The star of Super Fly's reboot
discusses his journey through
music, dance and film.
At 22-years-old, Trevor Jackson is already finding himself at a career intersection. The singer, dancer and actor, who recently made as the lead in Director X’s first feature length film, is also working on his second studio album. The album, a long term labor of passion, has been years in the making and represents Jackson’s personal and public growth. For the rising talent, the thrill of creating on his own terms and the desire to conquer every form of artistry drives every action. Jackson believes he can and will have it all, so he sits back and embraces the journey.
“He’s a gangster but he’s really more like a brain surgeon,” says Trevor Jackson of his latest role as the shadowy aspiring kingpin Youngblood Priest in Director X’s reboot of the 1972 blaxploitation classic Super Fly. Reclining on a cafe bench in Burbank, California, sporting an age-worn tie-dye shirt, ripped jeans and a baseball cap, Jackson’s guileless grin and easy demeanour seem at odds with a character as calculated, emotionally reserved, and when necessary, brutal, as Priest.
Still, the Indianapolis native’s portrayal of the pompadour sporting cocaine courier isn’t without charisma, or, as the film’s critic-maligned shower threesome seemed determined to prove, sex appeal. “It was actually freezing,” Jackson confessed. “We couldn’t have hot water because it would have steamed up the glass.” Yet in spite of Priest’s ever-present brooding glare, which somehow feels appropriate in relation to his impressive collection of black turtlenecks, Jackson manages to inject the character with just enough charm to make viewers take an active interest in seeing him outsmart his opponents. Even if the plot doesn’t always make the minutiae of the how he does it clear.
Jackson will also be familiar to fans of Grown-ish, the collegiate spin-off of Kenya Barris’s Black-ish. His role as Aaron, a sophomore at the fictional Cal University, sees his charm offensive directed toward lead Zoey, played by Yara Shahidi. After wrapping a successful first season in March, the evolution of the duo’s relationship is anyone’s guess, but that’s arguably a very good thing for Jackson. In June, the actor, who has been recording music since he was 14, released the single and self-directed music video for “Right Now,” which will appear on his forthcoming album, Rough Drafts Part II.
While appearances in Superfly, Grown-ish, American Crime and Burning Sands have cemented Jackson as part of a new guard of young Hollywood talents to watch, music remains a form of catharsis, and a singular creative expression that acting cannot fulfill. “Music feels so personal because when I act I’m becoming another character and going outside of myself,” explained Jackson. “My music, especially on the new project, is so specific to me that it’s sort of my way of working through things,” said Jackson.
On the heels of Superfly and ahead of the release of Rough Drafts Part II, HYPEBEAST sat down with Jackson to chat about his career beginnings,
inspirations and how he balances music and acting.
"All of these people you work with at labels are always like,
‘it has to be this’ or ‘it has to be that’, and I think it’s OK for something to not be perfect the first time."
There’s a YouTube video of you tap dancing at the Apollo Theatre when you were super young. You’ve obviously been at this for awhile. How did you get your start?
I started tapping when I was three. Growing up, I really loved Gregory Hines - he and Michael Jackson were the two guys I wanted to be. When I saw Gregory Hines in Bojangles I was like wait, he’s dancing, acting and singing? I wanted to do that too. When I was seven, I auditioned for a Christmas program, which was my first equity show. I did that show for three months out of the year for about two years. When that was over I was told I should audition for young Simba in the The Lion King. My mom took me to audition in Chicago and we found out I was too young. They wanted me to be nine; I was eight, but I still got the part out of 5,000 kids. That experience really changed my perspective because as a kid I got to travel to almost every major city in the US. We had to be there for at least four weeks at a time. From eight to eleven I did over 800 shows. After that, we moved to LA and I started auditioning for more TV stuff.
It’s funny that they thought you were too young to play Simba because the same thing happened with Superfly, which you also got.
Yeah, they didn’t want me at first but I kept telling my agent I’d audition again and lower my voice if I needed to [laughs]. The way it finally happened was I went to Joel Silver’s house and brought my script with me. I came in ready to read and then he was like, ‘So, do you want to do this movie with us?’ I was like, ‘Yeah…” And then he just said, ‘Ok cool, well you’re in it. I just wanted to meet you face to face.’ That was pretty mind-blowing.
