Voice-over expert, Xavier Paul, has over 25 years of professional voice-over/on-camera experience with recent credits including new on air promo announcer for the NBA, narrator for the History Channel’s UFO Files, characters on the video game, Grand Theft Auto (San Andreas), new character on the animated series, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Additionally, Paul has held a host of other roles on such national network T.V. spots as Zocor (Heart Medication) featuring American football coach, Dan Reeves, Gatorade (featuring Michael Jordan), Burger King (featuring the Harlem Globetrotters), Reese’s Peanut Butter Puff‘s cereal, Colt 45 malt liquor, FootLocker and Pepsi to name a few.
Xavier says that being a voice over isn’t just about having a clear voice and range, it’s also about implementing acting principles to deliver on a variety of moods and adjective choices based on what the client is looking to achieve, and the emotion they want to instill in the listener.
To preview voice-over samples or to make a better first impression with your voice, visit www.coolvoiceradio.com
Emerging artists Ra Capone and Shay Swinga are poised to release their single, “Next First Kiss” off their BIG BOY MUSIC album, projected to drop January 11th, 2011 at all major music downloading portals including iTunes and Amazon.com, through Rama Music LLC. Without nary a celebrity endorsement or official record deal, the feedback to this project has been tremendous.
All of the songs on the album were written and produced by Capone and Swinga for the exception of Losing My Religion and Let’s Make a Baby, which were produced by Derek “D.O.A.” Allen, who also produced hit records for such artists as Tyrese, Dave Hollister, Slim [of 112] and Bobby Brown.
The duo’s humble beginnings with music are rooted in their past, making music in New York, where they were born. As teenagers these cousins experimented with beat-making and mixing in the basement of Swinga’s house, where they honed their production skills.
Swinga says, “I’ve been doing this since I was 14. It’s an art form that just pulls you in and makes you want more. What level can an artist reach with their project? I’d think to myself… That’s what makes it so unique. There’s no right or wrong answer. It’s just about what you feel and when you love what you do, it shows in everything you do.”
Capone and Swinga later relocated to California and Las Vegas, where they continued to cultivate the groundwork for the Big Boy project. While they appreciate how the culture has evolved, they believe hip-hop lacks the essence that it was built on.
“Now it’s turned into a look how much money I have game. No one really talks about anything of importance anymore…” says Capone.
They say they are returning to the music, what it gave to them: Life.
To hear samples off the highly anticipated album, visit Myspace.com/racaponenshayswinga
Widely recognized as the host of MTV’s Silent Library, audiences are waiting to see rising actor, Zero Kazama, expand into the mainstream media as one of the next-generation leaders for Asian-American actors.
Silent Library [a prank game show based on a popular Japanese series, in which a team is challenged to perform unusually hysterical tasks while trying to keep quiet] has already garnered a cult-status following, with many viewers calling it the replacement show for Jackass. Recently, Zero Kazama was featured as a clue to a trivia question on Jeopardy– another indicator of the show’s cultural relevance. He is currently filming the 4th season of Silent Library through December. 90 episodes will be completed by the end of the year.
Kazama is also well known for his role as one of the head weapons and martial arts experts on SPIKE’s hit show Deadliest Warrior (Yakuza vs. Mafia), where he demonstrates the brutal application of hand-held weapons in shooting a skull through the eye with a Walther P38 – a decommissioned, WWII handgun. Other film credits include Dark Island by Epic Pictures, where he acted as both the lead male and stunt coordinator, Fast Lane, where he was featured in a scene opposite Anthony Ray Parker, The Killing of John Lennon and various other roles in the indie film circuit.
Born in Japan, but raised in Hawaii, Kazama’s current direction is to act in feature films in a way that accurately portrays American Asians – in a way which is non-stereotypical, and removed from cultural and ethnic stigmas.
Genres Kazama is most interested in is sci-fi/action and fantasy. He says, “If I could get on Avatar 2, it would be a dream come true. I also admire everything that Zack Snyder (300) and Christopher Nolan (Inception) have made as well, to name a few directors. Even though some people may disagree, I think Transformers is awesome; I don’t care what people say, Michael Bay knows action.”
