male announcer: "Theatre Corner" is brought to you by Amazing Grace Conservatory.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ announcer: And by Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce, The Mental Bar, Jones, Del Cerro Tax, The Westgate Hotel, La Jolla Playhouse, and viewers like you.

Thank you.

Michael Taylor: Hi, welcome to "Theatre Corner."

I'm your host, Michael Taylor.

As a lifelong theater enthusiast and a board member for one of the top theaters in the country, I've seen firsthand the positive effects that diversity and inclusion can have on the stage and the theater seats.

This interview series was created to share my passion for theater and promote diverse voices throughout the national theater scene.

We sit down with some of the top professionals in the entertainment industry to discuss training, careers, advice for young actors, and how to make theater matter to more people.

♪♪♪ Michael: Today I had the opportunity to talk hip-hop and its storytelling value with a very talented artist, Kia Leiani.

She tells us how she crafts her flows, what inspires her lyrics, and why it's good to have haters.

So silence your cell phones, folks.

You're entering "Theatre Corner."

♪ Like a balloon, take me high, high up, high, ♪ ♪ high up, high up, high, high up.

♪ ♪ I need a sky view with no limitations.

♪ ♪ Don't play with my energy.

That's my declaration.

♪ ♪ I'm out here chasin' these M's instead of reparation.

♪ ♪ Became a mother of two.

Ain't had no preparation.

♪♪ Michael: Welcome to "Theatre Corner," sister.

Kia Leiani: Thank you.

Thank you for having me.

Michael: It is so fantastic to have you here, and you are the very first hip-hop artist to be here in our seats, so this is very exciting.

This is a kind of interview I've been really looking forward to, to sort of--we're gonna get a chance to dive into hip-hop and, kind of, the technical aspects of it and how it relates to theater.

Kia: For sure, mm-hmm.

Michael: First, I wanna congratulate you on your new release, the new single called "Balloons."

Tell me about that.

Kia: Yes, it's my life experiences all in a nutshell.

You know what I mean?

It's not everything that has happened in my life, but I kind of tried to summarize it down into, you know, a memoir of what people can listen and kind of get to know me by, you know?

Michael: I thought it was rather touching though, you know?

You know, especially, you know, bein' a single parent, you know, just really introducing yourself to your listeners.

Where did the idea when you even come up with that particular song?

Kia: I do everything.

I can do any genre, any type of music, whatever, but with that, I really feel more close to, and I like doing because I'm giving you me, you know what I mean?

A lot of artists don't do that.

They just wanna give you poppy hits or whatever, but, with me, those are my favorite type of songs because it's showing you who I really am or giving you an idea of who I really am and getting to know me through the music.

Instead of me sittin' and, you know, talkin' to you, you can actually hear it through the music, and I'm giving you my life experiences, and I'm giving you who I am.

Michael: And the music video itself, where was that shot?

Kia: I shot that in Detroit, Michigan.

Michael: What was behind the decision in that location or-- Kia: I shot it in front of Motown as well, and it was just--you know, Motown, when you get there, of course, you know, when we're talkin' about Motown, you know, we know who's come out of that camp with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, and the list goes on but--and, you know, that gives you inspiration already, but when you're standing in front of it, it's like the energy that you get just standin' in front of that place is amazing, you know?

So I kind of wanted to bring that into it being the type of song that it was and the feeling that I had when I was recording it, when I wrote it and, you know, shooting the video and kind of giving you that inspiration that I got when I was writin' it.

Michael: That's really cool part of your music video is that there's a lot of extra thought to it.

There's substance to these-- your approach to music videos.

You have another music video where you kind of--there's--it's in front of a historic structure, and there's kind of a slave theme.

Tell me about that song and that video.

Kia: With that one, when you hear the lyrics to the song, you wouldn't think that the video would be what it is, and that's what I try to do.

I don't wanna be the typical young hip-hop artist.

You know what I mean?

I kind of wanna step out the box.

I've always been a elephant in a room, you know?

So I always want to give you more.

