1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 Dr. Jerry, you got the whole world waiting. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Been ready for you to start the conversation. 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,000 Your point of view, we got the haters confused. 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,000 Leave it up to you to bring us all the good news. 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,000 Positive vibes and the sex appeal too. 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:24,000 Dr. Andre Jerry, can I get an interview? 7 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:29,000 Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of Live with Dr. Andre Jerry. 8 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,000 Thank you for tuning in this evening. 9 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:35,000 Big shout out to my family and friends who are tuning in from Columbus, 10 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:42,000 Warner Robins, Atlanta, Charlotte, DC, LA, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, 11 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,000 and from wherever else you may be tuning in from tonight. 12 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,000 I really appreciate your listenership. 13 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:52,000 Listen, we have a really exciting show on Storefutas episode because tonight 14 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:59,000 we're featuring two amazing gentlemen who are blazing trails in the entertainment industry 15 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:03,000 from music to modeling to television and film. 16 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,000 So let's get right into it. 17 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:10,000 My first guest of the night is an actor and producer based out of Atlanta, Georgia, 18 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:15,000 which we all know is one of the top cities for film and television production. 19 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:19,000 He started his acting career performing in stage plays in Atlanta 20 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:24,000 and with appearances in on-scene cameos and commercials. 21 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,000 This spurred a passion not only in just acting, 22 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:32,000 but learning about production and what happens behind the scenes. 23 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,000 He later enrolled in the Art Institute of Atlanta where he graduated with a degree 24 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:41,000 in video production, which later led to working in production for BET. 25 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,000 And it led to his online show, The Sir Ty Experience, 26 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,000 where he interviewed major celebrities and other top-level talent. 27 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:55,000 He also has another show on IGTV called BBS or Black Business Spotlight, 28 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:00,000 where he highlights black entrepreneurs and black business owners. 29 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:04,000 As a producer, he has worked on numerous network television products, 30 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:08,000 including a reality show filmed right in Atlanta. 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:14,000 Recently he guest starred in a new TV show on the all-black network called Wicked City 32 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:19,000 and also in a BET Plus original called I Got a Story to Tell. 33 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:24,000 He's also featured in the newly released film Life Without Hope 2. 34 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,000 So ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, 35 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:32,000 please help me welcome to the show Mr. Booked and Blessed Himself, Sir Ty. 36 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,000 Welcome to the show, Sir Ty. 37 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,000 What's going on? 38 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,000 Wow, what an introduction. 39 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,000 Thank you so much, first of all, for having me on the show. 40 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,000 And thank you for that. 41 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,000 When you do so many things, you don't know that, you know, 42 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,000 somebody's reached your body, and it's like, wow, you know, 43 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,000 and God gets all the glory. 44 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,000 So I just want to say that first off. 45 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,000 But hello, how's everyone doing? 46 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:58,000 I'm doing great. 47 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,000 And listen, it's a pleasure to have you on. 48 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,000 I know we've been communicating back and forth for a while, 49 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,000 and, you know, was finally able to pin you down and get you booked for the show. 50 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,000 You're on the go constantly. 51 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,000 And I'm assuming you just came from an event in D.C., right? 52 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,000 What was happening out there? 53 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,000 Oh, God, shout out to Antonio Driver. 54 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:23,000 He has this organization, and they did a reward ceremony called the I.M. Awards. 55 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:27,000 It's basically for people that are in the LGBTQ community, you know, 56 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:33,000 actors, activists, people that's in entertainment and television or whatever. 57 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,000 So he honors them every year. 58 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:40,000 And Judge Mathis was honored as an ally last year. 59 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,000 It was Vivica Fox who hosted it. 60 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,000 So it's an awesome time. 61 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,000 So D.C. was very fun for me. 62 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,000 Once the awards were there, it came back to the movie premiere, 63 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,000 which you mentioned, Life Without Hope, a new chapter, 64 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,000 which was amazing and phenomenal. 65 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,000 So, yeah, can't be helped. 66 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,000 Oh, that's really exciting. 67 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:07,000 And was Judge Mathis was there or honored or what did you say about him? 68 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,000 Yes, he was honored. 69 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,000 I believe they were shooting or wrapping up the first day of the B.M.F. 70 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:17,000 So I think he was on location shooting with his son and his daughter came, 71 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,000 and they accepted the award on his behalf. 72 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:24,000 But, yes, he was an honoree for that particular award show. 73 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,000 And so, yeah, it was dope to be in the building and in the room. 74 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,000 So I had a great time. 75 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:31,000 Okay, awesome. 76 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:32,000 Shout out to Judge Joe Mathis. 77 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,000 I love him. 78 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,000 And before we veer too far our track, 79 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:42,000 I want you to take a moment and just tell our listeners a little bit about yourself. 80 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:43,000 Awesome. 81 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:47,000 Well, my name is Ty Gowdy, aka Sir Ty, 82 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:51,000 and I got to serve because I was in the military as a young lad. 83 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:55,000 I joined the U.S. Army and my first duty station was in Germany. 84 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,000 And, you know, over there they don't say Mr. 85 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,000 They say Sir in their last name. 86 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,000 So I just kind of brought it back to the States and connected it to the Ties. 87 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,000 But New Orleans native, like I said, 88 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:10,000 joined the military at a very young age, been out racked twice. 89 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,000 And while stationed in Germany, 90 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:17,000 I had the opportunity to do my first, I guess, major states play 91 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:25,000 where I was the only non-African-American to play pretty much a Caucasian role. 92 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:28,000 Like my family was Caucasian and I played the son. 93 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,000 So in that year I was also nominated for Best Actor. 94 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:36,000 So that kind of sparked the, I guess, the professional side 95 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,000 because I always wanted to be in entertainment, 96 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,000 but I never knew exactly how or what lane. 97 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,000 But by me doing that and something like, oh, that's love, 98 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,000 I can kind of see where it takes me. 99 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:55,000 But I'm a father, single father of two amazing sons, Prince Jordan and Prince Jonathan. 100 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,000 They are my legacy, they are my world. 