Isaac Freeman III, aka DJ Fatman Scoop, makes a living moving the crowd. He and his wife Shanda successfully produce an online show, which was an MTV series of the same name “Man and Wife.” Scoop and his wife, who are partners in love and business, advocate for socially responsible lifestyles. The pair share advice on matters such as infidelity, keeping romance alive and the best way to clean sex toys. When queried about the advice he would give his younger self, it is no surprise that he unhesitatingly responded: “Scoop, don’t have kids, what [you] do for a living can [enable] them [to] have the finer things in life, but children need someone to be present, not just presents.”
Emmy Award-winning actress, comedienne and television personality, Sherri E. Shepherd knows firsthand the difficulty of pursuing a dream while holding down a day job. Just prior to landing her first television role, Shepherd worked as a legal secretary during the day while performing stand-up at night. Her resilience has paid off immensely. As the current host of “The Newlywed Game,” co-host of “The View,” and single mother of a young son, the recently engaged Shepherd’s advice to her younger self is clearly the key to her success: “Run towards the thing you fear the most. That thing that makes your stomach tremble and your heart quicken — run towards it! When you run towards things you fear, you can’t imagine what blessings lay on the other side.”
Music mogul, Mathew Knowles has the dual challenge of being responsible for his careers and that of his two daughters. He managed the best-selling girl group, Destiny’s Child, heads up Music World Entertainment, and has created partnerships with major record labels such as Columbia, Interscope and Geffen Records. Currently at the top of the Billboard charts with Micah Stampley’s “Release Me” and Brian Courtney Wilson’s “Just Love Deluxe,” Knowles’ response was concise, yet impactful: “Be grateful for your success and learn from your failures.”
What do you think of their advice? What advice would you give to your younger self? –suncera johnson
Suncera Johnson is a freelance writer and former producer and editor for MTV Networks. While pursuing her passion for the entertainment industry, she encourages others to do the same as producer and host of her blogtalk radio show “Musings Of A Muse” and her “300 Steps to Greatness” initiative. You can follow her on Twitter under the pseudonym @thatwritingchic.
