Page 28 - Provoke Magazine Vol3

owning a bunch of companies
9. In what ways do you challenge yourself? Comedy comes easy for you; seemingly. What do you consider a challenge and how often do you put yourself in situations to be chal- lenged? I started stand-up in January and that has been the most challenging. You can know comedy and be funny, but when its time to really sit and write a joke, that’s when you gotta see how smart you can be. There are real comedy rules, it ain’t just saying funny stuff on stage. There are lots of rules to this comedy shit and the way you have to say it, all those things. It has definitely been a challenge.
10. Could you see yourself playing a serious role? Of course! To me, I almost feel like I am better at doing serious. I feel as if I can drop into any character and really feel and look the character. I have been doing it my whole life. In my young life, I had to be a lot of things I wasn’t just to pass by. Some of that I have used for my comedy.
11. It was said that Russell Simmons was your mentor; can you give insight on how that went down? Did he just see one of your videos and reached out to you? Yea, Russell, saw me and called me one day and thought I was going to be the next Kevin Hart. He asked me to come to LA and that he wanted to help improve my career. He is a great guy! He has taught me so many little things about the industry and myself about be- ing an actor, businessman and being a man period. He even taught me things about being healthy. Everything he said I’ve tried to incorporate; he has definitely been a great mentor.
You have come along way, further than what most may have ex- pected. I saw a post where you stated that doing comedy is what you should have been doing this whole time. That post really struck my heart because there are tons of kids who look like us who are dealing with not knowing themselves, who don’t under- stand where their talent lies or how to activate it. I personally think your story could change people’s minds. - AP
12. What advice or suggestions would you give to the kids who are trying to figure it? My suggestion to the kids is to try ev- erything; don’t put yourself in a box. Don’t do it because that’s what your people want you to do or that’s what the neighbor- hood does. I really thought that my whole life that a little boy from a Motor City couldn’t be an actor. I thought you were picked to be an actor on a factor, you don’t just pick it your- self and work at it. I thought it was normal to be a doctor or a lawyer, which I wasn’t going to be none of that, or you play sports. I thought that was what it was going to be (laughing). I never thought acting or comedy could be my thing. So, to the kids; try everything, keep failing, keep failing! The only way to even find your niche is if you fail at 100 of them. Trust me!
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