Auckland & Melbourne-based actor Kelvin Taylor has the jazz, swagger and presentation of an electro-pop artist from Sweden. Born on the Middle East coast of Virginia, he’s been surrounded by musical legends all his life. His mother Rhonda Walker and three uncles living next door to Teddy Riley in Harlem New York. Teddy would later scout Kelvin as a DJ to accompany the R&B troupe Blackstreet of “No Diggity” fam for their comeback tour. However for evangelical reasons, his uncle and music manager Mark Walker intervened. Undeterred, music and performing arts still became inescapable. This is the story of a Breakdancer turned actor and how the music industry never seems to escape him even while in Aotearoa.

You are from Virginia Beach, how was that musically?

Incredible, my uncle was plugged into all the major labels in New York through ASCAP and would often come to check on his nieces and nephews.. Fondest memory as a child, was being a 13 in 1998 and being at a pre-bachelor party BBQ with my uncle Mark Walk for Markell Riley (Teddy Riley’s Cousin and member of Wreckx-N-Effect). On the front door, I meet 3 standing outside and that was Eric Sermon, Queen Pen and Jay-Z. At the time, Jay-Z had finished working with Blackstreet on In My Lifetime Vol. 1. We ended up in game room section of the house and Jay-Z was on the Mortal Kombat 2 machine. Dame Dash came was talking to Jay and decided to ask Jay- Z to a game on. We played MK2, using Kung Lou and I got the upper hand on Jay (which he may have threw the fight, lol) after he beat me once with Scorpion. Jay was looking at how bold I was, implied this little man has heart This was Sean Carter pre-fame and always bugged me out I had little knowledge of who he’d become today figuratively as a entrepreneur. From what I was told Pharrell as there at some point but Bikini’s around the pool were coming off, so me and my older brother Michael had to go.

At Larkspur Middle School in the 8th Grade, cousin of Chad Hugo shared a mixed CD with a few tracks from a production duo known as the Neptunes. He made me promise not to share the CD with anyone else. The songs on the CD were Cuban Link “Stop Telling Lies, Mase – “Looking at Me” and The Clipse – “Got Caught Dealing”. To say the least, the experience was unique.

Any unique encounters with Local Celebrities?

Yes, I’d say manly with No Malice (formerly Malice) of Clipse, brother of Pusha T. I would see him often at the most random of places around the city. Without going into details, their music reflected the reality and he spoke “in code” without me knowing at the time. I watched his transition from getting out of a dangerous lifestyle around the industry. I came back from Australia at the end of 2009, walking one Volvo Parkway, he passes me in a Porsche and does a U-Turn saying “Yo Calv, you need a ride” (He always called me Calvin, which was hilarious). I got in the car and he was like “I’m going through a change, I’m going to change my life, I can’t keep doing what I’m doing”. Later would be his desire to become a born again Christian which is often a moral saving grace in our community. He asked me about my faith in God, how I felt about my relationship with God. For me, I grew up in indoctrinated family which was cool, but I always questioned African Americans attachment to Christianity. Very young, I understood Christianity was imposed on Africans during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. So I was detaching myself from Christianity in a sense of desiring to make the moral codes I learned become apart of me.

Missy Elliot I saw at a stop light on in Rolls Royce on Princess Anne Road and she pulled off like a lighting bolt. I think she did not want to be recognised.

You worked as a Events Manager after a trip to Australia?

Yes! I stumbled upon a hidden pricing and rider list for all major record artist in 2009. Today, you can just DM an artist of find their management on social media but back then, this was insider music industry information only. I had a contact in Perth Australia with a promoter named Craig Grainger with 2pm Records and one in Melbourne with Mariah Athans of Wonda Women
Entertainment. The Hip Hop promoter game is interesting bc it often crosses over into the underbelly world, so you may not know exactly what or who you’re getting yourself into. But yes, I played middle-man liaising from management to artist and management to promoter. Chris Brown’s official DJ at the time DJ Babey Drew (now a EDM artist) I set up with some tour dates in Australia in Perth and Melbourne. I contacted no negotiated with music managers for The Clipse, Ryan Leslie, Mickey Facts, Jason Derulo, The New Boys, Tyga, Sebastian, LMFAO. Also Big Sean and Mike Posner had the same manager at the time, who also linked me to Common, so all of this was interesting to me.

How is the New Zealand Music scene for you?

New Zealand has been home for me since 2010. Straight away I met J Geek and The Geeks and music video director Shae Sterling within the 1 st Week. Then I quickly got pulled into the Highlife Entertainment crew with Adam Bennett, exposed to Drum & Bass and mates from Jupiter Project. Through K-Road, I was introduced to the New Zealand Hip Hop Scene. I adore artist like Homebrew, Third3ye, Melodownz, Raiza Biza, and Hip Hop purist who I was fortunate to interview on my YouTube channel LightItUpTV. With artists like Denel, the country finds different ways to stand out. I still feel like the country is still finding its sound. But lyrical HipHop here always felt honorary and as an African American who comes form that culture, I admire it. There is a social message that’s connected to the people.

Tell us about LightItUpTV New Zealand?

In 2013 a collective of mates started a YouTube Channel called LightItUpTV. I started as the host and ended up managing the it as time progressed for the artist. This helped solidify my love for New Zealand hip hop from 2013-2015. From Jenetero MC to Mic G and the Document, the content is still up. I recently remastered the videos bc the audio in 2013 was not the best!

Also, while in New Zealand I later reconnected with Jason Derulo team later in Auckland, New Zealand in 2012. Jason’s amazing social media videos are currently being worked by my good friend Max Goodrich. Max Goodrich shot the comedy Pilot for Action Figure Miss with WakaFlocka, Rakeem Miles and myself.

Small world! So are you still working in the industry?

Most definitely, currently with ChuckTheSpittah in a A&R capacity. He’s on the intro to my new podcast I co-host called Dudes Brewing. He’s from Baltimore, Maryland and has a EP Coming called “Charles Jones III”, it’s about him finding his parents after 23 years which is beautiful. I vouch for his skill, cadence, and just an all around incredible artist and would love to get him on Tour in New Zealand.

Outside of music, you’ve recently wrapped filming on Time Bandits in
Wellington?

Yes, I reached a benchmark working on a Taika Waititi production doing stunts for a Kiwi Legend. I do stuntman work also, which shows how much of a roller coaster my life is but beyond grateful for it. That aside, I am rebranding my non-profit The Pacific African TV & Film Collective and writing a script for a comedy film. I’ve been in touch with Melodownz not long ago so definitely have some kiwi music artist involved for the film. And Lastly, I’m prepping to shoot next mont on a Australian film called Gen-Z with award
winning independent filmmaker Jose Sunny.