..
A Washington, DC native, I have had an awesome career "behind the scenes" in the entertainment industry. Starting out in high school working for a local PBS TV station in the Traffic Department and then their marketing division - I would go onto college (University of Southern California), where my major was Electrical Engineering (folks that know me - get your mouths off the floor) I ended up with a trifecta - 1) dating a music producer who introduced me to the recording studio; 2) stage managing my cousin's rap series 'Rap Kingdom' at Club Vertigo (if you were in LA in 1990, then you were there!) which featured such rappers as II 2 None, Cypruss Hill, The Box and Tupac; and 3) working with my college best friend with her student film company - PoppyFeildz. From there I would opt to pursue audio and spend another 2 years learning recording engineering - which would afford me to go on to work for DC's Perfect Sound Company, live and studio mixing for TV (BET's Teen Summit and the Jazz Channel), and A 2-ing for the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, PGA golf (local),2001 NBA All Star Game and DC United (Soccer).In tandem with exploring what the world of sound engineering had to offer, I would also learn stage craft at DC's ampitheatre - Carter Barron. At CB I would work with such artists as the Whispers, the O'Jays, Phyllis Hyman, Keiko Matsui, Millie Jackson, George Duke, Ronny Jordan, and others. I would stay at Carter Barron for 3 years, and from there I would take the freelancing world by storm.Such clients as BET, The Taste of DC Festival, The Congressional Black Congress, The Smithsonian, Capital Jazz Festival, National Council of Negro Women - and such events as - A Celebration of Music at the White House (w/ President Clinton, Patti Austin, Ruth Brown, Booker T & The MG's and others), the Million Man March, The Arkansas Inaugural Ball at the 53rd Presidential Inauguration, Howard University Convocations, were how I spent most of the 1990's. Memberships into the IATSE, IBEW and NABET unions were all successes that I achieved. Stage managing concerts (Smithsonian 150th birthday, StarFest '97) and television (Kojo Nnamdi's Evening Exchange) kept me busy.In 1999, I was approached to run the sound department at DC's Historic Lincoln Theatre. I spent 6 years at the Lincoln and went from head of sound, to steward, to Production Manager. At the Lincoln, such events as: HBO's Dave Chappelle's Killin' Em Softly; ESPN's Tuesday Night Fights (twice); Soul Spectacular on Ice (yes, Ice skating on the stage); the DVD taping of Tyler Perry's "I Can Do Bad All By Myself"; TD Jakes' Woman Thou Art Loosed; concerts with Bruce Hornsby, Lyfe Jennings, Hugh Masekla, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Mint Condition, Sigur Ros; film premiers and screenings and countless other events would grace the Lincoln's stage. While at the Lincoln, I co-founded a production company - Ichypom. Ichypom would go on to do PR & logisitics for 5 for Life Entertainment (a Philly Boxing Promoter); theatrical consulting for JayezPad Entertainment; Festival Logistics for Minnesota Avenue Day Festival; Artist Consulting to jazz artist Indigo and aesthetic club design for "Couth" - were just a few of Ichypom's clientele.I would also become the personal assistant to renoun jazz artist - Keter Betts - who I got to know working on the BET Jazz series. Working for Keter was one of the highlights of my career. Keter was Ella Fitzgerald's bassist for over 15 years and he truly taught me alot about life, music, our history, the trials and triumphs of being a working musician and I owe alot of who I am in this business today - to him.2005 & 2006 turned out to be another "crank it out year". I would begin to branch out on my own with - MG Sandbox: An Entertainment Think Tank - with such clients as Rap Artist Saafir; Consultant to The Congressional Black Caucus Spouses'; Producer of the Black Reel Awards; and Creative Theatrical Consultant to Ocean Ana Rising for their widely supported stage play "Gutta Beautiful". I would also leave the Lincoln Theatre and accept a position at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as their Production Coordinator for Special Events. But the world of freelance events called to me stronger than ever and in a management capacity now, I had so much more experience than my counterparts - that doing it for me just made sense. Thus the second company - MG Sandbox....An Entertainment Think Tank - was born.Blessed with a wealth of experience in the concert, theatrical, sports, television, film, and political arena's - handling or consulting on special events for concert, film or sports is my current path; along with my online e-magazine where I feature events, concerts and reviews. I can't imagine what is next for me, but if the past 18 years are any indication - then the sky is the limit!
