Every now and then an actor claims his spot as Hollywood royalty, outstandingly performing breakout roles and heart capturing characters. And Malik Yoba is an undeniable force to be reckoned with. But don’t call it a comeback. The Bronx-born stallion shows no signs of slowing down as his resume of popular characters continues to pile up. From Yul Brenner of the endearing Jamaican bobsled team that stole America’s heart in 1993’s Cool Runnings, to Bill Harken in the science fiction drama series Alphas, Yoba is no stranger to hard work and perseverance.
Who didn’t love the suave Detective J.C. Williams from the trail-blazing TV cop drama New York Undercover? And who can forget Gavin Agnew from Why Did I Get Married fame? Now, Yoba continues to effortlessly embody Hollywood longevity as one of Tinsel Town’s leading luminaries in the highly addictive Wednesday night hip-hop soap opera, Empire. Playing Vernon Taylor, the loyal-to-a-fault, second in command to Luscious Lyon, the untouchable, power-struck kingpin played by Terrence Howard, Yoba fuels his own empire, and on his own terms.
The 47 year old spoke candidly about Empire‘s unprecedented success, what fans can expect from the shocking season finale and his company Iconic 32.
UPTOWN: What would you say makes Empire such a success?
Malik Yoba: People just want to see themselves. What other show has an all-black cast on TV other than Black-ish?
I tell people all the time having done New York Undercover twenty years ago that that was the blueprint; the music, the fashion, the urban, the realness, the people of color seeing themselves — it’s a pretty simple recipe. People can try to dissect it but it’s largely about people seeing themselves. Where else have you seen the Cookie character on TV? But we all know her. That’s your friend, your cousin, your girlfriend, we know that girl and that’s Taraji [P. Henson] bringing D.C. to the party.
U: What’s a secret about the show that fans would be surprised to hear?
MY: I tell people to keep watching the show and enjoy the ride. The season finale is going to bring a lot of excitement for folks. Huge moments are happening with guest stars and musical surprises and other surprises. And I think people have come to expect that every week.
U: The original music of the show is a huge hit, but who are some of your [other] favorite artists?
MY: You know who I’ve been wearing out lately is Mali Music. Definitely a fan of that dude.
U: You mentioned New York Undercover, do you still talk to your TV partner Michael DeLorenzo?
MY: I do, and Lauren Velez and Patty D’Arbanville.
U: As a Hollywood veteran, you’ve had many popular roles. Between Vernon from Empire, Detective J.C. from New York Undercover and Bill Harken from Alpha, who was your favorite to play and why?
MY: Definitely J.C., for sure. I was young. I’m from New York and we shot in Harlem and all over the city and he was that dude, a hero for millions of people. In fact, a young man approached me at an event in New York saying you have no idea of the representation of a black man and what that did for me. Many young men became cops and many people became better fathers because of that show. It changed lives because people looked at it as a blueprint on how to behave as a man. That’s probably the one I’m most proud of.
U: What has been the biggest misconception about you?
MY: Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years! Ignorance is what it is, people think you left and I’ve been here. I tell people to check IMDB before you open your mouth and speak foolishness about people you say you’re fans of. Since 1993, 22 years ago since Cool Runnings I’ve been been doing what I do. There’s probably some other misconceptions but as an actor in Hollywood that’s a big one.
U: What’s the secret to longevity in this business?
MY: I think it’s God’s hand on my life because he knows I’m here for service and not for fame. What we do is a helping art; human beings since the age of cavemen needed drawings on the walls to tell stories, so people need to hear stories, it’s a service you provide. And I take this service seriously, I’m here to serve and if you do that, provision will always be provided.
That’s the only thing I can chalk it up to because I really don’t have that conversation with many actors that aren’t “around” anymore but I certainly have it with up-and-coming actors who’s chasing fame. If this is God’s plan for your life and if you look at it from a service standpoint you have the opportunity to flourish. The reality is- the struggle is real and it’s not easy. This business is insane, and everybody in it will tell you that which is why most actors don’t want their children doing this. But somehow he keeps a hand on me to go out there and inspire people and where there is no inspiration, I leave.
U: Tell us about your company Iconic 32.
MY: We started our Instagram page last summer as we put out this message to use pop culture to promote social good. We’re an innovation studio and lifestyle company that does branding and strategy for corporate and non-profits and we are developing socially eccentric products and partnering with people of like-minds who want to do the same thing.
We created a community, a culture to create or enhance social movement for social good. We personally partnered with Common‘s foundation The Common Ground Foundation and portions of proceeds go to to the work he’s doing.
It’s the confluence of everything I care about- pop culture, because I’m apart of pop culture. I care about storytelling and making a difference in the community. Back to New York Undercover, every time I kissed my son- which was never scripted, I knew I was sending a message that it was okay for black men to be affectionate with their sons. My father never kissed me and it was important for me to use that show as a platform to show that and it had a huge impact. It’s those simple ways we can do those things using pop culture. (You can take what people are already doing and reposition and repurpose it to the in a way it make senses.)
We’re doing that with technology, fashion, sports, music – any of the pop culture pillars.
U: What does being a celebrity prevent you from doing that you really enjoy?
MY: One of the biggest challenges is people don’t realize the public/private dynamic that you are constantly living with. One who doesn’t have a public life can go through the exact same thing but do it in private, whatever it is relationships, work stuff. You don’t have that luxury always if you have a public profile.
But at this point in my life I travel around; I’m not worried about people seeing you and the A or B-Lists, in fact they only talk about you or running after you if you’re on the A-List which usually doesn’t happen with people of color unless you’re Kim Kardashian or Kanye West. Most people of color don’t have the paparazzi running around after them so being black helps. But I live a pretty simple and normal life.
Photo credit: Kevin Kneeland, Nicole Oriatti of K&N Media