THE CHI’S MICHAEL EPPS
By Marcus G Blassingame
Television actor Michael Epps who is predominantly recognized for his performance as Jake Taylor on the drama series The Chi, (No relationship to Comedian/Actor Mike Epps) delivers an epic performance amassing millions of fans and more than 190,000 followers on his verified Instagram account. In a chat with IN BLVCK, he revealed how his personal style is influenced and how it inspires the style of his character.
IB In school, we all had the one kid who always had a good eye for and wore the latest “drip” in fashion, did your school have that person and how did they influence your style?
M.E. I was probably that individual. I influenced a lot of people, I had fiends who didn’t know how two match things together or they were too matched. I inspired them to use accessories like hats where the colors within could compliment the colors in the clothes and shoes. I was that friend who at times gave out fashion advice, some even called me while shopping for help with selecting looks or even take inspiration from looks they have seen me wear.
IB Being raised in Chicago, how has the culture there come across in your style?
M.E. My culture is 100% Chicago influenced, from the way I speak, how I walk, dress, my pronunciation of words and my mannerisms. While taping the show, I at times may correct the script in terms of their depiction of our dialect, speech patterns, terminologies and meanings. That includes certain things that we just would not do, say or wear as a Chicago youth today.
IB Do you partake in how your character Jake is dressed or is it totally up to the wardrobe department?
M.E. At times I do make suggestions to the wardrobe dept. There are some things that are important for the role, however I may style it according to my personal comfort.
IB Do you have a personal shopper or stylist?
M.E. I haven’t decided on any particular personal shoppers as yet, but I recently did a photo shoot in LA where I created a reference board that included some artists that I shared a similar style with. I have worked with one stylist that I like.
IB Most celebrities want to keep their stylist a secret and all to themselves. M.E. I used to like the exclusivity of my barber and team but now I want to give them exposure and help them build their name. Her name is Mary.
IB Who is your favorite designer? Amiri
IB Name your favorite top 5 Air Jordans, or if not J’s favorite sneakers. 1. Jordan 1 2. Retro 4 3. Retro 12 4. Low top dunks 5. Balenciaga
IB Are you into gaming?
M.E. YES!! I’m building my Twitch account.
IB Which is you favorite? Which Consol?
M.E. XBox IB Which Game? M.E. Call Of Duty, Y2k — IB I just styled the Xbox X Sprayground Call Of Duty campaign. I must say the gaming chair design was excellent.
M.E. I need one for me.
IB If you were to play your favorite person in the world in a film, who would that be and why?
M.E. “This is a great question”. I would say the character who survived in “The Purge-The Island”. I admired his confidence and bravery.
IB How often are you in acting classes?
M.E. I don’t take acting classes unless the production assigns a coach during filming. I would love to train more, especially challenging roles like the sad scenes.
IB How has your mom (Keisha Johnson) inspired your growth in your career?
M.E. My mom plays an important role and is a huge inspiration in my career, as she’s not only supportive of my acting but also encourages me to be open to other career choices. She is everything, my mentor, role model, mother and mom-ager.
IB What advice do you have for aspiring young actors?
M.E. I’d like to tell young actors to be patient, persistent and have perseverance. Every role may be for that person. There may be a lot of no’s but be consistent with a great work ethics.
IB What’s is next on the horizon for you?
M.E. Im looking branch out on my Twitch community (king_mike54), develop a clothing line and many more acting roles.
