OMAR GOODING

“ I KEEP

REIVENTING MYSELF “

OMAR GOODING

1.Who is your inspiration? God. My Father. My kids. In that order.

2.What attracted you to begin a career as an actor? My bloodline. And early success.

3. Who are your biggest influences? Refer to answer from first question.

4. Which role that you have played you like the most? 3 way tie- Smart Guy/ Baby Boy / Playmakers.

5. What message would you want to give to your fans? THANK YOU

6. Tell us about the toughest part of your work? And why do you think it is tough for you? Traveling and being away from my family. Because my kids are young.

7. Every industry, including the entertainment industry, is full of competition; what do you do to stand out amidst competition? Keep reinventing myself. Start with my appearance and then challenge myself , in between gigs , to stay busy trying to make my mark. Be it as an actor, a writer, a lyricst , a performer or producer.

8. The entertainment industry is said to be full of stress and pressure; what do you do to tackle the pressure that comes with your work? Sm—- nah… I continue to find JOY in what I do. I accept roles that I ENJOY. And writing. I often VENT through the material I write.

9. What is the first thing you do to research and approach a role? It starts with the role itself. I make sure that it is something that I can relate to on some level. Then I don’t act .. I just … do.

10. What advice do you have for young people who are just starting their careers? To never settle . Try not to compromise your beliefs and yourself as a whole. The right role will come, if it’s meant to be. 13. Who inspired you to make music? My Father and Mother . They were both recording artists. My Father had more success at it , but my Mother sang to us and with us literally every day growing up.

14. How would you describe the music that you typically create? Hip hop at it’s purest form. Creative, inspiring and heartfelt.

15. What is your creative process like? It comes to me throughout the day. Then I make a voice memo or jot notes to trigger my memory when I have the time to sit down and create. Solitude helps and is typically how I work . I have no problem creating with others but I find it works best for me when I am alone with my thoughts.

16. Did you have a particular artist that inspired you to take the path of a music career? My early stages of hip hop were .. The Show ( Dougie Fresh / Slick Rick) then The Pharcyde and The Hyrogliphics. But by the end of the 2Pac/ Biggie era… my style was completed . Creative aggression.

17. What’s your process for dealing with performance anxiety? Preparation. The more prepared the less anxious I am.

18. What was the role of music in the early years of your life? It was thru music that I learned to cope with the stresses of poverty, homelessness and missing my Father as a child. I watched my Mother pray miracles into existence thru song as well as traditional prayer.

19. How would you describe your typical fan? Loyal. Outspoken. Not shy at all .

20. Do you create for yourself or for your fans? Both. I am a fan of my art . So if I don’t like it .. why would they?

21. What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years? Increasing my fan base 10 fold and all that comes along with that.

23. Who would you most like to collaborate with? Musically? Thats a pretty long list. As long as they are tru fans of the art.. I’m down.