101 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,000 And I'm so happy to be their father, having a mother, 102 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:05,000 amazing mother who raised me and my sister by herself. 103 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,000 And I'm just a person where I want to see everybody win. 104 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:11,000 I guess the misconception about me is that, oh, whatever, whatever. 105 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:16,000 But I do want to see everybody win and I make sure that my track record states that. 106 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,000 I put people on that don't ask for anything. 107 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:23,000 I just want to make sure that if you have a dream, I want to be that bridge 108 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:28,000 and want to make your dreams come true in any way possible in my capacity that I can't do. 109 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,000 So that's their time. 110 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:32,000 Wow, I love that. 111 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,000 That's a great introduction to who you are. 112 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,000 And you mentioned that you're the father of two. 113 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:41,000 So these sons of yours are teenagers, I presume. 114 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,000 I often get the question of how they're doing. 115 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,000 I say very expensive, but yes. 116 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:51,000 I have a 16-year-old and a 14-year-old and my oldest is driving now, 117 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,000 so he's going to be looking for a car. 118 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:54,000 My daughter is in sports. 119 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,000 So I was on a basketball court at a game. 120 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:01,000 So, yeah, they keep me active along with all that I have going on. 121 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,000 So it's never a dull moment in my world. 122 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,000 Yeah, I was just about to ask you that. 123 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,000 I'm sure, I mean, you're co-parenting. 124 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:13,000 You're trying to manage being a present parent and you've got the games 125 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,000 and you're traveling back and forth. 126 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,000 How do you manage all of that and stay sane? 127 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,000 I pray I have to. 128 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:26,000 I just wake up every day and say, okay, these are the goals 129 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,000 and the ideals I have for the day. 130 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,000 And I try to hit as many as I can. 131 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,000 And the check mark for me is completed. 132 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:37,000 So I'm kind of, I don't know, it comes in early, but I like seeing check marks. 133 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,000 When I've completed that, I can move on to the next thing, 134 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,000 and that's how I can get my all to it, 135 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:47,000 especially incorporating kids into the schedule. 136 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,000 Things are unexpected. They get sick. 137 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,000 They've got to go to the doctor. 138 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,000 They may have a lot of this going on or I may not find something out 139 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,000 until the last minute and have to adjust the schedule. 140 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:01,000 But for them, they are a priority and everything else is going to fall in line. 141 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,000 So it's a lot at times, and they're two hours out. 142 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,000 I tell people I do at least eight hours every two weeks, 143 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,000 two to get them, two to bring them to Atlanta, two to drop them off, 144 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:15,000 and then two for me to get back home on top of all that's on schedule. 145 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,000 So I make it work. 146 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:22,000 God is giving me the strength, and I'm going to keep kicking until I can't kick no more. 147 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,000 I heard that. I heard that. 148 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,000 Well, listen, I'm going to ask one more question about your kids, 149 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:30,000 because I always ask entertainers especially this. 150 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:34,000 If one or both of your kids express interest in being in entertainment, 151 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:40,000 would you encourage that or would you try to point them in a different direction? 152 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,000 Absolutely. 153 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:45,000 I'm their biggest cheerleader, so whatever they desire to do. 154 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:49,000 We're going to do the research, and when age appropriate. 155 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:54,000 I would say 17 and up, yes. Right now, be a kid. 156 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:55,000 I can speak that. 157 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,000 I want them to have a regular childhood and to grow up, 158 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,000 and then when it's time to work, get to work. 159 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,000 Show business is just what it is. 160 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,000 When they used to say the best, show business. 161 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,000 A lot of people want to show the fame, the glitz, the glamour, 162 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,000 but the business, the contracts, the deals, the percentages, 163 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,000 making sure that your paper is straight. 164 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,000 If that's what the route they're going to take, 165 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,000 we've got to make sure that we know that. 166 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:22,000 I would be their biggest cheerleader if that's something that they're interested in. 167 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:23,000 That's awesome. 168 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:27,000 I want to talk a little bit about how you got your start in the entertainment industry, 169 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,000 because when you gave your intro, I think you mentioned that when you were in the service, 170 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:34,000 and thank you for your service, by the way, 171 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:40,000 you were involved in a stage play while you were on deployment. 172 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:45,000 Did you have any type of acting experience prior to that, 173 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,000 or was that like your first role? 174 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:53,000 Well, the first play, speaking of that, that happened in Germany. 175 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:57,000 I just was, you know, just stationed over there, and they put up a sign. 176 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,000 Like, I think the playhouse had been closed for so many months, 177 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:04,000 and this was like their opening, you know, hey, if you want to audition. 178 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,000 I was just like, why not? 179 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:10,000 So I went out, and like I said, I got the role, and like, are you ready? 180 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,000 So I'm like, let's go. 181 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:16,000 You know, a script is a script, and when you say action, then the words come alive. 182 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:20,000 So I was up for the challenge, and to answer that question, 183 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,000 I didn't have any professional training. 184 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:26,000 I did take, let's say, a theater class while in Germany, 185 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,000 because I guess I was trying to prepare myself for that, 186 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:33,000 and so, you know, professional training, you know, church plays and stuff like that, 187 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:37,000 but coming up out of that process of the rehearsal, the, you know, 188 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,000 once the curtain opens, this is it, there are those take twos, 189 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,000 and you have to know your lines and be able to improv, 190 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:47,000 because if someone else is off, you have to be able to save the show. 191 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,000 So it taught me a lot of things. 192 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:53,000 You cook on your feet, and so from there, I just, I wanted to do it, 193 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:58,000 and that was kind of the spark that kind of lit everything else ablaze. 194 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:02,000 So when I got out, it was like, let's do it. 195 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,000 Awesome, and I know, you know, working in entertainment, 196 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:10,000 you and anyone who works in that field, they have to deal with a lot of rejection, 197 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:14,000 a lot of closed doors, a lot of no's. 198 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:18,000 How do you, what's your coping mechanism for getting beyond the rejection 199 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:22,000 that's present in the entertainment industry? 