Sh’Kia is focused on creating and producing!

Jackson: How was it growing up in a household with an African American mom and a Jamaican dad?

Sh’Kia: It was really interesting because my parents split when I was very young. I would visit my dad on the weekends and over the summer. When I think back on it as an adult, it was really kind of frustrating as a kid. I really wanted my family to be together in one place, especially for holidays such as Christmas. But because of them, I have a diverse upbringing that’s been the backdrop for a lot of the stories I want to tell. I also feel like it taught me a lot about being independent which is something that you really need as an artist. This independence was further developed because I had to learn how to interact with my parents separately. I can say it honestly helped me with developing greater communication and people skills. Those skills help me in life and just in general.

Jackson:Your role as Kold in WE tv & Allblk’s Kold x Windy! First and foremost Kold is a cold name. Especially for a female. What are the similarities between you and Kold? And what are you learning about that character?

Sh’Kia: Someone once told me that you tend to book roles that are similar to you in essence. It’s the natural energy you have that matches that of who the character is or what they are going through. Kold has very cold tendencies but is super ambitious at the same time. She is loving, passionate, talented, musically inclined and those are all qualities that I can relate to.

Sh’Kia (continued): She’s a drill rapper who raps about the violence she sees happening. But because she has a son, Kold is working to clean up her image a bit and become more of a commercial rapper than a street rapper. You fall more in love with Kold because throughout her story you see her trying to make sacrifices to change her life. You get to see how difficult it can be to make those changes when you are from the hood. 

Jackson: Drill music is pretty popular right now or at least it was. What’s your understanding of drill music? Is it for the female rappers or just the male rappers?

Sh’Kia: I didn’t know much about it until I started the show and I’m still learning. What I can say is drill music was originally created by men and tends to focus on men. It’s a more violent and gritty type of rap. It’s similar to trap music in a way but has a heavy focus on gun violence lyrically and is most times self implicating. It’s truly an interesting genre of music.  

Jackson: Let’s talk about the show Atlanta. Your episode just aired. What is it about the show you love and how was it on set?

Sh’Kia: I’ve always been a fan of the show. Growing up I’d always watch the traditional sitcoms and stand ups that were raw and uncut. But this show was different. It had a different tone of comedy. It’s really like a dark comedy. I remember when it came out I was like, man I wish I would have written this or came up with this idea. It’s so funny because this is how our culture truly is. In the show you are seeing the same people you knew in your hood, hearing the same slang being used, and more. 

Sh’Kia mentioned that being on set was something of a dream because everyone showed up as their authentic black self. The energy was effortless and this made her show up every time with her authentic aura. 

Jackson: What are some of your future goals? 

Sh’Kia: I’ve been writing and producing a lot of web series and shorts. My goal is to graduate from that and do feature films and major television shows. I’m inspired by people like Donald Glover and Issa Rae – would love to get a show picked up. As just an actor I’m waiting to be chosen, but as a writer and producer, I can create work for myself and others. 

Sh’Kia is all about creating. The love she has for acting, writing and producing is only amplified by her desire to tell more stories from her upbringing. She wants to take us on a journey through her past in Florida and from the family structure she grew up in. It’s the representation for her and she understands that with her in the driver seat in her career she will be able to create opportunities for others not just on her projects but to bring theirs to life too.

Photographer – Johnny Marlow
Makeup by Cherie Combs