Houston entertainment
Houston native TJ Boyce is a “Jack of all trades” when it comes to the entertainment industry. He sings, raps, writes, produces and directs, not only music videos, but also movies. The multitalented artist’s song, “Black Woman,” is racing up the charts, being the most “added” single on Urban AC, but his latest production, “Mr. Officer” is a piece screaming out for justice and demanding an end to racism against African Americans. Last year, the devoted father released a music video, “Ghetto America,” which received national acclaim. The piece is a stirring “twist of fate” depiction inspired by the death of George Floyd, and stars Boyce, his children (TJ III and London) and actor Omar Gooding. Ghetto America gives us a look at what “could have happened” if Floyd was white and the officer who killed him – Derek Chauvin – was Black. And today, still inspired by the country’s continued social unrest, his production, “Mr. Officer” is a extended length music video / short film that tackles the ongoing issues of police brutality against Blacks. The “how they see us” theme will leave audiences with jaws dropped and eyes wide open. Vibe Houston caught up with Boyce to get his thoughts on parenting, Houston’s entertainment scene and how, despite it all, we must keep striving to reach the top. [WATCH]: Check out trailer for Mr. Officer, premiering on Juneteenth. Vibe: How did you get started in the entertainment industry? Boyce: I turned down a recording contract when I was attending high school in Midland, Texas, but while attending Texas Southern University, I started doing some modeling after meeting people who worked with Cicely Tyson. I worked briefly in Los Angeles and from there, I started to expand my gifts, which included writing songs for other artists. Vibe: How did your kids become involved? Boyce: I noticed that my kids were exceptionally talented very early on. I put my son in local theater and started taking him to audition at a very young age. It brought tears to my eyes when I noticed the talent that God had given him and I decided to put my career on hold in order to nurture his dreams. Later on, I noticed that my daughter was following her big brother’s lead and so, it became a family affair. Vibe: What are your philosophies on parenting? Boyce: I believe that we must put our children in positions to be successful. If you see a talent, do all that you can to nurture it, and it doesn’t have to be about money. If you can’t pay for a certain training for your children, look into community programs that your children can participate in for free. There are all kinds of acting and artists workshops out there. And whenever you can, volunteer your personal services as a parent to help out with those community projects. The more you are involved, the more it can help your children. I can proudly say that TJ III has landed several commercials, has been on a comedy kids show with the amazing Wayne Brady and is beginning this month to film a Disney movie. And London has starred in “Antebellum” playing Janelle Monae’s daughter, is the face of the Blue Bell Ice Cream Sandwiches and just finished shooting with Tichina Arnold and Vivica A. Fox in her own movie, in which I’m producing, “Wonder London: I Hate My Curly Hair.” Vibe: What do you teach your children about entrepreneurship? Boyce: I teach them that being an entrepreneur, you have to put in twice as much work. I teach them that a great entrepreneur must have the ability to communicate well, strategize, focus, and sell. That is why the children have their very own ice cream truck, Boyce Kids Cream Machine, in which they actually operate themselves. We go to festivals and various outdoor events where the kids can make money while learning the value of hard work, investing and profits. And when it comes to the entertainment industry, I teach them to not wait on Hollywood. They can create their own projects. TJ III, at age 15, has already released a single and is a published author, and London – at only 8 years old – has also released a book, which is what her movie was created from. Vibe: What do you feel about the Houston entertainment industry? Boyce: I’m optimistic about it. Houston has a lot of talent. And I believe so much in it, that I am outlining plans to build a music and movie studio in Houston where we can continue to create our own projects, on a larger scale, in addition to bringing outside money from other industry leaders right to H-Town. Vibe: How did you come up with the concept of Mr. Officer? Boyce: Mr. Officer was originally inspired by the Breonna Taylor story. We all know what happened there. I just felt “enough was enough” and it made me start to think about “how do they see us?” I realized that some officers really think Blacks are nothing more than animals. You will see what I mean in the production. Vibe: Who stars in Mr. Officer? Boyce: We have a great lineup of talent. Tyrin Turner, best known as “Caine” from “Menace to Society,” is the lead actor in the film, and the music video portion features myself, Scarface and Trae tha Truth. Vibe: What is the biggest takeaway you want audiences to get from Mr. Officer? Boyce: I want them to think. I want them to be physically moved and inspired. I want police to realize that we ARE human! Vibe: Do you believe CHANGE is really coming to America? Boyce: The politically correct response would be to say “yes,” but sadly, I don’t. The recent election should be an indicator that we’re a country divided right down the middle. Vibe: What is your philosophy on giving back? Boyce: I believe that it’s a blessing to be a blessing. Giving back