200 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,000 You know, that's a great question. 201 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,000 Wow, how can I say that? 202 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,000 You have to have a backbone. 203 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,000 I mean, in entertainment, period, if this is what you want to do, 204 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:33,000 you can't, I don't want to say be jelly-backed, 205 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,000 because you're going to deal with rejection, 206 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,000 you're going to deal with people saying no, and how do you handle it? 207 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:43,000 I would say for me, I take moments where my phone is on, do not disturb, 208 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:47,000 the TV is off, and I just allow self to decompose. 209 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,000 Sometimes, you know, you've got to flush your mind, 210 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,000 because so many things are coming at you, it's almost like a stock market, 211 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:56,000 but you have to make a safe space to clear the space, if that makes sense, 212 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,000 so that when you jump back into it, you can have a clearer mind, 213 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,000 a clearer focus, and go into it. 214 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:05,000 So for myself, I just, I take moments, and I guess people call it meditating. 215 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:10,000 I just like get your mind right, get my mind right, and I listen to music. 216 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:14,000 I love 90s R&B, so if anyone knows me, you know that I'm, 217 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:17,000 either listening to Tony Braxton or something from the 90s. 218 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:21,000 So I would say music and meditating. 219 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:25,000 Wow. Well, I was telling another guest on one of my previous episodes 220 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,000 that I recently started, well, it's not so recent now, 221 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,000 but I also started meditating every morning. 222 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,000 So I know that practice really does a great job of getting you grounded 223 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:38,000 and getting you prepared for whatever you're going to face in your day, 224 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:42,000 whether it's rejection or dealing with crazy people at work or just whatever, 225 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,000 but that meditation aspect is very important, as well as music, 226 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,000 which I love as well. 227 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,000 One thing about you is that not only are you what they call talent, 228 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:55,000 but you also wear the producer hat at times. 229 00:12:55,000 --> 00:13:00,000 Tell us a little bit about how you got the bug and interested in behind the scenes 230 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,000 and producing. 231 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:06,000 Well, it started, I guess that title came when we were in college. 232 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:11,000 I went to the Art Institute of Atlanta, and my group just, for whatever reason, 233 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:15,000 thought I was the leader, the outspoken, be the director, be the producer. 234 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:20,000 So I kind of got thrown into the role where people sound like telling people to do, 235 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:25,000 but I love delegating and placing order and moving at the speed of, 236 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:29,000 let's get it done, but let's get it done in quality, if that makes sense. 237 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:33,000 So our teachers were giving us industry standards, 238 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:36,000 so it wasn't like, oh, let's just happen to turn to page six. 239 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:40,000 It was just like, go do this, this just happened on BET. 240 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,000 How would you execute this if you were on set and stuff like that? 241 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,000 So we got real life scenarios, and then when it was time to go shoot something, 242 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,000 hey, we need a five-minute short, go make it happen, I just got thrown in the role. 243 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:57,000 So with that being said, I would say my professional role came when Mr. Courtney, 244 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:03,000 my homeboy, he graduated, I graduated, and he was developing the show here in Atlanta, 245 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,000 called Summer Club ATL. 246 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:10,000 I got the call, I would say, in 2019 or 2020, 247 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:14,000 and I wasn't one to wrap up at the time, driving back and forth, 248 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:19,000 or getting a hotel, and I became the story producer for the reality show, 249 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,000 which is underway really soon. 250 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:27,000 I'm very excited about it, but, and then it went off to produce a short 251 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,000 and some things of that sort, I'm developing my own stuff, 252 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:34,000 so it kind of came to the territory, and I'm just, 253 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:38,000 I'm excited for the open door that would give me the opportunity to learn more. 254 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:42,000 Well, since you wear both of those hats, 255 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:47,000 I think that's why you're such a champion for making sure that doors are open 256 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,000 for other people, because you know what it feels like to be talented, 257 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,000 to be out there auditioning and looking for jobs, 258 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:58,000 but then you also wear that producer hat, and I think it makes your job as a producer 259 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,000 that much more better because you have that experience of being, 260 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,000 because imagine how many producers that you deal with that have never been 261 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,000 in talent before, right? 262 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,000 Absolutely, and yeah, sorry, go ahead. 263 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,000 No, you go ahead, go ahead. 264 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:18,000 Yeah, and to your point, you have to teach people how to treat you, 265 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,000 and not only that, and to be a great leader, you have to be a great follower, 266 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:25,000 so like you said, going into the deeps of the valley and knowing, 267 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:29,000 hey, you have to get up and, you know, let's say study your lines, 268 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:33,000 or like you said, rehearse and audition, but then being like on the casting 269 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,000 or being on the producing side, I just have to fit this, 270 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:40,000 but not looking at the totality of the person, so you know, 271 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,000 have the conversation out, you know, know that person out, 272 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:45,000 bet them, okay, oh, you're off of this task, this is the role, 273 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:50,000 these are the lines, this is the scenario, so for me, it's a different process, 274 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:54,000 and I'm so honored that the people that I did refer, you know, 275 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,000 they're getting books, they're getting jobs, they're getting deals, 276 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:02,000 and things of like that sort, but my thing, my glory comes when you make it, 277 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:06,000 when you feel you are successful, so to your point, yes, 278 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,000 I know what it feels like to get that door slamming your face, 279 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,000 no, we don't want you, no, you know, they get the role, 280 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,000 but I also do feel, hey, you did get it, you were accepted, 281 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:19,000 and so in one, you know, set, I try to make sure that talent, crew, everybody, 282 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:23,000 is treated with love, honor, respect, and let's, you know, all come together 283 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:28,000 with the goal mindset of getting this project, this production done 284 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:33,000 to the other side so that people can do the magic that we created. 285 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:40,000 Absolutely. And on the producing side as well, have there been times where, 286 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:44,000 you know, people have come to you with a project that they wanted you to produce 287 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:51,000 or be involved with, and you had to say, no thanks, has that happened? 