“Stay Humble” Words of Wisdom With Kade Wise of “Empire”
“It’s so easy to think your dirty laundry doesn’t stink and to live inside your head, ESPECIALLY if you’re seeking a career in entertainment. It takes a village to create one single career, and there is simply no room for ego. Starting in the music realm, I was definitely a cocky little shit in my teens. Never a bad person. Just misguided. As if the world owed me something. Let me make this clear. The world owes us NADA.”
I had the pleasure of interviewing Brooklyn raised actor, Kade Wise who currently promoting his recurring role on the fourth season of FOX’s award-winning, hip-hop drama series “Empire.” Following a two-year audition process, producers crafted the character of ‘Preacher Azal,’ a politically conscious Muslim rapper, specifically for Wise. Introduced to entertainment as a musician, Wise is enthusiastic about the opportunity to showcase his skill and passion for music through ‘Preacher Azal.’ In preparation for the role, Wise looked to industry vet Andre Royo who encouraged him to use parts of himself in developing the character. Following his introduction to acting and subsequent move to Los Angeles to pursue it professionally, Wise landed guest starring roles in several critically acclaimed television series including Showtime’s “Homeland,” “Lucifer” on FOX and the 2017 horror indie “Murder in the Woods” opposite Danny Trejo. Originally from Algeria, Wise moved to the United States after his family won a Diversity Visa through a lottery system. Fleeing from the violence of the Algerian Civil War, which peeked that year, the family settled in New York. As Wise continues to build his fan base, it is important to him to give back to the community, advocating for underprivileged youth, children’s hospitals and mental illness.
· What is your “backstory”?
I’m a proud immigrant from a third-world land called Algeria who fell in love with the American Dream. I was born in Algiers to a Kabyle Berber lineage during a Civil War, and at age 5 as tensions rose, my family won a round of Diversity Visas through the Government lottery program, following which we legally relocated to Brooklyn. I fell in love with the culture of New York. I wholeheartedly believe that coming to the United States was my family’s fate and becoming an artist was my own. Five years ago, I moved to Los Angeles in the pursuit of acting professionally. Not a single regret has ever infiltrated my mind. It has all been a blessing, and I am beyond grateful and excited for what’s next.
· Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your acting/directing/performing career?
During my audition process for Empire, I received a call back — one of many I received from the series over the years — and while I didn’t get the part, my passion and skill for music and acting left an impression. I was told the Writers/Producers were inspired to write me into the season. At first, I didn’t believe it; but a few weeks later, we received a no-audition straight offer to play the politically-driven PREACHER. I’ve never experienced something like that. I honestly did not think it still happens. It was the most amazing surprise.
· What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
The most exciting role I am working on right now is Preacher. His character is a parallel universe version of myself where I’m encouraged to pull from Brooklyn upbringing. I got into acting because I love people and being able to connect and embody various paths of the human experience. It has been thrilling to play a New York rapper. I also returned to Chicago recently for the premiere of the indie horror film “Murder in The Woods” in which I costarred alongside Danny Trejo and an all-Latino cast. We’ve screened at six festivals, selling out every single one.
· Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I have had the opportunity to work with iconic actors including Claire Danes, Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Danny Trejo, Terrence Howard and Teraji P. Henson. Respectfully, my favorite two were Jussie Smollet and Andre Royo, Bubbles from The Wire. My chemistry with Jussie was amazing. He encouraged me to let my character break free and take it to any direction I felt was appropriate. Andre, who plays “Thirsty” –gave me so much advice and shared so much wisdom. He told me to believe in myself, to believe that I deserved to be there. I really appreciate working with him and having the opportunity to connect with him personally. He is admired in the industry and by his peers yet remains humble as can be. I look forward to working with him again.
· Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?
Michael Jackson, Barack Obama, Freddie Mercury, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jay-Z, Denzel Washington, Robert DeNiro, Steve Jobs, Warren Buffet. Can’t name just one. I would say that they probably inspired me most in that order; they all share similar qualities artistically, entrepreneurial or humanitarian duties. These are all individuals that believed in something, in seeing the best version of themselves, in seeing the best version of their worlds and honoring their soul purpose for being on this planet. Not many people are conscious enough to discover who they really are, let alone, what they’re supposed to do while they are here with us.
· What do you do to “sharpen your craft”? Can you share any stories?
Stay Woke. Being spiritually conscious and aware of what is happening daily, and why it is happening is necessary to grow your craft. Constantly educating yourself is crucial. Exercising your mental/creative muscles in acting classes is as important as going to the gym. We are creatures of habit. Stay busy, stay active and stay humble. The very idea of building your skills requires a grounded attitude. Arrogance is the enemy of potential and progress. It took me years to respect the process of harnessing my gift. The process helped me develop complex perspectives. When I made the conscious decision to stay consistent with an acting coach, I booked Homeland a year later. When the time is right, the fruits of your labor will blossom.
· How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I believe in the power of positive messaging and being a positive voice for future generations and marginalized groups of people who are silenced in our society. As an immigrant, I am an advocate for equal rights. Lastly, it is important for me to shine a light on the importance of mental health and to move the conversation forward while continuing to evolve treatments for those who suffer with mental illness.
· What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1. Stay humble. It’s so easy to think your dirty laundry doesn’t stink and to live inside your head, ESPECIALLY if you’re seeking a career in entertainment. It takes a village to create one single career, and there is simply no room for ego. Starting in the music realm, I was definitely a cocky little shit in my teens. Never a bad person. Just misguided. As if the world owed me something. Let me make this clear. The world owes us NADA.
2. As I brought up earlier, I wish I had mentors early on who believed in me and encouraged me to train my skills in a formal setting. But when you’re on a journey alone throughout most of it, you’re kind of stuck trying to figure it out. And it’s easy to think you’re God’s gift as some reverse defense mechanism to the crappy rejection and how challenging it is to come up commercially. There is definitely a fundamental worth to polishing your talent. No one can take talent away from you. Everything else, is fickle.
3. I was told later on to never blame or seek pity. Again, I wish I heard that at a younger age. Never make an excuse for why I’m not where I think I need to be. It’s not because I’m an immigrant. Not because I’m a minority. I’m not 6’2″. Any of that. But hey, I’m here now, and I get to share this with my future kids one day. Yay!
4. I was told the following in my early 20’s but didn’t get a chance to absorb this priceless insight until I moved to LA. Learning to let go. We all know what that’s like. We want to control, control, control. And the more we acknowledge that we cannot control anything but ourselves, life is quite awesome. So much less pressure.
5. Last but not least. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Learn to prioritize. As a kid, everything would get me down. All the disappointments. One after the other. How could it not? I wanted it all, and nothing was going to stop me. Of course, reality smacked me down to Earth over and over. And knowing then what I know now, I would’ve laughed at all the nonsense I faced. We all wake up the next day, and it’s a fresh start. I wanted to be a star ever since I was 11 years old. And now that I’m an adult, I’m genuinely glad I was not.
· Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
BARACK OBAMA. He may not qualify as a spearheading name in business, but it would be my dream to shake his hand and pick his brain. His rise to presidency was nothing short of a miracle; he proves that it doesn’t matter what color you are, or religion, gender, sextual orientation; If you are a standup individual, and you have uncompromising merit to bring to the table you can succeed. So Barack, if you are reading this… WHAT’S UP!