I want your mind to know, when you hear, "Kia Leiani dropped a video," it's like, "Let me go look," kind of like Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes, you know what I mean?

When you hear that, it's kind of like you know you're about to see a movie, or it's gonna be something different.

It's not gonna be the usual, and that's what I kind of try to bring to my visuals.

Michael: It also leads me to think about--I mean, you know, I'm not a real rapper.

Maybe I'm an aspiring hip-hop artist, but that's as far as it go, but I always--I was always curious of what comes first, like, the lyrics come first?

Or do you have the beat, and you make the lyrics on the beat?

I don't know.

Kia: Oh, with me, I kind of worked both ways.

So if I hear a beat that speaks to me, because I make music off feeling, so if I hear a beat, and it's, like, givin' me the inspiration that I need, and it's makin' me, you know, think and come up with some amazing, you know, lyrics, perfect.

Now, sometimes I might just be literally sitting in the car, walkin' down the street, in the store, and a line'll just come in my head, and I'm like, "Whoa," you know, and I can keep goin' in my head, walkin' or whatever I was doin' or put it in my notes and go from there, and I can make a whole hook, you know what I mean, off of that and then find a beat.

So I kind of do it both ways.

Michael: Wow, all right, there's a little insight.

Kia: Yeah.

Michael: And so how does hip-hop artists like yourself, you know, you had two beautiful kids You know, that's a lot to balance, you know?

So what's your approach besides the organic grind that you, just, you possess?

You know, what's the approach?

You got real life goin' on, and you're goin' after, you know, a career like this.

Kia: Mm-hmm, I've been doin' this for a long time since I was eight, you know?

So I was doin' music before I had kids, so, with me, it's just the fact of now I'm doin' it for them as well as they get excited when they see me doin' this, so it just makes it even more fun, you know?

Michael: Well, I think I heard--was it Damon Dash talks about he doesn't hustle for his first name?

both: He hustles for his last name.

Michael: Yeah, yeah, that's pretty--yeah, that's, kind of, you know, inspirational, kind of interesting.

So the other reason I'm really excited to have you here is to kind of--let's explore the theatrical aspects of hip-hop performance.

You know, we see music videos, you know, a lot of gesturing, different attitudes being displayed and wealth being displayed.

How much of that is real?

How much is it not real?

But can you talk about the theatrics of rap performance?

Kia: I think it's all combined into one.

When it comes to like we were just talkin' about with the visuals and how we're kind of bringin' life to what we're saying, and when I think about when you asked me that Slick Rick's-- Michael: Oh, yeah.

Kia: You know what I mean?

That video really answers that question for you.

Everything he said, he brought to life in that video from line to line to line to line to line.

It was like he was acting out everything.

So I feel like, in a way, that is the, you know, combination of comin' together with theater and hip-hop as well as even when you're performing on stage, you're bringin' on stage, you're bringin' the stage performance.

You have the displays, you have--you know, it's just really makin' a visual, makin' people see your art, and it's the same thing.

Michael: And even bein' able to see it just with the lyrics alone.

I mean, how much of the storytelling goes into some of this work?

Kia: I think that's huge, and people that actually take that and put it into their craft, I feel like they have longevity in the industry because of their ability to do that.

You feel what I'm sayin'?

It's just, kind of, storytellin' is, as well as makin' people bring their own life experiences into music, instead of just makin' this, you know, bop music that you can bob your head to, and it has no meaning.

It has no substance.

I feel like that storytellin' really takes you to the next level if you can do that.

Michael: I also understand you do a little ghostwriting-- Kia: I do.

Michael: --as well to help some people out.

Michael: You know, and so what's your approach to the ghostwriting?

'Cause I'm imagining just like when you're a featured artist on other song, the beat is already there, there's already an existing song, and you're just kind of putting yourself into an already existing piece of work.

So then maybe your approach is a bit different, or is that still the same?

Kia: Well, it's still giving you me.

You still wanna give yourself even on a feature, if it's ghostwriting, whatever, it's still coming from you.

