We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eddie Jemison a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Eddie , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

The first dollar I earned was from the 2016 Warner Bros. Feature Film – Batman VS Superman starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill! I was 29 years young at the time and one of my Agencies, Real Style Talent was responsible for securing my very first paid booking, with many more to follow suit in the near future.
Being a Michigander during this specific era of time was every craeative’ dream come true. With the filming incentives at the time, Warner Brothers Studios built their very Film Production Studio, smack-dab in the Metro-Detroit Area.
What a spectacle to behold, from Green-Screens to the Catering area to the sets that would later be digitally added into the film to create that good old fashioned realism we see in those Big-Budget Film Productions.
I was brought in as an extra, an injured police officer was my role and along with many others, we adorned the set that had been decked out to resemble an explosion of some sort from one of the film’s villains.
I spent approximately 2-3 days on set and had one of the best experiences of my creative journey.
Might I add, thee HENRY CAVILL walked right by ME several times over but due to the strict guidelines in place, “can’t mingle with main cast” which is completely professional so I took it very seriously.
Zack Snyder, a HUGE HOLLYWOOD Director was also in my vicinity, and what a nice guy he is. Totally not what I was expecting as he was donning comfy sweats and a t-shirt.
Amy Adams was also filming this day and she as well walked right by me.
That experience was as equally as phenomenal as the unpaid extra role I did for the George Clooney Directed “The Ides of March” where Evan-Rachel Wood and I smiled at one another as we made eye-contact on my way out for a bathroom break. She held the door open for “lil’ ol’ ME”!
I have to give proper thanks to Real Style Talent, if not for them, I’d never be able to say I was blessed the Most HIGH to be apart of such a Life-Altering endeavor!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hey Voyage Readers! #iamedwardblack is back to do a quick recap of all of my creative endeavors and who I Am as a creative individual. Born as an Aries, Eddie Jemison “my government name” and my stage name: Edward Black was created after developing a healthy obsession with the then “Twilight” Book and film series.
My stage name is derived from the characters’ from the Stephanie Meyer Vampire series. Edward Cullen and Jacob Black. A combination of the two because I saw myself in the Both of them.
This way of thinking is a way of life for me as it paints a clear picture of the open-minded individual I have come to be.

I am an entity of both dark and light. Female energy as well as Male energy. Gentle as well as strong. Embracing all sides of my existence, Edward Black was born.

I began singing and dancing before I could even walk. Surrounded by music since birth, Anita Baker became one of my inspirations.
She was a prominent listening fixture in the home I grew up in.

My mother, Angie, a musician of her own right. My mother performed along her 3 younger sisters in a band of youths known as : The Mahogany Stars; a a sing and dance quartet that performed in as many venues as they could be booked and soulful. The late 70’s and 80’s allowed them to live out their dreams as a powerful singing girl group that gained local notoriety and esteem with features in their hometown’s press and newspaper services.

Being surrounded by such immensely talented women only helped me develop my very identity and vocals as child that would later benefit me as a performer in my adulthood.
Getting my first acting role at the young age of 7 years old. I was cast as the title character: Tiny Tim, in “Tiny Tim’s Christmas” for my elementary School production curated to complement the holiday festivities.

The Port Huron Times Herald, The local newspaper would be there to not only interview but document what they didn’t know at the time was my “unofficial” acting debut. They followed the young cast as we were fitted for wardrobe and interviewed all of us about our thoughts and feelings regarding our upcoming production.
A young Edward Black was photographed in his costume with a smile that beemes a genuine happiness, even at such a tender age.

My drive intensified and I joined the drama club at the highschool I attended, Port Huron High School to be exact. During my senior I was in several drama-club productions, one of my favorites was “The Wizard of Oz” where I was multiple small but memorable roles: crow, winky and ensemble.

Being crowned Homecoming King and doing our highschool morning announcements was definitely a highlight of my highschool career. I also studied Television Production. I along with several other classmates were taught how to create, film, edit and distribute many various and fun film projects.
We were even tasked with lending a helping hand behind the camera for many of our local sports productions and other broadcasts for our local news channel 6. I earned my diploma and ended my highschool career on what I prefer to think was a successful high-note.

