90's Nostalgia Commemorative Issue April 2017 | Page 32

MADEFEATURES MADEXXXX
can reach now . Instagram and Twitter - I think that ' s just the real big difference . It ’ s a lot easier than it was before - you can really show your art and be consistent with it and somebody might just share it and the next thing you know Diddy saw it and signs you or something like that . It ’ s definitely pretty cool .
MADE : As someone who has evolved from a popular duo brand like Keenan and Kel to a solo brand , what advice would you give artists connected to other brands on how to best step out and create a great solo legacy ?
KEL : I would definitely say be careful about outside influences and don ' t let other people create negativity where it doesn ’ t exist . A lot of people do that will come up to me and say " Man you know Keenan is doing this and you ’ re doing that . Aren ’ t you mad at Keenan because ..." and it ' s like “ No , I ' m totally not . I ’ m actually really happy for him .” Whether your still a duo or were back in the day , be grateful for any success you are able to achieve and don ’ t take that for granted or lose perspective . Appreciate what God has done to bring you to that point .
MADE : So , focus on the positive , be grateful and stay driven ?
KEL : Yeah . I had a car and it used to make this crazy noise , right ? When I would drive up , it would be like ( loud sound ) and like scream ! It was embarrassing . So then I was like " Man I just want a new car . Man , I want a new car ." It ’ s like appreciate the things you have so I just started putting love into the car . I started like getting certain things changed and then I got the engine changed . I got the outside changed . I got it painted . Now I drive around with that car and people are like " Yo ! Your car is dope ". This is the same car that was going ( loud sound ). Now everybody is like “ That car is amazing ,” to the point where they want to put it in magazines and take pictures with it . So you got to think in that way . You can ' t just go like “ I hate this . I hate that .” Love where you are and continue to go from one blessing to another blessing to another blessing .
MADE : Your faith is contagious and we love it !
KEL : Me and my wife , the name of our production company is Faith Producers because you have to have a lot of faith when you ' re in this business . Someone has to believe in your story that you wrote . You ’ ve got to go pitch it and they ’ ve got to believe that story . And that takes a lot of faith . It takes a lot of faith to walk into a room and say your storyline , say your pitch and write your story .
You ’ ve definitely got to have that faith and that consistency with getting up in the morning and knowing what you want do . Focus . I use Google Calendar all the time , reminders , books - read some of everything in the field that you want to be involved in . I look at my career like a boxer in training . When you first get started as a boxer you ' re not just going to get in the ring and try to fight Tyson , you ' re going to get knocked out . So you need to work out , get your body right . Get your mind right . Get the right mentality and then before you know it you start winning this fight and that fight . Then you can fight Tyson , you can fight Floyd , whoever . It will happen and then you will just be sitting there like “ Man how did this happen ? How did that happen so quickly .”
MADE : You ’ re preaching today , Kel .
KEL : Also you have to forgive people . No one likes bad vibes or anything like that and if you have no forgiveness in your heart , it will mess you up . There were times those people that did me wrong when I was younger , some of these same people I still work with today now because I just left it alone . I ' ve dealt with the things I ’ ve dealt with and forgave them . They came back in my life and was like " Yo Kel ! Man I want to do this with you man ." And we don ' t even mention what happened before and the ones that do it ' s like “ Man , I see a change in you ”. I ' m an open book . This is something we are doing for other people . We are entertaining other people and making them feel happy . That ’ s what it ’ s about .
MADE : Love it ! Love it ! So last year was your 20 th anniversary . When looking over your career and the influence that you ' ve had what comes to mind ?
KEL : Looking over my career and the influence I have had what comes to mind is ... man , to see parents that watched me in the 90 ’ s introduce me to their kids who watch Game Shakers and know Double G , it ’ s like you have the entire family that knows you and walking up to you , getting your autograph , taking pictures - that ' s awesome you know ? That ' s beautiful to have that longevity . It doesn ' t happen to everybody .
I ’ m very happy and feel good about that . One person said they were dealing with a disease and was in the hospital and they watched Good Burger . They were doing surgeries everyday , but then they would get into their room on their bed and watch in the hospital and crack up . It would bring joy to their hearts . I get these letters and then people that watch Game Shakers and say the same thing they ' re like “ My kid watches Game Shaker and the whole family - we watch it together . You put a smile on my face .” That ' s what ' s important right there . Putting a smile on people ' s face and having memories that they will remember forever . You know that ’ s what ’ s awesome .
MADE : And you ' re still so young , that ’ s what ’ s really crazy . What do you want your legacy to be in this new era ?
KEL : Me and my wife are producing content with Faith Producers , so definitely more of that like . The stories that I ' ve told have helped people and have changed some lives through the stories of the characters that we create . A person that shows God ' s love - that ' s very important for me to share . When I see people on Instagram say “ I love your work but I also love it that you ' re very vocal about your faith ,” that ’ s really what it ’ s about for me . I ’ ve had friends that have taken their lives in this business because they ’ re getting told the wrong thing . I understand that so if you understand a good sense of yourself and who you are and that it ’ s about love , you ’ ll go far . Loving one another . That ' s what it ' s all about .
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