We recently connected with Derek Brown and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Derek thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
I definitely wish I would have started my creative career sooner. I didn’t officially begin my pursuit of being a full-time entertainer until I was in my 40s. Since I was a young father, I put all of my dreams on the back burner and became a union electrician in order to provide for my child. However, while I was in my 20s, I did things like stand up comedy and perform spoken word to help quiet the creative voices screaming to get out. I think if I would have started out sooner, I would have placed myself in a circle of like minded people and that would have helped me grow as an artist. The challenge of trying to build a creative career now that I am in my 50s is the people that I know and am the closest to work regular jobs and have no real interest in switching paths. They are supportive, but most have no idea why I’m pursuing this path now and can offer no guidance as to how to grow as an artist.
Derek , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I was born Derek Andre Brown in St. Louis, MO. to Henry Davis and Beverly Brown. I attended private school through the 8th grade and when I asked my mother if I could attend my favorite private high school, she replied with “i am not paying for anymore Fs”. This began my journey of attending 4 different high schools in 2 different states in 4 years. This was also the beginning of me using humor to break the ice when meeting fresh faces. Since I was always the new kid at school, I had to find a way to fit in and since I was funny, making people laugh was my method. This has been my go to technique ever since.
My sense of humor (along with my dashing good looks) has allowed me to make friends and keep people laughing wherever I go. It has opened doors for me as a spoken word artist, morning radio show co-host, afternoon show co-host, evening show host, MC, podcaster, voice actor, and more!
The thing that sets me apart from others is my genuine love for seeing people happy. I love making people laugh whether there is a paycheck attached to it or not. This is my calling! It makes me feel great to know that people will call me to make their day better or to have someone say that my words made them feel better or to hear the phrase “man I really needed that laugh”. That feeling is impossible to substitute and I pray that I can continue to use this gift until I take my last breath.
The thing I am most proud of is my YouTube channel. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to make people laugh in large numbers through various forms. My channel does just that! It allows me to free my mind creatively and produce all sorts of original, hilarious content for my 20k subscribers. It is my “In Living Color”, “SNL”, “Chappelle Show”, and “Madd TV”. It’s my “Sanford and Son”, “My Wife and Kids”, The Jefferson’s”, and “The Cosby Show”. It’s my outlet, my safe space. It’s like having my very own television network and I love it! My ultimate goal is to get enough subscribers to allow me the opportunity to work on and create content for my channel full-time. I have hundreds of ideas just waiting to be produced and once you see them, you will be yearning for more Who Is Derek Andre TV!
The one thing I want people to know about me, my brand, and my work is that it is all sincere. Everything I create, I do it from my heart. All of my jokes are to make you laugh and never to hurt any individual or group. I truly love people and I believe my brand and all of my work reflects that. I believe that laughter makes the world a better place and each day when my eyes open, I find some way to do my part. I also believe that laughter can make some hard truths more palpable.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Art and nature are the only two things that exist in this world. If God (the original artist) didn’t create it, man did. So to say that an artistic career is a waste of time is a fallacy. If the naysayers in society just took a moment to look around, they would easily see the work of artists. Everything from their iPhone, to the nails holding their home together, to the car they drive is art. Those items were thought of and designed by an artist, then built using machines designed by artists. It pains me to hear people tell creatives of any genre that they should get a “real” job. Yet those same discouraging people have a favorite musical “artists”, artwork of some sort hanging on their walls, a favorite actor, and so on.
Here is the unfortunate truth, because we use some form of art in every aspect of our daily lives, society takes it for granted. They have forgotten just how valuable and necessary having artists in our world can be. But this is what happens when a country places more emphasis consuming than it does on the act of creating. Not to mention the fact that it’s easier to control a population of programmed minds than it is free thinking, creative ones (that’s a conversation for another time…ha).
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding part of being an artist/creative is getting the opportunity to be who I was put on this earth to be. Every single day thousands of people die who never saw their dreams to fruition. I don’t want that to be my story.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lifelongproductions.wixsite.com/whoisderekandre
- Instagram: @iamderekandre
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whoisderekandre/
- Twitter: @derekandre1024
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DerekBrownTV/featured