288 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:55,000 Well, I have some people that probably should get on cue now, 289 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:59,000 I have a couple of scripts that because my life is what it is, 290 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,000 I have to like, I've really got to sit down, I have scripts that I have to look at 291 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:08,000 that people want me to work with, work on, you know, get funding for, 292 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:13,000 so I would say next week, everybody, to answer that question, I will, 293 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:19,000 because it's becoming to be a lot, I can maybe do one and be on set, 294 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:23,000 you know, read a script and be on a plane, but now it's like I have to isolate time 295 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:28,000 to really sit down to do, to say, hey, yes, it's something that I agree with, 296 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,000 that, you know, that we can move forward on, or hey, make these changes, 297 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,000 blah, blah, blah, and then let me know if we can move forward then. 298 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,000 So to answer that question, I would say to this point, no, 299 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:41,000 because I think everyone has good intentions, great ideas, 300 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,000 and if formulated correctly, it could be a success, you know what I'm saying, 301 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:49,000 whether it's better or not, you know, so my job is to come in and make sure that, 302 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:53,000 hey, what you have on paper that when it's spoken out that it becomes live, 303 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:57,000 it becomes, you know, believable and on screen can be read, 304 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,000 like this is authentic stuff from any point of view. 305 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:05,000 So I will be reading scripts and I will be able to answer that question next 306 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:11,000 of the view, but to this point, no, I have to start from the beginning. 307 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:12,000 Gotcha. 308 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:17,000 How do you feel your military career prepared you for what you're doing now 309 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:20,000 in entertainment? 310 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,000 I would say mama and military. 311 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:26,000 I would say home training first, you know, making your bed, 312 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,000 making sure you know your chores, your cooking, your cleaning. 313 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,000 Mom set me down, shout out to Lady B. 314 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:36,000 Set me down, you know, checkbooks and checks and balances 315 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,000 and how to spend your money. 316 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:42,000 I would say the military more so reinforce that by being disciplined. 317 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:45,000 The time aspect, everybody just pray for me. 318 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,000 I'm working on it. 319 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,000 I'm getting better and to you this day, hallelujah. 320 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:56,000 But I would say that the tenacity, like the go get, you know, 321 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:59,000 the military is like overcoming improvise. 322 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,000 When you talk about that as a problem, there's 50 million solutions. 323 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,000 So while we're sitting here amplifying, oh my God, okay, 324 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:09,000 we know what the issue is, how can we solve it so that we don't end up 325 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,000 in the same predicament again? 326 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:14,000 So the military taught me, figure it out. 327 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:19,000 There is a way, there is a solution, get to the other side of success. 328 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:23,000 So I think that it definitely gave me the drive, the push, 329 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,000 and the with all to say that I can do it. 330 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,000 You know, going to Iraq and surviving and coming back, yeah, 331 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,000 I can do it on this. 332 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:38,000 I can tell the act, okay, I don't think that that emotion is quite right. 333 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,000 Can we flip it and do it this way? 334 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:41,000 You know what I'm saying? 335 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,000 So I can work with anyone in the military. 336 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:49,000 I always say, as a tribe, I can black, white, Chinese, whatever, 337 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,000 you know, we worked alongside of Boko national. 338 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:55,000 So I can work with anyone, you know, and I tell people I don't mind 339 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,000 even the meanest person. 340 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:01,000 But at the end of the day, it's going to be respect, you know what I mean? 341 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,000 And so you respect me, I respect you, and we can get along. 342 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,000 Action cut and we go home. 343 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:06,000 We can make it happen. 344 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:12,000 So I think the military definitely gave me the core values to drive, you know, 345 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:18,000 forward that mission at hand and let's get it done, you know. 346 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:19,000 I love it. 347 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:24,000 You know, I always tell people the military is a great platform 348 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:29,000 and springboard for whatever it is else that you want to do in life. 349 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,000 You know, you're going to get the, like you said, the core values. 350 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:37,000 You're going to get the discipline, everything that you need to be successful in life. 351 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:43,000 So if you're a young person starting out 16, 17, 18, you're not sure what you want to do, 352 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,000 the military is always a great option. 353 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:47,000 You don't have to stay in there forever. 354 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:52,000 You can do, you know, three, four years and kind of move on with your life. 355 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,000 But it's a great starting point. 356 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,000 And I mean, you can't do anything but be successful after that. 357 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:02,000 So shout out to all of our military personnel, our veterans. 358 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:08,000 Of all the experiences you've had working on set, you know, as talent or as a producer, 359 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:15,000 what sticks out in your head as the most memorable experience so far? 360 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:25,000 I would say the most favorable one would have to be while sitting in my professor's class, Ms. Mungo. 361 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:29,000 She walked up to me and handed me a packet and said, fill it out. 362 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:30,000 It's for internship. 363 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,000 And I was like, I don't get volunteers for Jesus. 364 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,000 So what do you mean, intern? 365 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:39,000 But I didn't know when I opened the page it was for DET Networks, right? 366 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:46,000 And so I filled it out just like she probably gave us about 50 other kids or students and little old me. 367 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:47,000 You know, I'll do it. 368 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,000 I'll fill it out, but we'll see. 369 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:58,000 So I turned it in and I got a call and said, hey, we want to have you out to the studio next week. 370 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,000 One of you is available when you're not in class. 371 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,000 So you asked that question. 372 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:11,000 That was the breaking point for me entering into, I guess, the show business or being on an actual live set, 373 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:17,000 working with the likes of Debbie Allen, working with Big Boy, working with oh, my God, 374 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,000 so, so much Jackie Harris, the Niskos. 375 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:27,000 It was every single day a store was on set and I just was like, Jesus, this is what I want to do. 376 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:36,000 So for me, that is the moment I'm so grateful to Ms. Mungo for opening that door because from that moment on, 377 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:42,000 I graduated and though I did the internship, they asked me to come on as an employee. 378 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:45,000 So that was that was a moment for me. 379 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:53,000 And from there, it's been every other every other moment from that that has been a memorable or just a wonderful time. 380 00:22:53,000 --> 00:23:00,000 So I'm very grateful, very honored and still kicking and rocking today. 