The defining factor for a public figure or studio head is having interpersonal responsibility with profound levels of consciousness. Awareness in a world of Hollywood vanity is rare. Many artists are not willing to divulge their own unique perspectives in hopes of not being ostracised for inclusion. Some weaponize victimhood for personal gain, but that is not the case for this optometrist. His belief is that manhood and adulthood are granted when you are responsible for someone beyond your own vices. For him, Fatherhood is the greatest role an actor could have because of the divine beauty and biology that births us all. Fresh off Taika Waititi’s Time Bandits, Luke Sparke’s upcoming “Fight For Your Life” Australian South-Indian production “Gen-Z”, South Korean director Asua Han’s “The BYND” we’re left cascading over Kelvin Taylor’s evolution into pure honesty and presence.
Raised in poverty, his family would set sail and land on the shores of Green Run suburb of Virginia Beach. This Breakdancer turned Street Racer formed a racing crew named Project-X. Kelvin had a chance encounter with Pharrell Williams at Lynnhaven Mall in 2005 fresh off the heels of “Drop It Like It’s Hot”. A photo taken of the two went viral on MySpace and a plethora of music artists started flooding Kelvin’s BBoy Kelz MySpace account. Already chatting to the original Social Media Queen Tila Tiquala, He was receiving messages from a very young Ace The Creator (now known as Tyler The Creator) and began working with Golden Monkee Soundz in the music industry and events promotions.
By 2008 after modeling locally for 3 years, the Virginia Beach and seven cities native found himself in Sydney Australia from connections he built off MySpace. His 1st experience on camera gig was for Edith Cowan University for his Abu Dhabi flatmate Khadir which was his 1st exposure to Islamic Culture. The hilariously short film called “The Pick Up” was a sign of the times in 2008’s R&B music scene that makes us now ponder on Diddy and Cassie in a new light. T-Pain, Akon, Kardinal Offishall, and songs with much more replay value where chivalry was present was quite the time to be alive and this was all unique for Kelvin living down under. Kelvin shifted from artist to promoter liaison. 2 pm Record out of Perth, WA, and Wonda Women Entertainment for countless big musicians and setting up touring arrangements for Virginia’s Chris Brown and his DJ named Babey Drew.
In 2010, Kelvin moved to New Zealand thanks to his girlfriend Rina Mousavi at the time who would follow in his footsteps into acting. He signed up to Usher at Air New Zealand Fashion for social reasons to get into the arts and Actress Keisha Castle-Huges invited him to a batch with her boyfriend. Two days later, a model brings him to an agent and the rest is history. By 2015 he was a household name through reality TV with “Come Dine With Me New Zealand”, after a role in the International Emmy nominated “The Golden Hour”, “Spartacus” and much more. However, not everything is glamorous joining in on entertainment on an Island compared to Australia. New Zealand is sexually open but mentally conservative. The common throughline with Kelvin being a Mixed-Ethnic African is him socially not being what others expect. A lifelong struggle specifically with conservativeness on a myriad of social norms like dating and more which Kelvin finds hilarious.
Kelvin’s cultural blend made him often exclusionary from social peer groups within his own community. As a creative in a religious family, he was wired differently to ask about his family’s African origins or his challenges to their religious beliefs during human trafficking. He was never a traditional theater thespian. He was a Beach Boy cinephile who liked Van Damme, masculine and completely oblivious to why their were was a stage stigma about “sexuality with theater”. The just was inspired coolness and zen of Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Keanu Reeves, and Johnny Depp. He figured due to the artist being in confined spaces who are often socially awkward, playing dress up in multiple roles that it was the environment that was vulnerable to exploitation “to be seen”.