A “Renaissance Man” is defined as a person of many talents or areas of knowledge. Ash Davito definitely fits that bill. From modeling, to acting, self-publishing his own books, and writing and directing his own feature films, he’s done it all. Davito has written and directed numerous projects, including Temp to Fire (2015), and has been an actor in As I Die Slowly (2011) and God Send Me a Man (2009), alongside Robin Givens. Adding to that, he’s now launched a new record label, Global Keys Records, executive producing and publishing music for various artists. We sat down to chat with Davito to see how he “vibes.” Vibe: How do you describe yourself? Tell us, who is Ash Davito? Davito: I would describe myself as a creative visionary. If you were to ask me what I do, I would tell you, “Whatever needs to be done.” I have always believed in myself as early as I can remember. Any goal or dream I’ve ever set out to accomplish, I have. Simply, I’m a God fearing man from Sunnyside, Texas who is passionate about helping others. Vibe: What projects are you currently working on? Davito: I’m currently promoting “MY TOWN” by Mugg Man feat. Jon Glenn, in which I wrote and produced. It is doing very well on YouTube. My next project is an R&B ballad I wrote called “I CROWN YOU” by artist Lori Dansby feat. Jon Glenn. After that, the label will be releasing music in the Afro and Reggae genres. Vibe: What do you feel about the Houston entertainment scene? Davito: I feel like Houston’s entertainment scene has really blossomed in the last five years alone. Now you can find various locations for just about any kind of entertainment you want to see. Some of the greatest entertainers in the world were birthed in Houston. I don’t think that enough artists and business professionals come together, however, I understand that you just can’t work with everyone regardless of how much you may like to. Personally, I believe that needing nothing attracts everything. The less time I spend depending on others, the more time I have to focus on bettering myself as a businessman, CEO and visionary. Vibe: You say you wear many hats, why is it important to learn various aspects of the business? Davito: It’s essential to learn how every level of your field of business works. Even if I’m weak in a specific area, it’s my obligation as a “leader” to know enough about that area to be able to identify the ideal person or resource we may need on the team to strengthen it. In my opinion, that’s the way to limit any inefficiencies across the board. The more you know, the more you can share, and the less people can take advantage of you. Vibe: From a business owner’s perspective, what are the most common mistakes you’ve seen made in this industry? Davito: The most common mistakes I’ve seen are business owners not actually owning their intellectual property. That is a liability. For instance, I’ve heard so many artists say how people have stolen the ideas they’ve shared with them. First, your business has to be properly structured and you need a clear plan of action for your product, and personally, I don’t ever talk about a project that has not been copyrighted, already published commercially or has already been manifested and ready for the next level. Vibe: How important is collaboration? Davito: Collaboration is extremely important to me. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to workwith a lot of people, but it’s very important that you collaborate with the right people — people who are assets and not liabilities. I also love to collaborate with other businesses, using my projects and platforms to promote them as we work to build strong partnerships. Vibe: When looking to collaborate with someone, what do you look for? Davito: I look at their character and spirit first. Talent means nothing if we don’t “vibe” together, period. If the person is humble, hungry, willing to learn, willing to grow and most importantly, willing to invest in themselves, and I’m doing the same, then it’s a “win-win” situation for us all. Vibe: How important is mentorship? Davito: Although success is subjective, mentorship is literally what being successful is all about. I’m only here doing what I do today because a mentor sat me down my senior year in high school and simply asked me, “What do you want to do with your life?” That lead to everything that I am doing today. One simple conversation changed my life so I’m always asking the youth I encounter while speaking at Career Days at various schools or just in random conversations “what do they want to do with their futures” and I try to make sure they understand how to have a plan of action to work toward their goals. Vibe: What have you learned during this pandemic? Davito: During this pandemic, I learned that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I started Global Keys Records Corporation on July 13, 2020, in the midst of the pandemic at a very challenging time in my life. How dare I start a record company and teach myself the music business and actually follow through with everything I set out to do? I learned how to believe in myself and others even when nobody else did. Most importantly I learned how to exercise my faith and potential. I wrote my first professional song at that time, and a few months later, it was on the market and has now grown over 60,000 views for the music video on YouTube and still going. I feel that it’s nothing I can’t do if I’m willing to unlock my potential within. Vibe: What advice do you have to give anyone who is out here grinding with a dollar and a dream? Davito: Don’t stop. Nothing comes easy. And — you have to think anyway so you may
So who is this young singer with the soulful name?