381 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,000 So, yeah, I would say that one. 382 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,000 Thank you for sharing that. 383 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:13,000 I want to switch gears a bit and ask you about a show that I haven't seen. 384 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:15,000 I just saw an excerpt of it. 385 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:20,000 I was on your Instagram, you know, just taking a look at your stuff ahead of the show. 386 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:25,000 And I saw a clip of you and your naked ass on some show. 387 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:30,000 Tell us what this show is, whatever that show is, and tell us where we can go find it and stream it, 388 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:34,000 because I need to watch whatever episode that is. 389 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:38,000 I would be like, are you sure? Was that me? 390 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,000 That was you. 391 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:43,000 Because it was a small clip. 392 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,000 OK, so wow. 393 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:52,000 It's actually from the movie that was that premiered on Monday night. 394 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,000 Life Without Hope, a new chapter. 395 00:23:54,000 --> 00:24:01,000 It was written, directed by Mr. Leo Sullivan, produced by Sisi, produced by Tammy, the godmother. 396 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,000 And they approached me and like, hey, this is what it is. 397 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,000 And I was already working crew. 398 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:11,000 Most times I'm crew and cast, which means I'm acting in it. 399 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:16,000 Once I finish, boots on ground, I'm doing cable, doing this, whatever, you know. 400 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:22,000 So for this particular scene, I don't know if I'm going to give it away because it ain't released yet. 401 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:24,000 But y'all just got to watch it. 402 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,000 But it is a little risque. 403 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:31,000 And how can I say, bareback maybe in the viewage of your screen. 404 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:36,000 But let's just say I was doing squats that day. 405 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,000 So it's not out yet, is what you're saying. 406 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,000 It's going to be out in May. 407 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,000 Like I said, Columbus Short is in it. 408 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:50,000 Erica Peebles, Erica Page, Lyric, myself, Tavius. 409 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,000 The list goes on. 410 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,000 And it's going to be, I think, Amazon Prime and Tubi. 411 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:57,000 So make sure that you guys look out for that. 412 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:03,000 Like I said, it's with Sullivan Productions and yeah, it was a lot. 413 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:08,000 But let's say I made it. 414 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:16,000 And things like that, you do get into some compromising positions, whereas an artist or an actor, you have to ask yourself, 415 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:23,000 am I comfortable with this being, because once I was out, you can't, oh, let me change my mind when it's already theater. 416 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:27,000 Like the moment is going. 417 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:35,000 So by taking challenges, you show range, you're so depth, you show that you can do things and make it, let's say, believable 418 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:40,000 or come across where you're acting me, what's that, my ass on camera. 419 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:44,000 So obviously it's going to be a good movie. 420 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,000 Yeah. 421 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:48,000 Okay. 422 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:53,000 Well, you know, there's someone out there who's listening to this interview. 423 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,000 They're listening to you and I talk tonight. 424 00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:02,000 And they have aspirations to be in entertainment, whether it's acting, modeling, whatever. 425 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:06,000 What advice, what sage advice would you give them? 426 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:12,000 Any of these aspiring entertainers out there who are just starting out in the business? 427 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,000 Do it. 428 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:15,000 Do it. 429 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,000 Just do it. 430 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,000 Don't second guess yourself. 431 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:23,000 And this is me telling my younger self, so I'm speaking to them as well. 432 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:25,000 But do it. 433 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,000 Don't second guess yourself. 434 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,000 Obviously pray. 435 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,000 Plan, which means research it out. 436 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,000 I tell people all the time, google.com is your best friend. 437 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:39,000 Anything that you want to know, research out what's the salary, how many people is in this position, 438 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:46,000 what's the course of being successful, the things that you have to know and do, and then proceed, pursue. 439 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:51,000 You know, go after it with the endless pursuit that it's going to happen. 440 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:57,000 Like, nobody on the other side, on the outside of myself, meaning the external things, 441 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:03,000 are going to tell me and God that we can't cross in or we can't cross over, we can't be successful, 442 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,000 or this is not going to be. 443 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:11,000 So have the gall and the tenacity that when you say, oh, I'm going to be a singer, then don't none up. 444 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,000 Two months later, oh, this is hard work. 445 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:14,000 I've got to go back to rehearsal. 446 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,000 I've got to, I can't smoke. 447 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,000 I've got to drink tea and da-da-da. 448 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:19,000 Yeah, these are the things that's there. 449 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:26,000 So make sure that when your yes is a yes, that you have taken into consideration all the sacrifice that goes into it. 450 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,000 So anybody can, it's going to be so easy and you're going to love it. 451 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:33,000 I'm going to tell you now, it's going to be some nights and some moments where you're going to say, 452 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:41,000 I want to go work at McDonald's versus you get that big deal and it's going to be like, oh, my God, I'm signing my contract with BET now. 453 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:42,000 It's amazing. 454 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,000 So you're going to have your highs and lows, but that comes with it. 455 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:46,000 That's just like a heartbeat. 456 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:51,000 It goes up and down, which is a mere indication that what you're still alive. 457 00:27:51,000 --> 00:28:02,000 So you're going to have some ups and downs in your journey to your career, which means you're still on course of getting to that moment of destiny where you're going to meet opportunity and success. 458 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:03,000 So keep going. 459 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,000 Do it and then keep going. 460 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:08,000 Okay, pastor. 461 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:13,000 Right now, you're about to see nothing about that. 462 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:15,000 No, but that's excellent. 463 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:16,000 That's excellent. 464 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:21,000 I feel like whoever needed to hear what they needed to hear, they got what they needed. 465 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:25,000 I want to ask you one more thing because we're quickly coming up on the end of this segment. 466 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:26,000 This always happens. 467 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:36,000 I don't get through all of my questions, but this may overlap with some of the things you've already discussed, but I want to ask you before we sign off for this segment, 468 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:45,000 what would you share with our listeners that you want them to know about the personal sacrifices you made to get where you are today? 469 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:50,000 We got time. 470 00:28:50,000 --> 00:29:02,000 I would say really quickly, wow, the major sacrifices I was in it to win it, let's say, heavily 2011 to 2013, but I press pause. 471 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:19,000 And although I was a present parent then, I wanted to be a father to make sure that my kids knew me, I knew them, and that they were well-rounded and that I can step back and say that I've planted the seed versus work and work and work and work and then, oh, yeah, I did this for y'all and I don't know my children. 472 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:24,000 So for me, it was a sacrifice to be the parent and then it was a sacrifice. 