he had once taught.
Jamie wrote his father a letter while he was still locked up. He told him, “When you get out, things have gotten good for me.”
How Father and Son Finally Made Up
Despite years apart, Jamie and his father eventually reconciled. And the reconciliation was not a small one. Shahid Abdula moved into Jamie’s home after his release from prison. He has been living there for over 20 years.
On The Graham Norton Show, Jamie said he wrote to his father in prison and promised, “When you get out, I save your life.” He kept that promise.
Jamie also took his father to the US Open to watch Venus Williams play. It was a moment he described as a personal turning point for both of them.
There is one more detail that rarely gets mentioned. Louise Annette Talley Dixon, Jamie’s biological mother, also lives with him.
Jamie’s two biological parents, both of whom were absent when he was a child, now share a home with him as adults. The two parents have been divorced for over 25 years.
Jamie has spoken about this arrangement with humor. It is unusual. But he chose it, and he has kept it going.
Where Is Shahid Abdula Now?
Shahid Abdula does not have a public social media presence. He has not given interviews. He has not spoken to the press on his own.
Everything known about him comes from Jamie’s public statements, his memoir, and a small number of celebrity biography sites. He is believed to still be living with Jamie.
A report from the National Enquirer, covered by MadameNoire, mentioned that his wife, Hellema, had tried to reach Jamie on Darrell’s behalf after he became ill, saying he had scar tissue on his lungs.
His current health status is not confirmed publicly.
Conclusion
Shahid Abdula is Darrell Bishop, the man who fathered Jamie Foxx and then, for a long time, was not in his life.
He converted to Islam, changed his name, spent seven years in prison, and eventually became his famous son’s housemate.
The story behind the name Shahid Abdula is really one of estrangement, forgiveness, and an unusual living arrangement that most people never expect from one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
