Anything that's outside the standard of the average black male is looked down upon. For me, I wasn't raised playing sports. I was artistic, so that was looked down upon by people in my church, and I was teased for that growing up in school, so it goes both ways.

There are so many stereotypes of how you have to be as a black man, growing up in the community as a man.

I think that's the most important part of doing this job, is learning different personality types. I mean, it's kind of like sociology or psychology in a sense. With that, and with every project I do, I think I'm able to pull something away that further makes me understand humanity in a way I didn't before.

It's awesome that my job is to make people have reactions.

Well, when I was at Leeds it was the best and worst time of my career, because when I was a kid it was my ambition to play for Middlesbrough, where I was born, and my dream to play for Leeds, and everyone said I couldn't have two teams.

I'm dating a very high-maintenance career.

My parents played the radio, but music was never an obsession or something that I thought I could call a career.

I feel like after acting, the other half of why I love this business is the opportunity to work with and meet people who inspire you. That it pays my rent is a good bonus.