Behind The Grind with Fredro Starr

Cox: I’m excited to talk with you about Behind The Grind. It’s a three episode limited inspirational talk series with you as the host. The guests you have lined up are Sticky Fingaz, Peter Gunz, and Benzino.

Starr: Behind The Grind goes in depth on how people like Peter Gunz and Benzino got to that place of success. They’ve been in the game for a long time and are considered legends. What we do with this show is really look at what success looks like. Success can take many different forms for people. So we wanted to get behind the grind and find out what the meaning of success looked like for them exactly. 

Cox: I love the concept of this because there is this process you all have to go through to reach those heights. Many times we don’t get to see or even know what that process was.

Starr: Exactly! It’s the process and so many people want to go from zero to sixty immediately. The most important part of getting from point A to B is the process in between. 

Starr(contin): The process is the place that you will hold near and dear to your heart. Those are the moments and memories you will remember forever. You cherish the hardships you experience in the process because those are the things that get you to the place that you are going to go. 

Starr(contin): It’s a long road for anyone in the entertainment industry regardless if you are an actor or musician. There are so many difficulties we all face. It’s never a smooth ride for any of us because there will always be bumps in the road. 

Cox: I know it’s a tough industry because things are built on sales and the expectation of the artist.

Starr: That’s true and what I’ve learned throughout my time is to have low expectations. I say that because if an artist says I’m going to put this album out and it’s going to go platinum. Now if it doesn’t, they can get discouraged and they might not want to continue the journey. But if you keep your expectations low and your project exceeds it, then you will keep going and be excited. 

Starr(contin): I had to learn that the hard way. It was an older gentleman in the industry who gave me that knowledge. I always put that in my back pocket and that’s my jewel for today (smiles). 

Cox: How was this hosting experience for you? I know you’ve done things similar in the past.

Starr: Yes I have but this is on a different level. This is the level of Arsenio Hall and Montel Williams for me.

Starr (contin): But I’ve always had this ability to talk with people. Before I got into Hip Hop, I was a barber. It actually groomed me to talk to different people who would sit in my chair. Mind you, I was barbering at 15. I would have a wide range of people sitting in my chair from gangsters to lawyers. So getting that tip at the end of the service you had to know how to talk to them and make them feel good. This actually gave me the blueprint on how to navigate in the industry. 

Cox: Off topic but speaking of barbering you took me back to you playing Q on Moesha (laughs). Like did they use you as the example for him or was that coincidence? 

Starr: Mara Brock actually asked to know everything about me so that they can put it into the script. She said they wanted to make sure that the script fit who I am in real life. I let them know what the barbershop and the slang sayings like What’s up Shorty, What’s up Son?

Cox: Hosting, rapping, and acting you’ve done it all. People don’t know what it really takes to get there.

Starr: What people see is only the finished product. You have to get booked for the job and before that you need to get your foot in the door. People don’t see that before someone is on screen, you have to have to go through so many people. For example, when I auditioned for the role of Shorty in Sunset Park the line was around the block. That goes the same for when I auditioned for Malaki in Save The Last Dance.

Starr(contin): So you always have to do your best because there is always someone else that wants that job. There is a lot of competition out there but you just have to say “Yo this is mine, I want it, and I’m going to get it.” And you go for it. Most of the time if you have that drive and confidence it will work for you. But also if it doesn’t you can’t let it defeat you. 

Starr (contin): There are a lot of nos in Hollywood. Put it like this I can go audition for a role and 9 times out of 10 I will not get it. But there is going to be that one audition where I get it. So you just have to keep going. Even the biggest names have to audition. Remember there is that person looking just like you and can fit the part just like you. And they want it just as bad as you do. So you have to stay FOCUSED!