Today we’d like to introduce you to Rashida Sheedz.
Rashida, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a born and bred Chicagoan and creative, comedic actress (sag-aftra), writer, performer, advocate, good human, friend and now podcaster. Striving to build, create my own all in goodness. (I have been featured in roles on Insecure season 2, Empire Season 3, Chicago PD, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and as of recently “A Black Lady Sketch Show”.)
I always joke around and say that it started in my mother’s womb because there isn’t a moment that I can’t remember not acting a fool, not performing, making someone laugh while speaking truth to power and wisdom. I’m light-filled. So everything I do is in goodness and light; comes from a good and positive place, as I always strive to be the change in this world, country and industry that I want to be and see. Especially as a Black woman in it all. While remembering to live and always being authentically my best self. I know who I am, and it’s not even flexing as much as it is just giving me permission to be myself.
Coming from humble beginnings in a single parent home in Chicago, my mother never had the time or money to fully invest in the talents everyone knew I had. I was always the smart yet extremely goofy kid. In every talent show in grade school either hosting it or winning it. I even only went to college because I felt like I had to; being a first-generation college graduate from Northern Illinois University. But that’s when the turning point came for me and I knew my purpose. Although I graduated with “The President’s Award” and was named “who’s who” among American colleges and universities; It was my comedic talents and unique voice that I was ALWAYS known for. I hosted EVERYTHING, Comedy shows, fashion shows, homecoming, you name it. The overall turning point was knowing what to do from there… that’s when “The Second City of Chicago” came into play and their Diversity department visited my college and gave us (Black Theatre Workshop) tix to a show that featured 2 of the first black men / people to ever perform on their stages and I didn’t even know this place existed but I ended up getting awarded a partial scholarship to their Training center where I was able to polish my craft and talents. Auditioned and completed both their conservatory & writing programs, became an alum of their House Co (in which I was only the 2nd or 3rd black woman to do so through that program, that’s nothing I’m proud of; just a glimpse of some of the challenges if you can imagine…)
I did the same at iO Chicago invested in my crafts and talents and putting up shows of my own. It was at these places where I was in the company and inspired by folks like my brother “Chris Redd” (I knew him before since I was 17 but he encouraged me to come there), Katie Rich, and even during the same time as alot of my peers who are also now made names for themselves or too on the rise like….Dewayne Perkins, Lisa Beasley, 3Peat, many of which I work with today. Once I didn’t want to play the waiting game anymore and felt confident in myself and knew that my talents and writing would make room for me. I began doing shows all over Da Chi and even traveled some. Doing stand up, or improv, and just writing daily. All this while working three jobs AND being a Mentor Advocate for Chicago Public High School Students on Chicago’s south side. This was a job that I took very seriously because I too was once those kids. I had 99% success rate with transitioning teens from Julian High School to college. It is where I’m from and things like this, why I go so hard on my dreams and dreamwork.
After 4-5 years of mentoring and working three other jobs while all awhile grinding it out on the Chicago comedy scene, I felt it was time to grow and branch out, so being accepted as a writer for the 2017 CBS Comedy showcase in LA (in which things were different then lol) I knew this would be my way to grow out Bigger. And this coming from a person who is so Chicago and always said how much I would never want to go. All awhile I left and carried that same grit, hustle and grind with me. During some hiccups in the showcase I still was auditioning and booking things and just really on some Chance the Rapper shit; “doing me and doing things my way (No agents, No manager, Not because I didn’t want one, but because I just didn’t have those things and I am very strategic and align with purpose.), while being my best and most authentic self. I stood out, I spoke different, shit was weird here but I was/finding my way.
Since being here two years now, I have set many waves for myself as I am becoming grounded and on the rise. I have opened and done shows with comedians such as Arsenio Hall, Chris Redd, Hannibal Burress, Aida Rodriguez, Dewayne Perkins, Melissa Villaseñor, I’ve won Amanda Seales “Smart Black & Funny” 2018 Chicago tour dates where she asked me to be apart, and even toured with Cecily Strong for a summer. Comedically acting, storying telling, creating while lifting through love and light is my passion, it’s my purpose and I’m making a name and lane for MYSELF. In any and every way possible but always being strategic, an only moving with PURPOSE.
Which lead to SUMMER 2019 was the launch of Season 1 of my Podcast “Adjust The Crown” (which is available on Apple iTunes, Spotify & Soundcloud.). Which is a live 45min – hour pop culture podcast hosted by me “Rashida Sheedz” that covers everything from hot topics, pop culture to politics with a positive and comedic spin. Each show having a celebrity guest and by the end of the show I’m giving insight on how to “Adjust Your Crown” a figure of black vernacular on how to be your best self, hacks and light-filled advice. The first season got over 100,000 listens and over 30,000 downloads. It’s a movement. This is just one platform I have created for myself but much more to come. It’s just time. I am indeed a hidden gem and I’m truly walking into my season, folks gonna get this black girl magic whether they like it or not.
Has it been a smooth road?
Like everything in life it’s been ups and downs and in between spaces. Like I guess throughout the process, I’ve just learned through growth how to navigate through it all and not to get caught up in any of it. For example, I use to consider myself the #1 hustler, but over time that can get draining, so now I work smart and I align. So even on my low days or in between days I know to have my moment but not to get caught up in it or to stay down. Keep it moving after I have my day of struggles. But of course, there are financial struggles (so many of those and hardships with work) and family woes back home (my mother is not in the best health and still had to work and I help from afar) and there sometimes can be struggles with people especially in this industry and especially when you are genuine and kind like myself. So many people aren’t used to that, and I’m so upfront and transparent with it so it can startle some; I use to let it bother me, and sometimes I use to find myself dimming my light or playing small. But not anymore; because what good does that do anyone? When in reality, you just have to find your people though out the process or they will find you and you carry on being your best self.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The next 5-10 years “SHEEDZ’ is gonna be a household name, I see BIGGER happening already because the shifts have already begun; even with the circle of people around me, I see my podcast being on Revolt TV in partnership with Diddy and being as big as The breakfast club. I will either have my own show or working and writing on one very soon, I’d say within the next year or so, because I am doing the work have BEEN doing the work and planting good seeds and treating myself and folks well, genuinely; and that is a game changer too.
The glow up will be and is real. Hidden gem no more. Thank you Voyage LA so much for this wonderful opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2246 Tracy Terrace
Los Angeles, CA 90027 - Phone: 773-301-9017
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @rashidasheedz
- Facebook: Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola
- Twitter: @rashidasheedz
Image Credit:
David Muller Photography
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