Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelvin “KT” Taylor.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kelvin “KT”. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Well, I got my start in the business of music at 18. I was doing some amateur boxing, then made up my mind that music was a little bit safer and something I enjoyed doing the most. I was a freshman at Long Beach City College when I sang on a demo. Music producer Dominic “Romeo” Aldridge heard it, and we connected from there. Together we formed the music production team ‘100% Legit Entertainment’. I play a variety of instruments such as bass, guitar, drums, and keys, but I believe my songwriting skills are my strongest gift. We collaborated together on a blend of “hip pop” as we called it, and came up with some pretty cool tracks.
As God would have it, the first demo we EVER produced together, we ended up running into Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds on Sunset Blvd. and giving it to him. He called back the very next day! About a week later, we found ourselves being picked up by a stretch limo and flown to Atlanta. When we arrived at the airport, we were met by Tommy Henderson, Kenny’s good friend from childhood. He drove us straight to Alpharetta, GA to LA Reid’s home/studio. We walked in and were warmly greeted by Kenny and LA. They were actually working with Jermaine Jackson at the time, whom we also met, as well as their other writing/production partner Daryl Simmons.
We ended up staying at Kenny’s estate, which was right down the street. He actually lived in a condo in Atlanta mostly at the time because he was in the process of selling his property, but we saw him every day. It was pretty surreal to see all the gold and platinum records he collected lined up on the walls. The duo LA and Babyface had just launched LaFace Records, and we were selected to work with their second act, TLC, to be released from their label . I started writing songs with Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes (R.I.P.), and Perri Reid (Pebbles). It was short- lived due to contractual differences, and I later signed a publishing agreement with SDMA/Warner Chappell Music as a songwriter/producer.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with several acts such as TLC, Tupac, Coolio, Da Brat, Eric Benet, Dawn Robinson, Lighter Shade Of Brown, and more. Being raised in the church, I felt a strong pull as I was drifting away from my foundation, so I basically walked away from the secular music game and started
writing and producing gospel. I was an artist, one of the main producers, and Associate Producer for Elephas Records ‘Nu Gospel Compilation’. My debut album entitled ‘About My Father’s Business’ was completed and set to be released when the record company folded. I spent a whole year putting my project together, so that really knocked the wind out of my sails. After that, I really just started being a regular dude for a minute, working a 9-5 for close to two years. The passion to create music began to bubble over again, and I put together a live band called “Echelon”. We’d play all types of venues and occasions. From there, I worked on a couple of film projects as Music Supervisor. One film was ‘Father’s Of The Sport’ and the other was ‘What’s Done In The Dark’, both produced by X Mitchell and Providence Films. I did a little acting in a stage play called “You’re All I Need To Get By- the Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terell Love Story” directed by the late great Michael Ajakwe, who was a writer on the Martin show. I played Melvin Franklin of The Temptations which was a great experience. I got to meet and work with some very talented people.
I then partnered with Shamicka Lawrence to form the management company “F8TH Unit”. After our split, I formed “The Mentortainment Group, LLC.” TMG is a company focused on not just entertaining people, but actually making a positive difference, ala MENTORtainment. I got into artist management and repped a few clients from comedians, models, film directors, to musicians. I’m very proud of the charity work we’ve done with the Boys and Girls Club in the city of San Bernardino, and also the benefit comedy showcases we’ve done to raise both awareness and money for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Los Angeles at the World Famous Hollywood Store. (see link for footage) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmz0r11q0yQ
TMG is currently in pre-production of two feature films, ‘Way Out Of Bounds’, and ‘Rise Of The Tarragon’. We’re in development of two more entitled, ‘The Night’, and ‘High Score’. We’re also in the final stages of launching my very own television channel called “Music 365” on the XMG, Valiant Eagle Inc. platform, so I’ve been staying pretty busy.
Great, 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?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. I lost my father to cancer back in 2002, and went through a divorce shortly after. I received full custody of our three boys, so I was a single father for a while, just grinding it out. God definitely saw us through it all. I got into coaching basketball, football, and worked the graveyard shift so I would be around for my kids to participate in sports, etc.
Please tell us about The Mentortainment Group, LLC.
The Mentortainment Group, LLC was founded in 2013. We specialize in entertainment with integrity, ala family-oriented films and television. What sets TMG apart from others is that we’re more than an entertainment company. God gave me the name MENTOR-tainment for a reason. He set us apart to provide top-shelf content without compromising values, so that’s our focus and goal.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memories from childhood would have to be growing up with my friends. I have 5 of the most outstanding friends/brothers you could ask for. We really kept each out of trouble and accountable. We’re still all very close to this day. I lost 1 of my older brothers (Marvin) at an early age, but I gained 5 more. We use to play basketball for hours, try to see who could get the most girl’s phone numbers, video gaming, and our weekly routine was killing doughnuts and pizza. The good ol’ days…
Contact Info:
- Website: tmntgrp.com
- Email: [email protected]
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