FRESH FACES: Actor Tyler Lepley and musician Daniel Marley are rising stars to watch
RUNS IN THE FAMILY: "I choose to dedicate my life to making conscious music, and I look forward to to delivering positive vibes to a global audience," offers Daniel Bambaata Marley, a grandson of the late reggae icon Bob Marley (and Ziggy's first born), about his approach to his craft. So far he seems to be on the right track. Since embarking on a solo career in 2009, Daniel has not only dropped noteworthy singles ("My Girl", "Treat You Right"), he's also collaborated with his Grammy-winning uncle Junior Gong (who included him on the recent Set Up Shop compilation) and independently released a debut album called 2 Feet, which engages listeners with his admirably fresh take on roots-reggae fused with everything from hip-hop to rock to dub.
Up next: the 24-year-old, who has a sophomore album in the works, will spend a great deal of his summer giving live shows with his band in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, among other cities. >> Take a listen to Daniel's jaunty track "The Days."
QUIET FORCE: With his mix of natural talent, obvious smarts and rugged handsomeness, Tyler Lepley, a Jamaican-Italian rising star, is set on making his mark in Hollywood. Already, he's caught the attention of industry power players like his namesake Tyler Perry, who cast him in The Haves and The Have Nots, a heated family drama now in its debut season on the OWN Network. "I consider myself a life explorer, but most people would recognize me as an actor," says the Philly-raised Leply (in a recent Essence.com interview), who has banked screen time in Baggage Claim and 90210.
He doesn't hesitate to thanks his folks for their unwavering support in nurturing his boyhood aspirations. "I'm a big dreamer, and growing up in Philly, it started to feel as if my dreams were being suffocated," the 26-year-old confesses. "But what was best about my childhood are my parents. I have the best parents in the world. They always have my back." As for his passion for acting, he observes, "For me, it starts as an actor, but it's a tool to be able to have an effect on the world." >> Check out the trailer for The Haves and The Have Nots
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