473 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:28,000 I was a husband, so I'm happily divorced twice. 474 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:40,000 And yeah, so sometimes, how can I say, you got to make the decision of it's going to be, you know, your career or, you know, you're just going to be in love. 475 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:57,000 So sometimes the career end up can happen, but in most cases you have to kind of choose what kind of outweighs that for me was my career and I'm full force because I don't think being married, being with somebody totally right now will be smart because that will be accepted. 476 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:00,000 Because that will be accepted them because I will be what I want to be. 477 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:12,000 And then, you know, so I would say, making sure that, yeah, you just you just clear yourself in the distractions, anything that's going to hold you back away you down and go for it. 478 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:17,000 And then when you fly and you get to where you want to be, then you can come back and, you know, revisit that. 479 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:21,000 But I'm good. In Jesus name. 480 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,000 In Jesus name. Wise words from the man himself. 481 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:29,000 Sir, thank you again for being our guest on the show tonight. I really appreciate your time. 482 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:35,000 Before we go, tell our listeners really quickly where they can connect with you online. 483 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:42,000 Dr. I don't want to say thank you for having me so much. It's been a pleasure. But you guys can follow me on IG. That is Sir Ty online. 484 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:50,000 S I R T Y online Facebook, Ty Gowdy, but I'm active on IG. So, sir. 485 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:54,000 All right. Well, thank you again and everybody. We're going to take a quick break. 486 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:59,000 But when we return, I'll be introducing another impressive gentleman in entertainment. 487 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:05,000 You definitely won't want to miss this. Stay tuned and we'll be right back. 488 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:12,000 Waves of sadness from out of nowhere. Instantly, you feel a weight of despair. 489 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:19,000 A subtle heaviness that leaves you drained. And a lingering loneliness that remains. 490 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:26,000 Suddenly, there is no reason to smile. And then you become angry for a while. 491 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:32,000 Lashing out at anyone near, especially the ones you hold dear. 492 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:38,000 Imprisoned by your own emotions. Unsettled by the lack of control. 493 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:43,000 Trying to make sense of it all. Meanwhile, it takes its toll. 494 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:51,000 Advancing yourself from family. Pushing your friends away. Knowing in your heart that maybe you'll need their support one day. 495 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:59,000 As your despondency becomes palpable and more real, you find it difficult to express how you feel. 496 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:06,000 So you become quiet and do your best to disguise it. But there is no denying it. 497 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:10,000 There is something wrong because nothing you do feels right. 498 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:15,000 The sadness is overwhelming. But you're too angry to cry. 499 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:25,000 Deep into the pit of self-pity you're hurled. Where you realize you're not depressed. You're mad at the world. 500 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:32,000 This poem written by Dr. Andre Jerry is entitled Mad at the World from his literary debut, 501 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:37,000 Write or Die, Expressions of Life, Love and Loss, Volume 1. 502 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:40,000 Available exclusively on Amazon and Kindle. 503 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:44,000 Write or Die is more than just a collection of poetry. It's a lifestyle. 504 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:53,000 A call to action to its readers to consider expressive writing, such as poetry, as a catalyst for healing, growth and change. 505 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:59,000 Write or Die assists the reader in a way that's relative to them and helps to identify their own emotions. 506 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:04,000 Each expression is poetically written in an elegant style that's helpful to the reader. 507 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:10,000 Each expressed title motivates in a personal way, providing pure insight and introspection. 508 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:19,000 Having triumphed over his own trauma and adversity, Dr. Andre Jerry has proven how powerful expressive writing can be to the healing process. 509 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:25,000 If you're feeling stuck in an emotional state that's keeping you from achieving your highest potential, 510 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:30,000 consider expressive writing as a tool to help identify and release negative thoughts. 511 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:37,000 Purchase your copy of Write or Die, Expressions of Life, Love and Loss, Volume 1 by Dr. Andre Jerry. 512 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:41,000 Available exclusively on Amazon and Kindle. 513 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:45,000 You're back live with Dr. Andre Jerry. 514 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:46,000 Here we go. 515 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:47,000 Okay. 516 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:57,000 Alright everybody, welcome back. So if you're just joining us, tonight we're featuring black men in entertainment 517 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:02,000 who are blazing trails in music, modeling, television and film. 518 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:06,000 My next guest is joining us all the way from the West Coast tonight. 519 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:11,000 He's a Maryland-based dance music artist, actor and model. 520 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:16,000 An international multi-award winning entertainer and creative innovator. 521 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:21,000 He's known around the globe for his dance music here in the states and overseas. 522 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:27,000 And has worked with some of the industry's biggest names including Fantasia, Chrisette Michelle, Lil' Kim, 523 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:35,000 one of my favorites, Lil' Mo, Pat Benatar, Payla Bell, Crystal Waters and Ultra Nate, just to name a few. 524 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:44,000 This gentleman is a nine-time Grammy nominee, the lead actor in the hit TV series Severus, The Black Caesar. 525 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:52,000 And his music has been featured on hit shows like Fox's Empire and Rich Kids of Beverly Hills on the E! Channel. 526 00:34:52,000 --> 00:35:06,000 He's a nine-time Grammy nominee, a Grammy winner, a Grammy voting member, and he has had 14 Indie Music Channel awards. 527 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:11,000 Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome to the show Septimius the Great. 528 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:14,000 Septimius, welcome to the show sir. 529 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:19,000 Hey! How you doing buddy, how's it going? 530 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:24,000 I'm exhausted after your intro. You have done a lot in this industry. 531 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:27,000 You wore me out. 532 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:33,000 I didn't even get to it all. I was trying to hit the highlights, but wow, man, you have been busy. 533 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:38,000 Thank you for coming on the show tonight. I'm so glad to have you here. How's everything going? 534 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:41,000 Oh, things are going great, man. Throwing is great. 535 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:51,000 Okay. So really quick, tell everyone how you came up with this name. Is that your name name or is that your stage name? 536 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:58,000 No, no. So about 12 years ago when I decided to be a music artist, I was looking for a powerful name. 537 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:07,000 So I Googled like Black King, Black people of power, and this name Septimius Severus popped up, or Severus, 538 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:13,000 depending where you are in the country, in the world. But I was like, oh, I like that name. 539 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:20,000 And I read about him. He was actually a Roman Emperor over the whole entire Roman Empire, but he was from Africa. 540 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:28,000 He wasn't a typical Roman. And I was like, oh, now that makes sense. I can create this image, this brand, 541 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:35,000 but it makes sense and it's not just made up. And that's what Septimius, well, he was, Septimius the Great, 542 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:40,000 I said, I created as the Roman Emperor of music. 543 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:46,000 Oh, man, I love it. And the crazy thing about your brand is that, okay, so Septimius the Great, 544 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:54,000 you're not just an artist, it's a whole brand. You know, you got the modeling, you have the acting and the music. 545 00:36:54,000 --> 00:37:01,000 So, I mean, you're kind of like a one stop shop for all things entertainment. 546 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:10,000 And so I'm sure that comes with a lot of responsibility. Do you ever feel like you are misunderstood or miscategorized in the industry? 547 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,000 What challenges have you faced in that department? 