Ahmed Best

Ahmed Best (born August 19, 1973) is an African-American voice actor. He is best known for providing the voice of Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars franchise.

Early life
Ahmed Best was born in New York City and August 19, 1973. He moved to Maplewood, New Jersey in 1984. He attended Columbia High School. He then studied percussion at the Manhattan School of Music.

Career
In 1994 he joined the acid jazz group Jazzhole. During his two years with that group, he co-produced three albums, The Jazzhole, And the Feeling Goes Round and The Beat is the Bomb. In 1995, he joined the cast of Stomp, with which he toured United States and Europe. After casting director Robin Gurland observed his flexible, athletic movements in that show, Best was cast as Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999–2005).

Best reprised the role on the Star Wars themed episode of Robot Chicken (as well as its sequel), Star Wars The Clone Wars and on an episode of Stephen Colbert's The Colbert Report.

Best has also appeared with fellow Star Wars alumni Dee Bradley Baker, James Arnold Taylor and Darran Norris on the TV show Big Time Rush, in which the Star Wars franchise is the most referenced franchise.