I starred in several community college productions. One of the most awesome roles I earned was that of Jack from Jack in The Beanstalk. I studied theater, acting, art and creative design where I would later go on to earn an Associates degree in Applied Art, Science and Communications.

It was in community college that I met former highschool classmate, Mike Milli whom I began creating my very own music with. We would later craft an album’s worth of material in the comforts of his very own personalized home studio he created out of his passion and love for the arts. It was he that helped me develop and curate my musical persona. We spent many weekends, over a period of two years crafting what would become: Phvck Up The Bass B*tch, both original and “Chopped and Screwed” versions, which are available to stream on all major streaming platforms.

During this time, I began entering karaoke and singing contests in my local and Metro-Detroit areas. I would win a Dream come true prize after performing an impromptu rendition of Pharrell Robin Thicke, and T.I. Musical Chart-topping hit: Blurred Lines. The Grand-prize… A FREE 2 day and 3 night trip to Saint Louis Missouri, auditioning for THE VOICE, a $200 cash prize, Plane and Luxurious hotel stay at the HYATT hotel, right next to the famous St. Louis Arch monument.

My second Dream come true was in 2021 as Shoddy Lynn of Dolls Kill apparel personally handpicked me to be one of the faces for Darker Wavs, an all new club and fashion aesthetic catered to the club-kid in all of us. Flown from Detroit Michigan, all the way to San Francisco California to Model beautiful and Luxurious garments for a multi-million dollar company. Flown out for another all expense paid dream come true!

My most recent modeling endeavor is with make-up and beauty brand Saint Beauty, created by blood sister’s the late co-founder, Beauty Ovbije-Onomake, also known as “SaintBeauty”, her daughters Orhe and Abril Onomake respectively.

“SaintBeauty is a cosmetics brand inspired by the late co-founder, Beauty Ovbije-Onomake, also known as “SaintBeauty”. The brand was founded on the principles of self-love, self-expression, and personal triumph. SaintBeauty encourages people to embrace their individuality and use makeup as a tool to express themselves.” – (https://www.saintbeauty.com/about)

We are currently in talks to collaborate once more to continue and nurture our energetically , genuine and creative bond. I am beyond excited to get together and spread more love, more positivity and more LIGHT!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is being able to transmute any negative thought, emotional experience or feeling into something beautiful and long lasting through the means of creation. Some of my and if not my best work has come to fruition from taking whatever obstacle in my way at the time that I may be enduring and instead of letting it get me angry, down or bored; exerting all of that energy into the art I’m creating. I’m Creative of many avenues, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, graphic designing, writing, modeling, filming…all gifted to me by The Creator of ALL, so grateful and gratuitously appreciatively thankful for; I must reiterate.
The outcome always surprises me and I’m left dumbfounded. Listening to your soul and the Lord have led to me heights I had not ever dreamed possible.
Nothing more rewarding than this.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I do indeed have a particular goal and mission that has been driving and guilding me on my creative journey. The only way I have been able to achieve, thrive and survive such wins and losses is through that of God, The Creator, The Lord…many names but only one true love.
The Most HIGH has ALWAYS been with me, aiding me in my pursuits of happiness while giving FULL AND ALL CREDIT to the Only ONE who has loved me unconditionally, even when I did not love myself.
If not for my faith, love, hope and belief through all times, good-bad or happy and sad; God has saved me, let me know that ALL is POSSIBLE and to which I profess of the existence of such a LOVE unseen but felt the most, a love untouched but yet I am hugged with an embrace unlike no other.
The best things in life are those can be felt, experienced and so mind-blowing that you have no CHOICE but to BELIEVE.
I am just a human boy, flesh and bone like the rest so how do you explain the heights to which I gave ASCENDED…GOD did it.
I gave you PROOF, NOW do you BELIEVE?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://iamedwardblack.hearnow.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamedwardblack/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edward.black.104203?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/edwardblack05
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@iamedwardblack
• Other: https://m.soundcloud.com/iedwardblack https://open.spotify.com/artist/3jLrVAWcGZjDXAPY8pS3Qc https://music.apple.com/es/artist/edward-black/1427071956?l=en

Image Credits
@darkerwavs / @dollskill @saintbeauty https://www.thetimesherald.com/