So I feel like, when I'm doing features, if you're asking me for a feature, you like what I do, you like my sound, you like something about what I do, so I kind of make it to where I'm still giving you a little piece of my sauce on whatever you asked me to do.

You know what I mean?

Michael: Right, I'm a regular follower of yours, particularly on Instagram.

And anybody else out there that follows you on Instagram knows you.

You come up with these skits that are--I don't know where these things come from but just, just hilarious.

I mean, you know, sometimes we're havin' a bad day, and here come pops up one of your skits, and, you know, and it just kind of picks me up.

Where does all this start at?

Where does that come from?

Kia: I mean, I'm a goofball.

I'm quiet, I'm chilled, but when that time comes, I can be a character, you know?

So the jokes are there.

It's not a character.

It's not a gimmick.

This is me.

So I could be sitting there and, like, "Hey, get the camera" and just start going, you know?

It's not scripted.

It's not anything.

So it's, just, it's a part of me, it's another side of me.

Yes, the music has always been, you know, what I've been doin' since I was eight, but we're acting and movin' in that lane.

I have some opportunities comin' up in the acting, and I just feel like, with that, it's a natural transition because I've--I mean, I've been actin' a fool all my life.

Michael: And this reminds me--I mean, we kind of had a similar conversation yesterday about this, but why do you think, you know, hip-hop artists, it seems like such a easy transition from doin' the music into, like, an acting career, why do you think that is?

Kia: I think the transition is easy because with--like I was saying earlier, with the visuals and the stage displays and the shows, it's like you're performing.

You're performin' all across the board.

You're performing when you're acting.

You're performing when you're on stage.

Even when you're in the studio and you're putting whatever on wax, you're puttin' it together, you're performing as well, so I feel like it's the same all the way across the board, but it's easier to transition if you really just have to take the craft serious.

You know what I mean?

When you're doin' music, you've studied, you've mastered that writing, the recording process, the visual process, the whatever comes with that part.

Now, when you do acting, if you've never done it before, you have to master that too.

It's just about mastering your craft.

Michael: Let's say, you're sitting in front of a young, aspiring hip-hop artist, you know, just wantin' to get started or tryin' to get their things together.

What pieces of advice would you give those artists?

Kia: I would tell them to never give up, believe in whatever they believe in.

Don't let anybody change your mind about what you believe in, and just continue to go hard and believe in yourself.

That's the most important thing.

It doesn't--you're gonna have so many naysayers, and people say that you can't do it, or "That goal is too far-fetched," or whatever the case is, believe in yourself, and you can do whatever you put your mind to.

Michael: It seems like it's more encouraging if you do have haters.

Kia: Oh, of course.

Michael: 'Cause then, if you don't have haters, there's no one talking.

Kia: What're you doin' it for?

Michael: Or you're not even on the horizon.

You're not even seen if you don't have those kind of-- Kia: Of course, I mean, of course, you want them, but you want people to love you too.

But those haters are gonna encourage you anyways.

You know what I mean?

But you have to have tough skin in this industry.

You cannot come in here and everything can't hurt your feelings, you know what I mean?

You really have to come in here and know who you are.

You have to know exactly who you are.

♪♪♪ Michael: This young man comes from a family of actors who gathered around the television set to watch his aunt play Regina on "The Steve Harvey Show."

Matthew Elam shares with us details of his role as a not-so-bad guy and how he uses acting as a tool to be more vulnerable.

Here's NAACP nominee Matthew Elam.

Michael: Welcome to "Theatre Corner," brother.

Matthew Elam: Thank you for havin' me.

I'm glad to be here, man.

Michael: Having done stage, which I'm assuming that's-- well, that's obviously your foundation.

Matthew: Mm-hmm.

Michael: What's the difference?

What do you feel the biggest difference doing stage and then doing television, just, you know, being in front of the camera?

Matthew: The difference is the audience may be ten feet away from me.

That's probably the closest they'll be in stage.

And camera, if the camera was a person, I'd be able to smell their breath.

Michael: Oh, okay.