Being passionate about all facets of film, Kazama moved to L.A. in early ’07 and has since learned the crafts behind the camera in addition to acting. Shooting, directing and editing his own web series and films, Kazama specializes in material composed of artistic visuals, focused on action and movement. “I got tired of waiting for other people so I learned everything I could to make my own material,” says Kazama.
Working hard to make his own opportunities, Kazama has a feature film script written and many other projects in development. He is working with a team of other action-actors and says, “We just founded the group a while ago. We haven’t announced it yet, but we’re going to be doing some insane projects in the future.”
Having begun tae kwon do at the age of six, and learning other various disciplines of martial arts, Kazama was inclined to learn the stunt realm of the industry and has worked as a stuntman on projects such as ABC’s LOST, Tropic Thunder, NBC’s Chuck, and has just recently come back from Hawaii working on Hawaii 5-0, being hired as a parkour specialist.
In addition, Kazama has just wrapped on the feature film, Battleship, directed by Peter Burg (Hancock, The Rundown) starring singer, Rihanna, scheduled for 2012 release. Kazama says of his experience working with the pop star, “She’s really nice in person and said she wants to get on Silent Library, which would be awesome!” Kazama goes on to say about his stunt role in the film, “If they use most of what they shot, you’ll see a sequence where I repeatedly get the crap kicked outta me.”
Growing up on the islands, Kazama adapted what he knew from martial arts and combined it with Polynesian firedancing. ”I used to be a raver; it was just the natural progression from glowsticks; fire.” He uses a variety of fire-based weapons including staffs, nunchakus, swords and fire-meteors (giant fireball on a chain). He was the sole fire performer in Kelly Rowland and David Guetta’s combined music video, Love Takes Over, directed by legendary music video director, Jonas Ackerlund.
Zero describes himself as “A spiritual warrior, who finds inspiration in the details of life.” He currently resides in Santa Monica.
“Akua” means precious messenger and is a name given to girls born on Wednesday in Ghana, West Africa. Akua Taylor was born in Milwaukee, WIand was raised with Midwest values: She is opinionated, outspoken and regal.
Akua is the daughter of retired news anchorman Bill Taylor. Before reporting for almost 30 years at WTMJ4, Bill Taylor was a disk jockey. He had a basement full of classic soul records, a sound system to match, and frequent get-togethers that were legendary. Bill instilled the love of music in his children - the fundamentals of which stuck with Akua.
Classically trained in piano and vocally rooted in choral music, Akua set her sights on Fisk University in Nashville, TN to be one of the world’s renowned Jubilee Singers. Not only did she sing with the group, but she also reigned as Miss Fisk University 2004-2005.
Between classes, Akua wrote, recorded and produced her first album “Reach Higher,” selling it out of her dorm room, bookstores and everywhere she traveled. She promoted independent music on her campus radio show and performed regularly with area bands. Upon graduating Magna cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Akua recorded her EP “Just Tryin’ to Live,” and moved to New York to pursue her music and acting career full time.
It officially began for Akua at the Food 4 Thought Café in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. She sang at a “Liberation Friday” open-mic night and was enthusiastically embraced by the community. She has since performed at AIDS Walk 2008 in Central Park, and has opened for Emily King, Brand Nubian and M1 of Dead Prez.
Precious Messenger Productions - an appropriate name for her company - houses all creations of the singer, actress, dancer, songwriter, playwright, composer and motivational speaker.
People say she is refreshing, a breath of fresh air because she embodies manners that seem almost extinct with today’s youth. Many are amazed to see a young lady embrace her African culture so earnestly. Akua says, “I wear my heritage like it’s going out of style; it’s up to us to keep who we are alive.”
Voice-over expert, Xavier Paul, has over 25 years of professional voice-over/on-camera experience with recent credits including new on air promo announcer for the NBA, narrator for the History Channel’s UFO Files, characters on the video game, Grand Theft Auto (San Andreas), new character on the animated series, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
