Ian Campbell of Downtown Los Angeles on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Ian Campbell shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Ian, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
I’m chasing the best version of myself — not just in one lane, but across all the roles I carry. I’m an entrepreneur, an executive producer, a creator, a leader… and like everyone else, I’m simply trying to sustain life itself, find meaning, and stay focused while juggling it all. What I’m really chasing is growth, purpose, and the discipline to keep elevating, even when the pressure is heavy.

And if I stopped? Well… what would happen if a plane just stopped in the middle of the sky? It wouldn’t stay afloat. Forward motion is the only way anything — including me — keeps flying. So I keep going. I keep evolving. I keep chasing

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ian, but most people know me as Flykingi. I’m a hip-hop artist who’s been blessed to chart on iTunes, be mentioned by Billboard, and most recently have my song ‘HEM’ featured in the Noah’s Arc film and soundtrack. I’m also proud to be recognized as the first notable openly gay battle rapper — I’ve hit stages like URL, Queen of the Ring, LA Battlegroundz, and even caught the attention of the Universal Hip Hop Museum.

On the flip side, many people also know me from reality TV — I’m part of Chasing LA seasons 1 and 2 and currently filming season 3. I’m also the co-star and executive producer of The Sweet Life of Andre & Flykingi, which has been an amazing creative journey on its own.

Outside of entertainment, I’m an entrepreneur and the founder of Royale Flyness, a men’s grooming and fragrance brand that’s been featured in Essence Magazine and Fashion Bomb Daily. We’re gearing up for a huge holiday season, and balancing that with filming and content creation has definitely kept me busy — still trying to squeeze in moments of rest wherever I can,” laughs. “But I wouldn’t trade the grind. Everything I do connects back to authenticity, representation, and creating things that make people feel good — whether that’s through music, TV, or self-care.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful goes all the way back to third grade. I was that kid who was always in acting and dance classes, so when my school did a tap-dance version of The Lion King, I landed the role of Simba. And listen—my costume was everything. It was so good that when we got to Carson City Hall for the performance, they escorted me through the back so no one would see me before my cue.

When I finally walked onto that stage, I heard the crowd gasp. Then I tapped my little heart out to ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,’ and at the end I got a standing ovation. That was my first taste of what it felt like to have presence, to command attention, to move people. It was the first moment I realized, ‘Oh… I have something. And the world feels it too.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There have been plenty of times I wanted to give up — honestly, more times than I can count. One moment that really stands out was early in my battle rap career. Being openly gay in such a hypermasculine, often homophobic culture meant I wasn’t getting the same opportunities as everyone else. I wasn’t being booked for battles that would move me up the ranks, and it felt like the door was closed before I could even knock.

Eventually, I was given a battle against an artist named Perfecto — but only because they thought it would propel him, not me. The expectation was that he’d get in the ring, call me every slur in the book, and walk away with an easy win. When they introduced me, you can actually hear people in the crowd heckling, saying things like, ‘Let’s cut out all that gay shit.’

But what happened next changed everything. I didn’t go in there defending myself for being gay — I went in there purely as a competitor and attacked him like any other opponent. My performance and the message behind it went viral. That battle became the first one by an openly gay rapper to be put on pay-per-view, and people still reference it as a historic moment in battle rap. Not just for me, but for every queer rapper who came after.

That was the moment I realized: sometimes the battles meant to break you end up becoming the ones that build your legacy.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Honestly, yes — the public version of me is the real me. People who know me personally and people who’ve seen me on TV, on YouTube, on social media, or even on network shows all say the same thing: I’m consistent. I think I’ve been able to stay relevant and keep going because I’m not performing a persona — I’m just showing up as myself.

It’s hard to maintain anything that isn’t true to who you are, and I don’t have the energy to play a character in real life. So what you see is what you get with me — flaws, growth, confidence, vulnerability, all of it. I’d rather be authentic and connect with people than put on a mask I can’t keep up

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely. Most of the things I’ve pursued in my life, I did without praise — in fact, a lot of the time I had people around me actively discouraging me from doing them. But I’ve learned that you have to bet on yourself, even when no one else does.

Praise is nice, but purpose is better. And when you’re driven by something real inside you, you give your best because you believe in it — not because you’re waiting for applause.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.RoyaleFlyness.com
• Instagram: @Flykingi
• Twitter: @Flykingi
• Facebook: @Flykingi
• Youtube: @chasingreality
• Soundcloud: @Flykingi
• Other: Instagram- @royaleflyness
  TikTok- @royale.flyness