Keep it Positive, Sweetie
KIPS LIVE Pt. 2: Cracking The Da'Vinchi Code w/ Da'Vinchi
Sun, 06 Apr 2025
This week on “Keep It Positive, Sweetie,” we’re bringing you Part 2 of our live show with the one and only Da’Vinchi! We had such a refreshing and insightful conversation – from his childhood in Brooklyn, NY, to commanding the stage on Broadway, and gracing our television screens weekly. Da’Vinchi opened up about his passion for mental health and shared his thoughts on the importance of the family nucleus. You won’t want to miss this inspiring episode!
Chapter 1: Who is Da'Vinchi and what are his roots?
All right, now, I hope y'all ready for this. All right, my next guest, like me, started off in music, and then he transitioned into acting. You might know him as, I don't know, Darnell Hayes from All American. So y'all already know. Ben and Mary J. Blige's Lifetime movies. Or my all-time fave, Terry and BMF. Ladies and gentlemen Da Vinci Hey Da Vinci, how you feeling?
I'm feeling great. I'm feeling great. How y'all feeling? Wow, this is a great crowd. It's a beautiful crowd.
Listen, they have the best energy. Thank you so much. It's an honor to have you amongst the KISS family. And we're going to jump right into it, all right? So you are from Brooklyn, New York.
Yes, ma'am.
And my castmate Deval is also from Brooklyn. I've heard some wild stories. What was it like growing up in Brooklyn for you?
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Chapter 2: Why did Da'Vinchi transition from music to acting?
I mean, growing up in... Do we got any Brooklyn in the house? Brooklyn? That's what's up. That's what's up. What up? What up? Nah. Um... The dopest part about growing up in Brooklyn in a fast city like that and just up north in areas with trains and buses and all that stuff, you grow up fast. Or I wouldn't even say fast. I think you grow up at the rate that you were supposed to grow up at.
I think a lot of people are just a little, like, they get coddled a little longer. But the way we grew up, it's like we became men, like, kind of quicker and women earlier.
That's amazing. So, like me, you started with music and then you transitioned to acting. For me, music, I just, I didn't fall out of love with it, but I felt, I didn't like the politics of the music industry. What was it with you that made you decide, hey, I don't want to do this?
It was definitely the politics. Like, it's, like, growing up, I loved music, right? I was, like, the Chris Browns, the Trey Shaws, the Ushers, like, everyone, right? I was like, yo, this is, like, what I want to be. And all the great rappers, the Hoves, 50, I love 50. I know his verses better than him. I know 50 songs way better than him. He don't even know.
But nah, like I was really inspired by it. But then when you get there and it's not a figment of your imagination no more, you're like, nah, like they really want like a certain thing there. And I was just like, all right, I don't know. And I didn't know enough about gospel singers or gospel rappers to be like, oh, maybe I'm going to take that route.
So I was just like, you know what, I'm cool off this. It's like sometimes they just really want some real killers, people that's just killing left and right. Like, that ain't me. And it's like, bro, I'm like, bro, like I've done some bad stuff. I got arrested when I was 13 and stuff, but I never once thought about killing someone. So I'm like, bro.
What did you get arrested for, DaVinci?
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Chapter 3: What are the challenges of performing on Broadway?
It was dealing in stolen property. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, yeah, it was stupid. But anyway, yeah, but when I realized certain things, I'm like, bro, I can't. be preaching this message, bro. Like, it's like, I made it out of my situation because I stopped doing certain things. So I'm like, for me to then do this, I'm like, bro, that's, I'm lying. You know what I'm saying?
And I feel like God is, I'm gonna have to answer to God and I can't sleep well at night.
That's so good. I got to watch you twice on Broadway for Thoughts of a Colored Man. Guys, it was such a profound play. Just, it really talked about the thoughts that our black men what they go through on a day-to-day basis. We laughed, we cried. It was a really good play, and you were amazing in it. Thank you. But you're also the star of BMF. I want to know, yeah.
I want to know, what is your favorite, Broadway or TV and film?
Broadway was hard. Broadway was really hard, I ain't gonna lie. Like, it was like, It was great because it teaches you something that film and TV can't teach you. Film and TV, there's a bunch of cut in and then it's like director cut, give you note, throw something new out. You get so many chances to redo it.