548 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:20,000 A lot of challenges, because one, me becoming a music artist was a challenge, because after I went through a breakup, 549 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:28,000 I had to reevaluate myself and like basically create the better me. So I told my friends, you know what, 550 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:33,000 I'm going to be a music artist. My friends like, you are absolutely crazy. You know nothing about music. 551 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:38,000 You've never been in the studio. You never wrote a song. You know nothing about that. 552 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:48,000 My first challenge is watch me. So from that, you know, my first song, of course, was I Am Fashion, 553 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:53,000 the original version of it, because I came from the modeling world because I was a model, a runway model. 554 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:59,000 And then I did the music, the music industry, and then the music industry landed me to opportunities in acting. 555 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:06,000 And then the acting has now been blowing up in the last three or four years. So it became this all in one brand. 556 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:13,000 But that wasn't the original intent. My original intent was just to create a song as a music artist for a fashion show. 557 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:15,000 And that was it. 558 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:18,000 And it just kind of sprung from there. Wow. 559 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:20,000 Yep. It's evolution. 560 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,000 I love that. 561 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:33,000 So listen, I have been kind of researching and finding out all the things that I can find out about you to get prepared for this interview. 562 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:39,000 I'm seeing where you've been compared to a lot of like legends in the industry. 563 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:47,000 I mean, you've been compared to Will.i.am. You've been, you know, Prince, Michael Jackson even. 564 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:56,000 And we talk about this brand that's like a nonstandard form, it's not fitting in a particular genre and all of that. 565 00:38:56,000 --> 00:39:11,000 How do you package yourself to get gigs? How do you package yourself to like how do you just overall package yourself to make sure that people understand what you have to offer? 566 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:22,000 Well, you know, when I first started, a lot of A&Rs from record labels, radio stations and stuff were like trying to figure out like who I am and what I represented. 567 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:31,000 But it was just completely different because I didn't have like a genre or an image that I wanted to create. 568 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:44,000 So people like Will.i.am, Prince, Michael Jackson, they were visionaries. It wasn't about having the best voice or the best look or the best stage show or the best image. 569 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:50,000 It was all the above about being creative. So that's what I focused on. 570 00:39:50,000 --> 00:40:03,000 So some people get it, some people don't get it. But that to me is rewarding because I'd rather bring you something completely new that you either hate it, you like it or you learn from it. 571 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:13,000 And that's what drives me. And that's what I push for. And I look up to people like that because Will.i.am, Prince, and Michael Jackson, they couldn't be put into a box. 572 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:19,000 You never knew what you were to get because it was all about the creativity of something completely new. 573 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:30,000 Correct. Yep. So I want to talk about what your reaction was when you found out that you were nominated for your first Grammy. 574 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:37,000 Who called you? Is it an email? Does your agent call? How did you find out about it and how did that feel? 575 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:52,000 Yeah, the first nine Grammy ballots that I got listed on was amazing because one, I was a Grammy. Well, one day I was just talking of industry and someone said, are you a part of the Grammys? 576 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:58,000 I was like, no. How do you do that? They said, well, you go to Grammy.com, apply for a membership, submit your credentials. 577 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:05,000 And if you get approved, you'll be a Grammy member or a Grammy voting member. So I did it. 578 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:19,000 So one of the perks of being a Grammy voting member is not only do you vote on every level of musicians or people in the music industry, you also get to submit yourself or other people's work as well. 579 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:37,000 So I, my first year, I was a voting member. I released my first album in 2017, I think it was, and I submitted my album and my song. And one day in the email when the ballots came out, I didn't even know I was on the ballot. 580 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:49,000 The ballot came out and I saw, I saw the Timmy's the Great this, the Timmy's the Great that. So Timmy, I was like, oh my God, I just got nine times listed on the ballot. I can't believe it. 581 00:41:49,000 --> 00:42:01,000 It was like, I didn't even believe, I was like, well, who is it? Is it me? I don't understand what's going on. 582 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:16,000 It was phenomenal, man, because it validated some of the creative ideas and thoughts and, you know, and the uniqueness that I've been about to create under no model of any other artists, really. 583 00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:26,000 They validate you. It began, you know, I was able to stick out my chest a little bit more. I was like, okay, well, yeah, I got it now. Okay. I think I'm on to something. 584 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:39,000 Oh, man. It pays to stay in your lane and not try to be like the next person or someone else. It just pays to stay in your own lane and stay true to your own creative whims. 585 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:48,000 Oh, man. Your music is becoming quite popular, not even becoming, it's quite popular over in Europe. 586 00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:59,000 How do you think your music crossing over to global audiences happened? Did it just get in the right hands or did you strategically market it overseas or what happened with that? 587 00:42:59,000 --> 00:43:11,000 Yeah, I was actually in Baltimore trying to, you know, because, you know, I wanted to get my music on the radio. But in the DMV area, the DC, Maryland, Virginia area, everything is hip hop. 588 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:25,000 So I didn't fit anybody's format for radio. But every time I would sit down with somebody like, oh, you know what, man, you know, you got this house music type of vibe, but it's kind of like a little hip hop is but like a little got a little dance music to it. 589 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:36,000 You belong overseas. You should market yourself overseas. So me being an innovator and a thought visionary, I was like, okay, well, that's what I'm going to do. 590 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:50,000 I quickly stopped everything in the United States and started focusing on the United on the on Europe and places like France, Italy, Spain, Amsterdam, and places like in London, England. 591 00:43:50,000 --> 00:44:07,000 And I just did it the old way. I just looked up radio stations that or people having shows in those in those different countries. I sent an email with my press kit introducing myself and let them know I'm going well. 592 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:20,000 I was telling them I'm going to be touring Europe and I would love to for you to play my music or allow me to perform and just by those emails. My first performances were not really in the United States. 593 00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:33,000 They were all overseas and I did a seven city tour in Europe just based upon me reaching out to people on on email saying, hey, listen to my music, play my songs, can I perform? 594 00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:44,000 And that's how it started overseas. And that's why my base overseas are so large because that's where I started because people in Europe don't have blinders or cookie cutter ears. 595 00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:51,000 I call it like in America, like in America, because America, everybody sounds the same or like somebody and over there. 596 00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:58,000 They don't care if you're black, white, purple, straight, gay. I don't know if it's opera music, dance music. They don't care what it is as long as they like it. 597 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:09,000 They want to hear it. And that's where I fit in. Yeah. Yeah. Uniqueness is celebrated overseas. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. 598 00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:18,000 So when was the last time you performed live? Actually, I'm actually getting ready to perform live in about 30 minutes. 599 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:43,000 Oh, I'm actually at a show here in L.A. It's a fashion show where I'm hosting and performing. But right now, since I moved to L.A. about seven months ago, I just started performing here five times in the last seven months between L.A., Atlanta and San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, the whole West Coast. 600 00:45:43,000 --> 00:45:53,000 I've been working it out so far. But my live performances, thank God, because the covid is over, I can go back to doing 100, 200 shows a year. 601 00:45:53,000 --> 00:46:09,000 Yes. I love how your music kind of marries with your modeling and your fashion interests. Between modeling and acting and music, which one of those do you enjoy the most? 602 00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:21,000 Well, you know, that's a good question because modeling was my first passion. Then I evolved into being a music artist with my next passion. But now it's really acting. 