That must have felt like you’d come a very long way. Speaking of, do you remember your first
TV role?
It was on Cold Case. I played this kid called Turbo, he was like a tagger guy. I jump over a building and fall down and you know, die. After that I did Criminal Minds and then Eureka on the Sci-Fi channel for three years. When that finished I did Harry’s Law with Kathy Bates, and after that I went to Disney. Disney was a cool situation for kid me because I got to meet a lot of really talented people. When I was fifteen I also got signed to Atlantic Records and was with them for five years.
How did the Atlantic signing happen?
I had been meeting with a bunch of labels at the time and Atlantic sold me the best dream so I went with them After awhile I felt like I was kind of just following orders. It was very much a situation where they were trying to develop someone they didn’t quite know what to do with. Before I left I did an album called In My Feelings, which was really just me trying to be more involved in the writing and creative process.
What was your next move?
I recorded Rough Drafts Part I in my living room. That was was the first time I was able to write just about every record on the song, pick the beats, all of that. Rough Drafts represented that I wasn’t perfect. All of these people you work with at labels are always like, ‘it has to be this’ or ‘it has to be that’, and I think it’s OK for something to not be perfect the first time. Imperfection is just a step to get you where you’re supposed to be, so I embrace the rough drafts.
Right before I got American Crime I was going to quit acting. I was auditioning for Snowfall at that time. I auditioned around nine times and didn’t get it so I was kind of just like, ‘alright, I guess I’m done.’
Did you ever consider quitting acting for music, or vice versa?
Right before I got American Crime I was going to quit acting. I was auditioning for Snowfall at that time. I auditioned around nine times and didn’t get it so I was kind of just like, ‘alright, I guess I’m done.’ And then the American Crime audition came up and I didn’t really want to go, but my mom was like, ‘just go, just do it.’ On my way back from the audition I get a call and they’re like they want to bring you back for network.’ I ended up getting that and it rekindled my love acting again. Being able to watch Tim Hutton, Felicity Huffman and Regina King and see how they work was very inspiring.
HB: Grown-ish is a bit more light-hearted than Superfly and some of your other roles. How did that come about?
I met Kenya [Barris] at Sundance and he was like we should work on something. Everybody says that, but he really did hit me up. Before that I had been talking to God and just telling him that I really appreciated all of the jobs I was getting, but I just wanted to laugh at work one day. American Crime deals with rape and then Burning Sands is basically me getting whooped on every day because I’m crossing in a fraternity. I just wanted to do some fun shit
Does directing your own music videos fall under the umbrella of “fun shit”?
Honestly, it was something I wanted to do once I realized things were stalling. There was a lot of waiting when I would have directors do it. They’d send me a cut, I’d send back notes and we’d just be going back and forth forever. I figured I could cut out the middleman and do it myself. I’ve been on so many sets, and I also love movies. I watch movies more than anybody I know. People hate being around me because I’ll say something and be like, ‘what movie is that from.’ I know what I like and I know what I don’t like. I think that as long as you know those two things you can create content.
"[DIRECTING] was something I wanted to do once I realized things were stalling...
I’d send back notes and we’d just be going back and forth forever. I figured I could cut out the middleman and do it myself."
Which video is your favorite child?
“Good Enough” because I think it’s special as far as the shots and camera angles go. It has that mobster-ish “You Rock My World” kind of vibe to it - it was definitely an ode to Michael for sure. I actually made the record for Superfly but in the end they didn’t use it so I just made my own video.
What’s next for Trevor Jackson?
I’m working on my new project Rough Drafts Part II, so you can expect some dope features on there. I can’t say who yet though. There are a lot more club bangers on this one than the last one. I think that’s just because of my age and where I go. I’m always at events and parties so I’m kind of channeling that spirit; there’s solid five or six like that, and then a solid five or six that are about relationships. I have a song called “On Purpose” that’s basically talking about how people sometimes hurt each other on purpose. Another one is called “Rolling Stone” and it’s about a girl who came to LA and lost who she was.
Trevor wears Willy Chavarria trench and Amiri pants, c/o The Webster.
Trevor wears Raf Simons coat and Christian Dior sweater, c/o The Webster.
Trevor wears Willy Chavarria bomber, Calvin Klein 205W39NYC tee and Balmain jeans, c/o The Webster.