But in Broadway, once you live and you front of a crowd like this, it's like, bro, I gotta go. And when you make a mistake, it's like, you better hope your partner just like wing it with you. Like there was moments I was just winging it and everyone's like, oh, that was so good. I'm like, you don't even know. I fucked this up. Like, I messed this all up. But it was great.
Acting, TV, and film is great because, I mean, it pays the bills.
Amen.
You know? But Broadway, it's like when you're doing Broadway, it's more of a craft thing. I mean, I don't know what the producers make on it, but as an actor, it's work. It's work. It's work.
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Chapter 4: How is Da'Vinchi exploring comedy?
That's amazing. I always hear that actors who really take their craft serious go do Broadway. They say there's nothing like it, there's no training course like it, unless you work on a Tyler Perry set. Because we get one take, Tyler shoots like we're on Broadway. I'm like, hey, can I get one more? Then you decided that you wanted to pick up comedy. Now, I tell people all the time that I'm funny.
Yeah, exactly. I mean, I'm funny, but I don't know if I had the chance to do stand up. What made you say, I'm going to give this a shot?
You know, that's a great question. I I feel like as an artist, you always want to push yourself. And for me, stand up is like it's like going skydiving. You know, it's like what is going to happen? If I go on stage and I just talk shit. Wait, wait, can I? I'm sorry.
Be yourself. This is a safe space.
Oh, yeah.
Be careful on the F words, but yeah, you can stay.
Okay, okay, okay. I'm going to fix my language. I'm sorry. Forgive me, Mom, if you want to. But nah, it's like, I was like, yo, what if it's like the conversation that me and my boys be having?
just like you just have it here and then the thing is it's like I've been doing mental health tours as well so I was like if I could infuse a little bit of that and make an educational just a little funny like what could happen and I was like even if I got booed it's like you're gonna leave with a message like because I'm it's not just like like stupid little jokes and me making fun of people it's like you really listen to you like oh no that kind of makes sense yeah I love that now are you planning on doing a tour for your comedy as well
Yeah, last year I'd hit 10 cities up because we was just like, we didn't make an official tour. We was just gone. We was like, what can we do? And like, we're selling out here, selling out there. We're like, okay, okay.
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Chapter 5: What struggles do actors face in their careers?
Okay, sell out shows.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's because of like All-American or BMF. You know what I'm saying? It's not because like people are respecting me as a real comedian.
I wouldn't say that. No. They're probably coming from because they saw you on TV and they wanted to see what you did.
Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. But I think over time that I'm going to get that respect as a comedian if I keep pursuing it. But I definitely think this summer I might do a tour.
Okay, y'all going to check him out? Yeah, we definitely are.
Appreciate that.
So something I talk about a lot of times with my peers is that people do not see the journey. They don't see what we go through. We work in a very rejection driven career. We get told no so much, y'all. You have to have some real self-esteem to be an actor. Facts. I can't count how many no's I got before I got a yes. And it takes a hit.
If you're not really strong with your self-esteem, it can take a hit. How has that journey been for you, and did you have any moments where you were like, ooh, this is too much?
Yeah, it's been bad. It's crazy because I got over probably like 1,000 no's, and I only got like eight yeses. Did y'all hear that? Yeah, and the three of the eight yeses is All-American, BMF. and, like, another movie, and Grown-ish that, like, started making me, like, famous. Right. You know what I'm saying? But it's... Why are they laughing?
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Chapter 6: How does Da'Vinchi manage financial literacy and fame?
I was like, I'm pouring my heart out, and they laughing and shit. Like, that wasn't a joke. Like, what is so funny? Damn, you got a mean audience. That's crazy.
Hey, y'all better act like y'all got some home training around here.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't come to my show.
Like... Nah, this... But, nah, it was... It's tough. I mean, this is one of the few businesses in the world that you're constantly being scrutinized for how you look, your size. Calm down. Like, you're constantly being scrutinized. So it plays with your head, man. And a lot of times, like, I remember there was this producer. He was talking to me.
He was like, you got to remember, this is the entertainment business, not the entertainment arts. You know what I'm saying? So, like, when he told me that, I was like, oh, I stopped taking things personal. Because it's like, like, for instance, like, I've went out for Haitian characters before. I'm Haitian. Both parents Haitian. I speak the language fluently. English ain't even my first language.
I speak French and Creole.
Give me some. You have to give us a little bit.
Okay.
Give me some French.
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