Matthew: Like, the camera is in your face.

Like, the camera can be--not every shot, but the camera is in your face, so it's like, me bein' on camera, I'm havin' to micromanage, in a sense because, you know, your big expressive moments might be overdone.

Michael: Oh, yeah, I get you.

Matthew: Lookin' back on camera, yeah, so I think it's a lot more precise, a lot more specific and, oftentimes, smaller 'cause you're not having to make your energy travel.

You're not having to communicate to the person in the back row like they're right there.

So, yeah, it's very, more--feels a lot more like a technical medium in that way for a person like me.

Michael: How is the theater informed what you do in front of the camera, or has it, or it hasn't?

Matthew: Oh, 100, it definitely informs.

There are things you can get away with on a stage that you cannot get away with on camera.

Michael: It seems like someone who's not an actor, like myself, seems like it would be the other way around.

Matthew: Like, for the stage, right, the person in the back row might now be able to see you, like, if I'm lookin' at you, might not be able to see your attention go here and then come back, but if a camera is, like, lookin' at you, the smallest moments, like, if you lose concentration for a split second, that means something now and not sayin' it doesn't mean anything on stage, but it's--you have to be so much more precise, so that camera becomes a stage in itself.

Michael: There's this one particular character you played, Lemuel, is that how to pronounce it?

Matthew: Close, yeah, Lemuel.

Michael: Yeah, yeah, in "Fargo," this series "Fargo," where you played--Chris Rock, the character Chris Rock played, you played his son.

Matthew: Really crazy blessin'.

Michael: My goodness, but that was some powerful stuff.

What was that experience like?

'Cause, I mean, Chris Rock is Chris Rock, and he's doin' something somewhat different than what he typically does.

What was that experience like?

Matthew: It was a huge endeavor for me, not even the project in total 'cause, of course, that, it was such a large world.

That experience for me being able to look at someone like Chris Rock and be like, "Wow," first off, just realizin' I'm in the same room.

Workin' on the same project, you know, is an important thing too, but bein' able to see how he works, bein' able to see people like Glynn Turman, you know, Ben Whishaw, Jason Schwartzman, Jessie Buckley, like, all these really great artists that are great in their craft, and me being fans of these people outside of what we do and talking to them and bein' like, just pickin' their brains about stuff and them saying, "Yeah, you know, I'm here, and I, just, I show up, we do the work.

I show up, and I don't necessarily feel 100% confident with every choice that I make on set.

You know, I have things that I'm uncomfortable with that I don't really understand," and so it was a really humanizing thing for me to be able to kind of take--not sayin' I put them on a pedestal 'cause I think we're all equal, but I appreciate their talent and craft, what they bring to the craft and being able to hold that thing in my hands and look at it a little closer and be like, "Aah, okay."

I think that was like a huge--of course, workin' on a project, great, crazy blessing, but just bein' able to work with those type of talents.

Michael: Did they actually shoot that in Missouri?

Matthew: No, they shot it in Chicago.

Michael: In Chicago.

Matthew: Yeah.

Michael: You spent a lot of time in Chicago.

You doin' project after project.

Then what is--how does that come about?

Matthew: Yeah, dude, I mean, 'cause I've been out there for, like, seven years now.

Seven years 'cause I went to school at DePaul, the theater school, and that was the start of my Chicago career as it is, but, yeah, man, Chicago, one thing that's great about Chicago is you tend to see the same artists around.

You know, we're very a tight-knit theater, TV, and film community, and I've auditioned multiple, multiple, multiple times for that casting agency, and they've seen me do work in plays, so they know me not just when I come in, but they also see me in my stage element.

Michael: Nice.

Matthew: Which is a huge, huge advantage, you know what I mean?

'Cause I'm not sayin' it doesn't happen in L.A., but L.A., you know, bein' more TV and film, you don't often get to see, you know, like, your castin' people come out and see you do a play.

Matthew: You know what I mean?

Michael: Right, right.

Matthew: So that definitely helped me, definitely helped.

