*Chicago native Michael Colyar drove to California to be an actor appearing in the film Hollywood Shuffle (USA), television series “Dragnet” and “227,” but it was seeing a friend bringing in the money as a comedian in Venice Beach, CA that gave him the idea to go the comedic route.
Michael Colyar
His nine years on the Venice Beach strip as a street-comedian, his success after that as an actor to his recent voice-over role in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog to his future live performance in Africa, is what the “Where in the World Is Michael Colyar” bio-documentary will be about.
“I talked about safe sex at a time when the mention of sex was not allowed,” Michael Colyar said about his days of doing his comedy stand up at Venice Beach. “I was joking about race… People told me they came back to Venice Beach just to see me.”
Fans weren’t the only ones coming to see Colyar. He says producers (television and film) would come down to check him as well.
“They have my name and footprints…in cement,” Michael said with pride about his old Venice Beach stumping ground. “I was there every weekend and only from 12 – 5 p.m. People only come out on the weekend. I would grab their money with a mechanical arm!”
“Where in the World is Michael Colyar” will have the support of some of Colyar’s Hollywood friends such as Samuel L. Jackson.
“Acting is what I wanted,” Michael Colyar recalled. “I was ten years into acting when I stumbled onto comedy through street performing.”
After leaving Venice Beach Michael went on to appear in Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson and Tupac, “House Party 3,” “Martin,” “The Hughleys,” “The Parkers,” “Barbershop,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” and of course The Princess and the Frog. Upcoming projects include a DVD movie “More Malice” with Snoop Dogg, DJ Quick, and Jamie Foxx. He is also working on his second book “Michael Colyar Goes to Motivational,” a book that expands on his popular motivational speaking engagement, from a comedic perspective.
“I go to churches, drug rehab (anywhere)…to talk about transformation through the power of God,” He said. “I went from a crack-head to a comedian (actor).”
Michael’s stand-up act has taken him to a constant string of shows at places the Laugh Factory, the Comedy Store, Constitutional Hall in DC; HBO’s “One Night Stand”; Russell Simmons’ “Def Comedy Jam: All Stars,” “Comics Unleashed,” “Showtime at the Apollo,” The Tom Joyner Show, Weekends with DL, and recently on “The Mo’Nique Show.”
For more information on Michael Colyar and his upcoming DVDs and book, log onto www.MichaelColyar.com or www.myspace.com/michaelcolyar.
Canadian singer/songwriter TolumiDE releases U.S. Contemporary Gospel CD, ‘My Love’
Born in Canada and raised in Nigerian and Baltimore, singer/songwriter TolumiDE (pronounced Toe-Lu-Mee-Day) brings to Contemporary Gospel a fresh new sound.
TolumiDE
Her first U.S. release, “My Love,” is full of Praise and Worship from an Urban edge perspective. TolumiDE’s voice, to me, is reminiscent of a mixture between Diana Ross and Brandy’s voices.
“It’s an Inspirational mixture of Jazz, African and World Music,” said TolumiDE Olumide about her sound. “
There is also Urban R&B, Reggae, Funk and Soul sounds intertwined with her words of Love for Christ and His message of love.
“I wrote all of them…’Because of You’ I co-wrote,” she pointed out when asked about who wrote the lyrics. “It’s a combination of what I like, the music I enjoy listening to.”
TolumiDE received numerous nominations for the 2006 Canadian Music Awards, was the recipient of the 2009 African Heritage Award for Outstanding African Artist and a winner of a Nigerian Entertainment Award for Best Female R&B Artist.
My favorite songs on the “My Love” CD include “Ekabo” because of its African sound mixed with Urban R&B flavor; the title track “My Love,” which has an Urban Pop flavor with a Nigerian feel; “Cell Phone” has an Urban R&B feel to it that makes you want to rejoice and dance; “Speed of Life” is a sweet Pop sounding selection with some awesome African drums supporting it, and “For Me” for its tropical feel and its’ lyrics that speak of the need to let God pick the right man for you.
A resident of Washington, DC TolumiDE’s performances have carried her to Blues Alley, the Vancouver Jazz Festival and the Toronto Jazz Festival. Upcoming performances include Friday, June 25, 2010 at JHB for “Arise Praise Night” in Baltimore; Saturday, June 26 at “F.A.M.E. Summer Recital” in Ft. Washington, MD and at Langsdale Auditorium at the “Fashion and Music Event,” and Sunday, June 27 at the “Tosin presents African Rhapsody.”
For more information on TolumiDE log onto her website at www.TolumideMusic.com.