Tim City, a native Detroiter, is a teacher, actor and entrepreneur who currently resides in Atlanta. Now just because he moved out of state, that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t still go hard for his city. The MSU graduate started Late Night with Tim City while he attended the university and turned it into a stand-up comedy routine. City has a heart for the youth and ties education and entertainment mixed with controversial messages to get his point across. He has an organization called Daughters of City at his school where he gives young women a male perspective on life, while Brother Achieving Daily is used to inspire the young men. “They keep me going,” says City. He teaches his students about branding, vision, goals, entrepreneurship and more.”I desire to spark change and growth,” he says.
At MSU you started a show called Late Night with Tim City. What made you start that show?
Eric Thomas and I started The Advantage together. It was an organization on campus and still is. Eric helped me become the host I am today. Every Tuesday night, I would come out and do comedy and he would come and do motivational speaking. We were always getting the same kind of audience and I felt like there was a whole population that we weren’t reaching. I wanted to try something different. I wanted to be uncensored so I started Late Night with Tim City on a different day. I created my own student organization. I loved talking about controversial topics like light skin verses dark skin, growing up in a home without a father, and fat versus thick; real-life issues.
What made you start BAD Teacher?
I started teaching five years ago at Henry Ford Academy. I thought teaching was dope, but saw that a lot of people in the educational field did not like education because of the children. As I started teaching, I found out, it wasn’t because of the children, it was because of the administration and faculty. If the kids had structure and someone they could look up to, they did better, they were ready and hungry to learn. I believe it’s important to connect with your students and I found myself being a teacher that I knew I wasn’t. So I began to be myself and became a BAD Teacher. I know it’s a movie, but I bought the rights. It started off as an acronym for me; Brother Achieving Daily, but BAD is a negative connotation that I turned into a positive connotation to appeal to all people. Just like Michael Jackson had the Bad album and song, it’s a good thing! It means you’re great at being you; great at what you do. It’s a word of empowerment. If you’re overcoming obstacles and achieving greatness, BAD is who [you] are and I want that to appeal to teachers everywhere.
Talk about your book, Monogamy +1 Conversations with a Faithful Cheater.
Everyone has a +1 in their relationship. That +1 is something that you bring into the relationship that you are not willing to sacrifice or compromise for anyone to be in that relationship. This book is a self-reflection book. [I chose] the title Monogamy +1 Conversations with a Faithful Cheater to get you involved with the book. I based this book off mastery grading where I teach. You can not move on from a unit unless 75 percent of your students are passing and understand that unit. I read an article that said 75 percent or more of millennials between the ages of 23 and 35 who are married, their marriages fail after 8 years. I started looking for books and articles that teach on relationships because who is teaching you how to be in a relationship? When students are failing, we look at the teacher as the problem. All the books I read about relationships never spoke to me. So I wrote a book that I felt would really speak to people where they are and that they could relate to.
You have an event coming up called #AskingForAFriend Speed Dating Masquerade Mingle. What is the purpose of this event?
People down Detroit for not having much love in the city. I beg to differ. People in Detroit have and show so much love. I’ve been to New York, Atlanta, Chicago, no one has love like Detroit has love, but it’s never showcased. People feel like they have to have the same events in the city trying to find something there especially love. They’ll go to bars and night clubs, strip joints and more trying to find love; not down playing those places, but if you’re trying to find love, it’s not there. We don’t have enough events that broadcast black love and love in our community. So that’s the sole purpose of my event. I’m trying to change the dynamic and demographic of Detroit.
What can we expect at this event?
We have a live DJ, special performances and one of our performers is actually a dater, vendors and sponsors will be there selling merchandise and I want to make sure the people enjoy themselves and possibly find love. They’ll meet men and women who they’ve never met in the city as well. I made it a masquerade because a lot of people look solely on the physical when trying to find love. People have a messed up [idea off] what they want instead of what they need, when in reality, what you need may be right in front of you. You’ve just been trying to see who is cute and who isn’t, but with the mask on, they’ll have to see beyond that. They can be creative and create mask or they can receive one at the event. People can come dressed as if they’re going on their first date. If you want to dress up, you can, if you don’t, you don’t have to.
What is your main goal in life?
My main goal is my first and foremost; to provide for and make my mother proud. She supports me and pushes me to do things I never thought I’d do. I want to make sure she’s taken care of. My girlfriend as well. She’s my girlfriend right now, but hopefully one day she’ll be my fiancé and my wife. She’s my main focus and I just want to do stuff that makes me and the people around me happy.
What can we expect from Tim City in the future?
Look out for Bad Teacher Stand-Up Semester 2. Go over to iamtimcity.com for semester 1. Also, look out for more #AskingForAFriend Speed Dating events across the USA. I’m also shooting a pilot that I want to be a series; Bad Teacher the series. It’ll be called Mr. City. I have a few other things up my sleeve that I’m hoping and praying for, but you have to just stay on the lookout.
For more information on Tim City and the Bad Teacher brand, visit iamtimcity.com, follow Tim City on Facebook and on Instagram @timcity. Also follow the hashtag #AskingForAFriend and you can buy tickets for the event at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3082047.