603 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:40,000 I really, really enjoy acting because in honesty, I've been acting for the last 12 years as Septimius, creating his brand, creating this image, creating this look and becoming this person on stage. So acting has always been in me. 604 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:55,000 Also, you know, just modeling, you know, you're acting, you're walking a runway. You're basically acting as well. So acting is I think it has it evolved into my passion now that I really enjoy and can't wait to see where it takes me. 605 00:46:55,000 --> 00:47:02,000 I'm excited to see where it takes you as well. What would be a dream collaboration for you? 606 00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:15,000 Man, well, you know, of course, Will.i.am is my absolute idol because one, the sound is similar, the fashion is similar, the business is similar. 607 00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:23,000 But right now, the hottest artist right now I would love to collaborate with, of course, would be Beyonce. 608 00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:33,000 Only because not because everyone loves her. It's only because she is such a machine. She's such a visionary. She puts on a production. 609 00:47:33,000 --> 00:47:45,000 And that's what I like that I would love to put together something like that. When I saw her perform with Bruno Mars, and I forgot the other guy, the guy that put on Halftime Show. 610 00:47:45,000 --> 00:47:55,000 And they did that merger between Bruno Mars sound, Beyonce and the guy that rocked the metal, the heavy metal guy. It was just like, that's me. 611 00:47:55,000 --> 00:48:00,000 I mean, that's what I want. That's what I want to present. 612 00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:07,000 Wow. Yeah, that would be a lot of people's dream collaboration. But yeah, she's definitely a workhorse. 613 00:48:07,000 --> 00:48:15,000 Her performances are off the charts. So yeah, and I have no doubt that you will end up having a collaboration with her at some point. 614 00:48:15,000 --> 00:48:18,000 I love to speak things out into the universe. 615 00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:19,000 I know, that's right. 616 00:48:19,000 --> 00:48:28,000 Tell me just a little bit about your creative process when you come up with the, how do you come up with ideas for a new song? 617 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:35,000 Do you hear a beat first or how does it work? Does the lyrics come to you first? What's your process? 618 00:48:35,000 --> 00:48:46,000 It's definitely the beat because I'm beat driven. So if I hear a beat, sometimes the beat speaks to me in words and I can start to create a story around it. 619 00:48:46,000 --> 00:48:54,000 But I do have to have a formula where I have to make you dance. It has to teach you something. And it has to be different. 620 00:48:54,000 --> 00:49:05,000 And it has to be, and I want to fuse in another sound completely, whether it's an opera song or rock band or sometimes rock guitars. 621 00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:20,000 That's the process for me. And then I kind of write around that whole story of inclusiveness, uniqueness, whether fashion related or whether it's Septimius, the real emperor story related or just everyday life. 622 00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:23,000 But the beat, it all starts with me with the beat. 623 00:49:23,000 --> 00:49:25,000 That's your formula. 624 00:49:25,000 --> 00:49:27,000 Yes, that's my formula. 625 00:49:27,000 --> 00:49:35,000 Yeah. So yeah, so as long as you stay with your formula, you're definitely going to keep having the same success that you're having now. 626 00:49:35,000 --> 00:49:46,000 So a lot of, I feel like a lot of artists don't, don't do that. They don't have a formula, so to speak. They just kind of go with whatever catchy trend in music is happening. 627 00:49:46,000 --> 00:49:49,000 Yeah, exactly. 628 00:49:49,000 --> 00:50:03,000 So have you ever felt, I don't know, pressure to compromise your creative vision for just the sake of some quick commercial appeal that will be well received in the States? 629 00:50:03,000 --> 00:50:08,000 Yes. Yeah, I got that a lot. But like the first, because I didn't know anything about music. 630 00:50:08,000 --> 00:50:32,000 So I just kind of jumped out there and said I wanted to do music. And if I listened to the radio stations, the managers, the publicist, the all the creative teams around hip hop and where I was used to, my dream, my vision of Septimius the Great when I first came out was about a Roman emperor of music. 631 00:50:32,000 --> 00:50:47,000 So my whole production, even if it's a small show, was dancers, soldiers, costumes, and if I can get lighting and smoke effects, that was my film for me to be anywhere to perform. 632 00:50:47,000 --> 00:51:07,000 Being in, coming from Baltimore and being in the hip hop industry, that was way overboard for most people. So they're like, oh, you need to cancel the dancers and change it. Instead of looking like a Roman emperor, you should just be more trendy, the state urban look. 633 00:51:07,000 --> 00:51:23,000 And I tried it. I tried it. Because I was doing a lot of hip hop showcases and people were looking at me like I was from Mars. But I did it a few times. I'm like, I don't want to do it. No, this is not what I want to do. 634 00:51:23,000 --> 00:51:38,000 I want to do a theme party, a toga party. I want to do, you know, girls with pedals. I want to do the guys walking with soldiers. I want to walk in with people carrying me. I want that Lady Gaga effect. 635 00:51:38,000 --> 00:51:55,000 Yeah. So yeah, I did. It was hard and I was going to compromise just to fit in. But it just wasn't worth it. It killed my whole spirit, my creativity, just my whole purpose of even trying to do music. So I had to go, I had to let that go. 636 00:51:55,000 --> 00:52:10,000 Well, I know I mentioned this briefly during soundcheck, but I just want to tell you and everybody that my favorite song of yours is hands down, I Am Fashion. I was playing it yesterday and even after I stopped playing it, I could not stop singing that song. 637 00:52:10,000 --> 00:52:22,000 I am fashion. I am fashion. All of your music is like perfect for walking down the runway. It's like perfect fashion show music. 638 00:52:22,000 --> 00:52:38,000 Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. That's why I wrote that song. It was the first song that I kind of co-wrote with a gentleman named Coyote Man in Baltimore and introduced me to helping to deliver my formula. 639 00:52:38,000 --> 00:52:52,000 He said, well, you came from fashion, so your first song should be about fashion. I said, well, I want to write a song where if I'm looking in the mirror getting dressed to go out and I need to pick my spirits up because my hair ain't cut right or I ain't got the outfit I really want. 640 00:52:52,000 --> 00:53:04,000 I want to make myself feel good and I want people who say it to make themselves feel good and I want it to be drilled in your head that the only thing you will remember is the word I am fashion. 641 00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:17,000 That's right. I mean it does its job. Everybody out there go to YouTube right now and put in I am fashion, Septimius the Great. You will be singing that song from here to the end of the year. 642 00:53:17,000 --> 00:53:45,000 I mean it's just in your pores that song. But anyway, I know you have to get ready for a show soon. I want to ask you something that I asked my previous guest in segment one. So what would you share with our listeners tonight that you want them to know about the personal sacrifices you made to get where you are today? 643 00:53:45,000 --> 00:53:58,000 Yes. Well, the personal sacrifices I had to make was you can't sometimes sometimes you can't bring along your when you get famous and the bigger the larger you go, you can't bring around along your friends. 644 00:53:58,000 --> 00:54:15,000 You can't bring along your family. One, sometimes they get more they get jealous of your success and fame and they turn against you or they don't care about your successful fame because they want to keep you at a level with them and where you where you were before you became successful. 645 00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:32,000 So what I had to sacrifice is my family and my friends and I had to surround myself with people who believed in what I was doing, who I was, but also kept me grounded. So that kind of sacrifice caused me to do a lot of things myself. 646 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:52,000 You know, I did a lot of you know a lot of shows myself. I did my own marketing. I did my own promotions. I did my own website. I did my own everything because I couldn't find people who didn't wouldn't who well one didn't understand me but two didn't well would not turn against me or try to rival with me or take from me. 647 00:54:52,000 --> 00:54:58,000 So that's what I had to sacrifice that. Yep. 648 00:54:58,000 --> 00:55:06,000 I did. So I feel you 100% on that and that's definitely some sage advice and wise words. 649 00:55:06,000 --> 00:55:16,000 I want to thank you so much for your time today. I know that you are getting ready for a show in the next few minutes but thanks for stopping by live with Dr. Andre Jair today. 650 00:55:16,000 --> 00:55:21,000 Really was a pleasure to introduce you to my audience. 651 00:55:21,000 --> 00:55:31,000 You're welcome to come back anytime but really quickly you're all over the place online. Let us know where our people can connect with you online. 652 00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:46,000 Yes, definitely, definitely, definitely follow me on all social media. I have four movies coming out this year. My new album is going to drop which is Stephanie's 2.0 which is a whole nother level of my formula of music and fusions of genres. 653 00:55:46,000 --> 00:55:55,000 But you can follow me on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, you know, I don't know what else. 654 00:55:55,000 --> 00:56:00,000 Who else is out there? 655 00:56:00,000 --> 00:56:06,000 What you call it YouTube everything is under Septimius the Great. My website is Septimiusthegreat.com. 656 00:56:06,000 --> 00:56:16,000 But if you Google Septimius the Great there's only one in this world that I trademark that name. So you're not going to get anybody else even if you just do Septimius. 657 00:56:16,000 --> 00:56:21,000 There's only going to be the real Roman Emperor 2000 years ago and that's going to be me. 658 00:56:21,000 --> 00:56:28,000 Septimius the Great of music, acting and modeling. So definitely, definitely look me up, follow me and I'll follow back. 659 00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:36,000 Trust me, you won't have any problems finding Septimius online. Septimius the Great everybody. Thank you again for your time. 660 00:56:36,000 --> 00:56:47,000 That's our show for tonight folks. So be sure to join me next Wednesday on May 24th at 8 p.m. Eastern right here on the Artist First Radio Network. 661 00:56:47,000 --> 00:56:57,000 And I want to thank again my guest for segment one, Sir Ty, and thank you again to Septimius the Great who graced us with his presence on segment two. 662 00:56:57,000 --> 00:57:01,000 So everyone good night. We'll see you next month. Have a good night y'all. 663 00:57:27,000 --> 00:57:35,000 Bye.