Brookins was born in Sacramento, California, US. He was singing at the age of four, drumming at five, playing keyboards at nine, and performing in his own band, Little Robert & the Fondeles, at the age of 11. The band won Motown's 1974 Soul Search Contest. Brookins was born and raised in the Del Paso Heights district of the city and was an alumnus of Grant Union High School.
He worked with some of the world's biggest black R&B/pop music groups, including writing, producing, performing and collaborating with such artists as Nancy Wilson, Kim Basinger, Dale Bozzio, Jackie Jackson (on his 1989 solo album Be the One) and Janet Jackson.
Brookins died on April 15, 2009 of a heart attack. He was survived by a son, London Gabriel Brookins.