Michael: When did you get bitten by this acting bug, I guess we can describe it as?

Matthew: Ooh, I cannot stress this enough.

It's still one of my favorite TV shows, "The Steve Harvey Show," right?

My aunt, on there, played Regina Grier, and every night that she was on the show, we would watch it as a family, and I would watch her, and it just, like, I just caught--it just looked so fun, and I think, at that time, it was less about the acting.

It was more about, like, what I was experiencing was bringing me joy.

Michael: I see, I see.

Matthew: I remember there was this time where there's this--it's a--every episode was so funny, but this particular episode was my aunt is runnin' in slow motion, tryin' to stop--I can't--someone from getting pied in the face.

It was like a cream pie.

Michael: I think I remember that one.

Matthew: Yeah, you remember it?

And it hits her face, and I was a child.

I thought that actually happened to her, so I remember, just, like, crying.

Like, I was, like, bawling, and they had to tell me, "No, it's not real, Matthew."

But it was just like the feelin' of, you know, like, that joyous feelin', and then later--'cause even now, I'm not an introvert person, but I can be a very, I guess, a very private person in certain events, and acting, especially when I was younger, being, like, more introverted, it really brought me out of my shell, and my aunt also had the performing arts conservatory.

Michael: Amazing Grace Conservatory."

Matthew: Yeah, yeah, and that is what it is.

It was an amazing grace to thousands and thousands of kids 'cause it was really a program--it was a little nontraditional because it took, you know, kids from the city and taught them about the arts--singing, acting, and dancing, and that was where I first got my true appreciation for the craft as it relates to community as opposed to "I wanna be in the shinin' lights, and I want the 'this, that,'" it was bein' able to take, like, a kid like me, who's kind of introverted, and through the arts, open me up, get me out of my shell, introduce me to a community that loved the same thing I love, and, you know, the reason why I love it.

Michael: Even if one is shy, you're wearing the skin of your character, you know, so you're not really being yourself.

Do you feel that that's kind of an outlet of some sort?

Matthew: Absolutely, absolutely.

Michael: Maybe even therapeutic in some ways?

Matthew: Definitely therapeutic.

It's always funny talkin' about, like, stuff that's, like, really close to me because a lot of that energy, like, the me being nervous is not me bein', like, "closed in," but there's this energy that's, like, really big, and I have trouble sometimes dealing with that in public.

So it's easier for me to, [exhales], settle into it, but wearing characters, I can take that energy and transfer it in a way that is--I'm in service to something, you know?

And hopefully, even outside of just the whole acting aspect is being able to cultivate sympathy for a life experience because of one thing I do enjoy about acting and really asking those questions like "What makes somebody tick?"

or "How do I act when I'm in a room with this person?"

What our dynamic is, is because the more work I do, the more I'm able to realize that we have so much more in common than we do differences, you know, and-- Michael: Human situations are human situations.

Matthew: Yeah, yeah, like, and it's tragic sometimes because I'm like, if you sat down with the person that you despise and if you just had a real honest conversation about the things they fear, things that make 'em uncomfortable, the things they love, you know, trivial things, their favorite dessert, you're like, "Dang, it's really hard to hate a person that you know," you know?

It's really hard to hate a person 'cause fear thrives off of ignorance.

It thrives off of not makin' those connections, but when you do, it's like, "Dang, you're more like me than not."

And that's what I love about acting.

It's like I can--you know, you could play somebody who's committed a heinous crime, like a murderer, and recognize that it's a circumstance, it's somethin' that happened.

He's no more capable of doing that than I am, you know, and that sympathy is a really important thing for me.

Michael: So today you witnessed "Theatre Corner's" first interview with a hip-hop artist and was able to hear how art can be a family affair.

Community is what we need to thrive, and with creative minds in unity, it's always achieved.

Thank you for watching "Theatre Corner," and we'll see you next time.

CC by Aberdeen Captioning 1-800-688-6621 aberdeen.io female announcer: Support for this program comes from the KPBS Explore Local Content Fund, supporting new ideas and programs for San Diego.

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