Matthew Johnson – Stay motivated. Stay positive

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Hello Simone! Thank you for coming to meet me.”  I was surprised by this young man’s demeanour the first time I met him. I have to admit, I have my thoughts about millennial’s, but this young man was going to prove me wrong. I met him initially to see if he was a good fit for our Classic Man series, and not only was he a good fit, he exceeded everything that was expected.

My second encounter with Matthew (who also goes by MUJ) was our phone interview. He had graciously made time to speak with me even though he had just got off a plane from Chicago. We will get to why he was there in a moment, but let us take a trip back in time and learn about the journey of a rising star, and spectacular talent.

His ever-cool demeanour and relaxed attitude does not give away the fact that this young man is seasoned in the entertainment industry. He has opened up for the likes of Buju Banton, Lil Wayne, Hip Hop artist Man, Cash Out, and Pop/EDM group the Cataracs. He has appeared in the Grammy Award Winning band Steel Pulse music video “The Door of No Return.” He has acted in “The Sophomore,” which starred Bruce Willis, the movie “Fighting,” the W.B.’s “Gossip Girl,” daytime televisions “One Life to Live,” and the film “Nights of Prosperity.” And to think; this young man is not even 30 years old yet. Toronto Caribbean Newspaper is proud to present our Classic Man, Matthew Johnson

Matthew’s journey begins in New York City. Staten Island to be exact. If the place sounds familiar, it is because you might remember it being home to the famous Hip Hop group, the Wu Tang Clan. His mom (Jamaican born), and dad (American native born in Manhattan), met and settled down to have their family in New York. In 1990, they welcomed Matthew into the world, and like many musical geniuses, Matthew’s talent was noticed almost immediately. “My mom being Jamaican, and my dad being American have played an important role in my love for music. I can still remember dancing and singing at family events as a young child.”

Matthew was 13 years old when he decided that he was going to pursue his musical career. “I had started to attend St. Peter’s Boys High School. I remember that my very first manager’s name was Beamont Montgomery. She had managed popular groups before (Soul 4 Real, Bones Thugs and Harmony), so I trusted that she would represent me well.  I was about 15 years old when I became part of a group called Mixed. The group was musically and ethically diverse; I think it was why we had some moderate success. We did shows around the city, but after awhile, I think I just outgrew the group. I really wanted to pursue my musical career seriously, and they did not have the drive that I did, so Beamont started to personally manage me.”

After high school, Matthew decided to attend university. “My parents were always very supportive of my love for music. All they asked of me was to get a solid education so that I would have something to fall back on.”  He honoured his parent’s request and completed his schooling. Upon completion, he decided to really take his acting and singing seriously. It was then that his parent’s decided to relocate the family to El Paso. Matthew’s father had completed his medical residency there, and he thought it would be a good move for the family.

After living in El Paso for a while, Matthew decided to make one of his biggest moves yet. Hollywood. “Hollywood was crazy. It is everything that they say it is. I met a lot of interesting people there. My manager while I was in Hollywood was Sheri Marcy. She had some really good connections, and she introduced me to Willy Norwood (Brandy’s Father), and Verdine White from Earth, Wind, and Fire. There are a lot of sharks in the industry. I had to be taught how to survive when I was there, so I have always been thankful of Sheri for what she did for me. Hollywood had a lot of tricksters. They would sell you a dream. Some people were actually homeless, but yet, they would come meet me in a limo. It was all about selling you pipe dreams. I had to learn how to navigate those people.” While Matthew was in Hollywood, he ended up doing some commercials. One commercial in particular ran for two years; it was a United States Military Commercial. “I enjoyed myself when I was in Hollywood, but after a while, I knew that it was time to return to El Paso.”

When Matthew returned to El Paso, his time in Hollywood had given him clout; so now the press in El Paso started to pay closer attention to him. This sudden increase in attention is what got him verified on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms. “Not only was I getting more interviews, and features in prominent local newspapers, I also made appearances on popular television shows in El Paso: Buenos Diaz Juarez, and CBS4 at Noon are the two that I was most proud of.” His newfound fame allowed him to cross over to the Spanish speaking market. When this happened, he started mixing reggae and Latin vibes.

Most recently, Matthew ventured out to England, and has finally made his way to Canada. Since he has been here, he has signed with new management and has just returned from recording a new single with Maxamillion (Grammy nominated, and Grammy award winning producer). He will be coming out with an EP soon, and this young man does not look like he is going to stop. “The one thing I would tell new musicians is to stay unique to yourself. Stay positive. Stay motivated, and help others on the rise. Helping others helps you get back tenfold.“