Today we’d like to introduce you to Clifford McGhee.
Clifford, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey began at 14 years old back in St Louis, Missouri. I was 14 years old when my mother died suddenly. It was a hit that I still have yet to understand, even on this present day. I knew back then that I did not want to live the rest of my life in the environment that I grew up in, especially without anyone guiding my steps. I found that I had a little something “special” when it came to entertainment. I was good when I auditioned for a school play, decent when I would rap on lunch breaks, horrible at singing (I even got kicked out of a church choir, lol), and I was really good at dancing. So, dancing was what I chose to focus on, being that it was the easiest available thing to do. In St. Louis, the skating rink is part of the culture; most of the skating rinks have a club/dance room in them. I was ALWAYS in the dance room. I and 3 friends started a dance group called the Hy-Steppaz; we competed in talent shows throughout the city and won most if not all, except for our very first one. Even then, I knew I wanted more. With no dance classes or proper training under my belt, I was determined to use one of my gifts as a way out the city before my 18th birthday. At about 18 years old in 1999, I bought myself a one-way Greyhound bus ticket to LA. My only solid plan was to stay with a friend named “RoRo” who was an amazing dancer and choreographer himself. All I had was the clothes on my back a small duffle of underwear, and another pair of sweats and shirts. I was fortunate enough for him to invite me to a rehearsal that he was having for Ginuwine. During their lunch break, I went into the room and just danced to the music, this was during the “100% Ginuwine” Album, there wasn’t much bigger than him at that time. After lunch, Roro comes back and asked me, “What did you do!?”. I told him I did nothing but just vibe in the room, no one was in there. I was nervous that I did something wrong or that I shouldn’t have been in there. I asked him what I did wrong. He told me that Ginuwine was watching me dance from a double-sided mirror and that he was told to fire someone because Ginuwine wanted me to dance with him. Needless to say, I was more shocked than anyone. I had zero idea about anything I was around or about to encounter. But that belief, leap of faith, and a few good people who believed in me as well is what kicked everything off. By the time my high school graduation was to happen, I was on Jay Leno with Ginuwine! From there, I studied and learned while on the job and within two years, had worked with Janet Jackson, Cristina Aguilera, Missy Elliot, Will Smith, was in the movie You Got Served, and so much more. I toured and assisted in choreography with Beyonce for The Beyonce Experience Tour. My career has taken many twists and turns. I was signed as an artist to Clive Davis’ J Records for a few years. My rap career was short-lived, but I recorded songs with Akon and 3LW and worked with producers like No. ID who believed in my music as an artist. Looking back, other than not having the best team while pursuing music, I believe the biggest lesson learned was that I just did not know who I was at the time. I could get a lot deeper on that, but I’ll continue. Back to dance, I go! After touring with Beyonce, living in Japan touring with a A.I (a Japanese artist) started working with Ne-Yo. Our friendship and comradery inspired his “Libra Scale” album. He called us “The Gentlemen”. During this experience I found my passion for acting. I went on to pursue acting and booked some really good guest star roles on shows like Chicago PD, Castle, Weeds, had a recurring role, and an NBC sitcom called Crowded. During this time, a friend of mine named Courtney Miller Jr. was in film school. He called me to do his short film which was a Hip Hop Musical called “Repairations”. This short film went on to win several awards and got the attention of some people who saw the talent in our chemistry as writers and Actor/Director duo. Abbey McDonald is one of those people. Not only is she an amazing manager, she also helped me land my first film as a writer. Since then, I’ve written several TV movies for Lifetime, Bounce, and TvONe. I realized that at one point, I believed I had to pick one gift to focus on, but my life has been so much better since I’ve embraced them all! Most recently, while writing on another project I plan to shoot independently, I was part of Usher’s Las Vegas Residency from the very first show to the very last. Most recently I performed in the Super Bowl Halftime show with Usher. Talk about twists and turns and allowing the universe to do its thing!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not been smooth. The only thing smooth about being an entertainer/entrepreneur is the look of it, IF you’re good at that, lol! There have been several growing pains along the way. Filing taxes, knowing how to handle rejection, learning to not celebrate a job until it’s over is a major one. I’ve definitely booked a pilot before and found out the morning I was to fly out that they decided to go with someone else who was local. That hurts, especially after you’ve already signed the paperwork and see how much money you would make. Balancing personal relationships is also hard. I had my daughter Genesis when I was 23. Being a father who wanted to be at every event all the time, I had to really balance my emotions with the blessings of work and being away because all it takes is an empty calendar to realize that you can’t pay your rent or car note the next month. Consistency is the hardest thing to keep in this business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an actor, writer, dancer and choreographer. I am known for my powerful stage presence, versatility in acting roles and being a man of many talents. I am most proud of proving to myself that using all of your gifts will only help you. Not limiting myself so that others can box me into something that is linear for their own comprehension. I am unafraid to be multifaceted.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is simple. Do I love my life and the journey I’m on in pursuit of my dreams? No matter my financial situation, my job title, number on a call sheet or position on a stage. If I can answer “Yes”. That to me is the is success.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Clifford_McGhee
Image Credits
Johnny Lavallee
Bellamy Brewster
