POSITIVE VOICES MARCUS BOYD: REPAYING HIS VOICE THROUGH MUSIC AND ACTIVISM

Marcus Boyd: Repaying His Voice Through Music and Activism

By Margo Marie McManus

Awell-known DJ, accomplished music producer, and talented composer, Marcus Boyd has come a long way. Born with autism in the 1980s, Marcus is intimately familiar with the trials and challenges it brings. But his autistic experiences also cultivated his lifelong passion for music and later propelled him into advocacy. In his own words, “I wanted to become a voice for autism because I have autism and been having it for 38 years now, so I know about the good and bad parts of it. I know what it feels like to be bullied, wanting and trying to end it all because you feel so alone and you feel like no one understands you, and people are silently judging you. So, I wanted to come in and show people by using my testimony that I can relate, and I am here to help fight for rights and better laws for the autism community as a whole.” As someone who has lived and succeeded with autism, Marcus holds himself responsible for using his experience to assist and uplift the lives of others.

Able to listen to the tone of someone’s voice and immediately reproduce an authentic sound, Marcus dedicated himself to music not only as a hobby but as a career. With the mentorship of a music producer in Atlanta who took him under his wings, Marcus painstakingly built, promoted, and marketed his personal brand, eventually rising to stand proud as the CEO of Marcus Boyd Beats. He can play eight instruments, has experience with 18 genres, and has composed over 80,000 copyrighted and trademarked sample cleared beats.

Marcus was first introduced to music through his grandmother’s Baptist church. Every Sunday was like attending a live concert, with people singing and dancing during their worship. Marcus attributes his first official meeting with music to playing the organ, which he describes as “the greatest feeling in life.” He also became a devoted Christian. His grandmother was the first to notice his musical talent and continued to bring him to church so he could use their instruments and learn from professionals, as the family was too poor to invest in his talent on their own.

Separated from his biological parents at age six, Marcus was ultimately raised by his grandmother. His early life was difficult. In conjunction with the effects of past abuse and autism, the prognoses of doctors were not reassuring. “I remember my grandma taking me to the best doctors in Atlanta, Georgia. It was like six or seven different ones, and they all said the same thing: your grandson is basically walking around with no working brain function,” he recalls. His grandmother was told he would never get an education, clothe himself, or fix his own meals; he would need a caregiver his whole life. Already helping raise 21 other kids in a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment while working part-time with no car, Marcus’ grandmother was stretched thin. But she did not give up on her grandson.

Music and God played a huge role in helping Marcus overcome his doctors’ predictions and maintain his autonomy. He was nonverbal for the first 13 years of his life and questioned whether he would ever be considered “normal” or accepted. However, his faith gave him hope, and music allowed him to express himself. Marcus fondly remembers just how much time he spent listening with “so many different headphones and electrical devices to bump out those harmonies and sounds that bring words and melodies together,” and considers himself to have been raised by the hip hop culture and neo-soul era in Atlanta and New York in the nineties.

While there are many new resources and support groups for non-speakers available today, much less was available to Marcus growing up. He relied on music instead: “To me, music is a healing therapy. It gives you calm and peace and puts you in a place where you can explore and use imagination to help create a world of your own. For me, music was a savior in my life, it was the friend I didn’t have, and it allowed me to learn how to express myself without using words.” Though he gradually transitioned from his non-speaking roots, Marcus is certain he would still have pursued his career and activism if he had remained nonverbal. He knows there are many ways to communicate and for voices to be heard and advises other non-speakers to never look at current situations as permanent ones. “It’s the people around you who need to understand your method of communication,” he says, “so continue to show others your bright light, your growth, your progress, and how you won’t allow autism to stop your future.” As Marcus continued defying expectations, he realized he wanted to become a music producer and composer when he received his first laptop and music software at 15 years old. His mentor taught him the ins and outs of the production game and how to make money while changing lives at the same time, and Marcus loved being able to format the sounds, harmonies, and melodies he heard so clearly in his head. As for DJ-ing, Marcus taught himself how to scratch and mix while playing with different sounds and blends. He thought he might as well pursue that too.