On the Cusp of 2018, Kelvin made a pivotal choice to leave his wife and family to head to Los Angeles after being told by his New Zealand agent agreed to assist months prior. However, before departure, she withdrew any reference or connection with agents after asking me to turn to agents who contacted him. The agent told him “You are better off there, where you belong”. An odd turn of events but Kelvin was used to treading paths. Kelvin only understood throughout life, that people are irritated when you are not who they want you to be, but who’s problem is that? His emotional availability translates to honesty. Self-work and confidence that your and other’s individual perspectives are worthy is a part of the gig. Needless to say, Kelvin arrived in Los Angeles without any assistance from his own team.
Los Angeles was vast, so after research, Kelvin decided to live out his car to maintain his pursuits hours away to excel. Many actors endure this, such as Omari Hardwick who received help from Denzel Washington gave him a sense of normality and a Masterclass in actor’s rights of passage. He found a publicist, built relationships, voiced animation for Adult Swim, and continued on his dream. One of his inspirations Vin Diesel also had to return home to New York as a Bouncer and also former Breakdancer. That former New Zealand agent apparently stopped helping him intentionally after a veteran actress who had a very public scandal asked their agent to not help him.
While at an annual Downtown LA food Truck event in Smorgasburg, Kelvin met his childhood crush Teri Hatcher where they filmed an impromptu episode of her self-care YouTube Channel “Hatching Change”. Her selflessness in wanting to provide therapy to strangers by chatting in a Van showed him the beauty of being more than an actor and silent vessel for product placement. This would later be a catalyst for him becoming a YouTuber with Dudes Brewing Podcast and helping with relationship dynamics with modern dating. Teri reminded him unconsciously that the universe always sends you strangers, even when you feel desolate or alone hustling from your vehicle.
Before returning to New Zealand, Kelvin was grateful for accomplishing so much, he was reminded of his inspiration from One Race Film’s Vin Diesel journey. Vin also a former breakdancer turned bouncer had to return home to New York after seeking artistic glory being in-between culturally and finding his place. In Los Angeles, promises are made and gates kept but we learn to pave and produce our own roads. After meeting Studio Executive Byron Allen on set of “Funny You Should Ask” it would seed the ideas for Kelvin’s newest venture with Asua Han for Kiirokuro Productions. Furthering social causes, he developed a nonprofit known as the Pacific African Television and Film Collective which was featured in International Business Times Singapore for his efforts in Asia-Pacific.
An initiative that’s significant for Kelvin is fixing the “Chosen People” ideology that has its roots in Egyptology discovered later by Greece, Rome took on the ideology and conquered all of Europe with it. Most of society’s issues today are associated with Former Roman Colonies having a superiority complex and entitlement issue. Kelvin asserts “We are all superior until we get hungry, need to take a nap, or have to poo like the rest of the planet”. He says in a quote “As an artist, it is impossible to portray humanity with empathy, seek honesty within those perimeters and not care for humankind”. He believes the American system and global network that displaced Africans benefits from keeping those not deemed “chosen” in oppression Olympics by weaponizing “identity”. What he noticed in entertainment or banking, is inclusion that is often subsided and gate kept by a select few for ownership over the masses. In today’s art, heads of studios and banking ask for diversity, equity, and inclusion but for sexuality, race, and cuisines while disregarding one’s diverse thoughts, traditions, and spirituality that come with culture.
Kelvin’s mindset defines true wealth letting spiritual balance overflow, without the need for material accolades which is a pitfall of insecurity for the most vulnerable artists. Many artists are malleable to their insecurities, especially in the prominent influencer market that is ripe for exploitation for people desperate to be seen. To be African American is to be a natural-born refugee and he’s satisfied not ever fitting in because our own individual thumbprints are proof we were not made to be. Kelvin is a star floating interstellar in a diverse global marketplace with an unconventional route to film and television in Asia-Pacific. Gravel in hand, this creative will pave a lane when there is no lane or make waves for others to surf. Perseverance is an understatement to an educated empath who can be a narcissist’s worst nightmare. This man can expound his heart with or without a camera in sight. In the abyss of artistry, Kelvin omits translucent light with a transparent ability to be present and grateful to everyone who’s a part of his Oceanic Stratosphere.
