Bell is best known as a drummer, working extensively with bassist Marcus Miller and as a sideman for other artists such as Erykah Badu, Victor Bailey, David Bowie, Alex Bugnon, Stanley Clarke, Randy Crawford, Roberta Flack, Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Angelique Kidjo, Joe Sample, David Sanborn, John Scofield, Stanley Turrentine, Luther Vandross, Vanessa Williams, and Victor Wooten.
He made his concert debut with his father's band at age two and a half, playing at Carnegie Music Hall, Pittsburgh, and in 1966, he performed with Pearl Bailey on the Mike Douglas Show.
His father regularly rehearsed at home with Ron Carter, Richard Davis, Ornette Coleman, Max Roach, and Mary Lou Williams, and the bassist Paul Chambers was a neighbor.
While growing up in New York, Bell was friends with Omar Hakim, Weldon Irvine, Marcus Miller, Lenny White, and Bernard Wright, all of whom went on to professional music careers of their own.
He produced Alex Bugnon, smooth jazz artist Mey, pop and R&B artist Kenji Hino, jazz bassist owner of Yuji Sound Records and promotion company Poogie Bell Presents, LLC.