Her look is uniquely unforgettable, her grind is unstoppable and her #BossBabes moves are something to behold. Sharlene Dismuke, aka “Da Pink Celebrity,” is either someone you know — or someone you need to know — because this 4’11” southeast Houston native in the small package has moved far beyond the “Dead End” side of Crestmont Park where she grew up and is on a meteoric rise. And we’re not just biased because she’s H-Town, baby. Our recent one-on-one interview with “Pink” showed us she’s more than a rap snack, she’s a whole damn “business-minded” meal. The single mother of two sons is a licensed phlebotomist, but her creative side and entrepreneurial spirit has her out doing her own thing. “I describe myself as an entrepreneur first, then an artist after that. Everything I do, I started on my own as a form of female empowerment,” Pink said. Early Childhood: The majority of my family is from Louisiana and Navasota, Texas, but I grew up in South Park, Houston. I went to Frost and John E. Caldwell elementary schools, then Albert Thomas Middle School and Sterling and Worthing high schools. I have one sister and five brothers with my mom, but I don’t know how many siblings I have on my dad’s side. Out of my mom’s kids, I am the second to the baby, and I had to grow up fast. We basically grew up low-income and with mom having so many kids — by six different men — we didn’t have much. It made me realize how I didn’t want to be, and I wanted my children to have more. I just strived to be better. My mom always catered to my brothers but were tougher on the girls, so I had to be more independent. Eventually, I had to get out there on my own. I left home at 16 years old and, like many young women, ended up being a stripper. I used my best friend’s ID and I started making lots of money. I actually helped my mother get a new home with new furniture. I was making lots of money and the rest..as they say …is still history in the making. View this post on Instagram 🚨Shop now🚨 And purchase this sexy Pink stunna Bandana onesie available now on @da_pink_celebrity_closet closet and my site! Link in my bio 👆🏽👆🏽www.dapinkcelebritycloset.com sizes xs-xxlarge (model @da_pink_celebrity wearing size small, 4’11 height, 143lbs) #dapinkcelebrity #dapinkcelebritycloset #pinkstunnas #pinkstunnaceo A post shared by Houston Hottest Female Artist (@da_pink_celebrity) on Aug 23, 2020 at 10:55pm PDT How did you start rapping? I started rapping professionally in 2002, but my love for it began when I was in elementary school. When they had the D.A.R.E programs, my best friend and I would do a little rap and mix it with dance and gymnastics moves and have our routines. Then in high school. Believe it or not, I was on the basketball team — in fact I played all sports — and we would crank up a beat and everybody would be freestyling on the bus on the way to the games. I was one of the main ones who wanted to freestyle. I went through so much with trying to be in the music industry when I was younger and nobody wanted to pick me up, especially people in Houston, and men in the industry would pretend like they wanted to help me, but then they’d start “pushing up on me” and I was not going to have that. I knew I needed to fund my own career. We women shouldn’t have to go through that. I started to build my own platforms so I could finance my own projects. Tell us about the Pink Car Club: It’s actually called the “Pink Stunnas” and I started it back in 2003 and it went viral, I guess because I stayed consistent with it and I didn’t give up. Pink is a color that a lot of people are scared of when it comes to vehicles, but I knew that would make my group stand out. Anyone who wanted to join the group — male or female — they would have to customize their vehicles with pink paint. A group is more powerful than one person. That was my way of getting us up there and have people wanting to find out who we were. When people would approach me, I’d give them my mixtape. I wanted to grab their attention instead of me asking for theirs, because if you come to me, then you are not going to throw my mixtape or flyers on the ground, you are going to take a closer look at me and accept what I have. Everyone in the club has some sort of business; one person does hair, another makes t-shirts, etc. We have a reason behind what we are doing, we focus on building our fan bases so we can drum up more business for our entrepreneurial endeavors. We have multiple group members and yes, they each pay a membership fee. View this post on Instagram When your local news put the Pink line on t.v 💪🏽🔥🔥🙌🏽about that Block Party last night tho 🧐 🤔🤦🏽♀️😂😂 🚘 🚘 🚘🚘🚘 @senistar2703 @poison__i__vee @hustlawifey @southsidetraye @chozen1_2_u @da_pink_celebrity_closet @da_pink_celebrity_closet_ #pinkstunnas #pink #pinklineup #houston #htown #dallas #dapinkcelebrity #carclubs #bestfriendsgoals #bestfriends #squadgoals #squad #team #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #teamwork A post shared by Houston Hottest Female Artist (@da_pink_celebrity) on Sep 6, 2020 at 10:46pm PDT You have almost half a million followers on Instagram. What do you think draws people to you? I think it’s my laid-back personality. When people first see me on pictures, they think I am conceited, but when they meet me, they tell me how surprised they are that I am pretty cool. And I’ve always been real with people. If they ask me something, I tell them the truth. Another way I grew my followers is just by marketing the right way. I would do “share for share” with
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