Marcus loves mixing live instruments with digital sounds, calling it “a gift where there is nothing to compare it to.” He lists a number of artists such as Quincy Jones, J Dilla, Roy Ayers, Barry White, and DJ Premier as musical influences and calls himself a neo-soul and jazz head. When he starts to make a beat, he hears the entire sound in his head before putting

it into a physical format using Studio One and pro tools, always building it around the drums first. It does not always go smoothly, though. As an artist, Marcus is familiar with creative burnouts. As much as he loves music, it can be hard to think of new melodies to show the world. The frustration can be overwhelming, and his autism does not make it easier. “A lot of times I shut down. Sometimes I throw things and yell,” Marcus explains, “Other times I just walk away from my laptop for days because it becomes too much for me.” Taking breaks to breathe and talk to family and friends is vital.

When asked about advice for other aspiring composers in the exceptional needs community, Marcus listed four things:

1. Know you are so amazing and incredible that you can do anything you put your heart and faith into. 2. Get the right education and knowledge behind your craft— learn everything you need to learn. Read contracts with lawyers. Never sign anything without going over it with your manager and lawyer; be slow to speak in business meetings, and never rush deals. 3. Get the correct studio equipment, and when making beats keep the levels under red. If someone is recording you, have them record you on zero or one and keep the levels under red. 4. Get a good lawyer, manager, and public relations manager.

It will cost you, but the knowledge and connections will help you go to the next level. He also suggested praying before any move is made, so you feel confident in your decisions. He hopes to see more major opportunities for individuals with exceptional needs in the music and film industries in future.

After achieving so much in his musical career and personal journey, Marcus decided to pay back his voice by raising it for the autism community. He enjoys fighting for laws and rules to be changed to benefit autistics, as well as talking to autism families. “I would love to see exceptional individuals run for Congress and be mayors and Senate workers to help with the laws and rights of others,” he says. Through the four years he has been an autism activist, he has found the community very open and welcoming. He endeavors to show them they are not alone; he has shared many of their experiences and still come out on the other side.

In particular, he has dealt with intersectionality as a result of his race, and knows just how much that can affect one’s experiences both medically and socially. “I have always been classified based on charts, graphics, or data that was gathered from tests or conversations that might not have had me as an African American male in mind. I was designed to fail based off of the traditional eye viewing me, but with God nobody can stop what is destined for your life,” he declares. He is sure some people will try to do more of the same to himself and others, but as long as those in the exceptional needs community know who they are, he is certain the movement for a better reality will continue.

Marcus believes building relationships with individuals in the community is an important honor, truly admiring all those he has met so far. “I want to thank every parent, guardian, volunteer, social worker, doctor, therapist, or anyone who deals with people who have autism,” he says, “Y’all are my superheroes and my inspirations, and I thank you for all your work and sacrifices you give on a daily basis.” Marcus believes the voice of autism should sound strong, confident, unmovable, and unbothered by society’s judgment or misunderstandings. As part of that voice, he refuses to be moved by negativity—instead pushing for inclusion, acceptance, and awareness for autism. He urges everyone to never give up on their goals or let a diagnosis or medical decision stop anyone from being their already amazing self. Marcus Boyd believes in the exceptional needs community and stands with you.

Margo Marie McManus is an intern and editorial assistant for Exceptional Needs Today. She is also a student and Writing Fellow at Clemson University, where she studies graphic communications and creative writing. Her interest in the exceptional needs community and autism awareness was first peaked when assisting students in the Writing Center. She furthered her interest by interning and writing articles for Autism Parenting Magazine. She enjoys reading and writing poetry and has over 15 poems published in various magazines and anthologies, including Teenage Wasteland Review and The Chronicle.