Marcus is the guy in the middle, I’m the dude on the edge. You know The Edge.
During my last adventure across the US of A, I explored what LA could
offer me during a short 5 day quickie. The answer is a fuck load.
I was quite fortuitous in my meeting of Marcus Smith III, who like
many in LA is deeply embedded in the entertainment industry. It
happened to be his birthday, and we met at a LA bar watching the
Redskins game, ( and we beat the Eagles, what a great day).
Not only does Marcus act, ( recently handpicked by Tyler Perry to
play the lead role of Ronald is his national touring stage play, “The
Marriage Counselor”), model, ( modeling in advertising campaigns
ranging from Nike, Adidas, Pepsi, and McDonald’s), but he also a
singer/song writer, which is what intrigued me the most.
We sat down and started talking about music. Like many, Marcus began
in the church, singing side by side with his 4 brothers and sisters,
little Jackson 5 thing going on almost. Obviously, always having some
passion for music, it never left his system, and when he was 23 years
old, he was in the studio with friend JB, who was playing with some
tunes, and Marcus just busted out in song, almost unconsciously. JB
was blown away, and that little bit of musical confidence was all
Marcus needed to begin writing on a more regular basis. He started to
write more and more, and is now writing for Shar Jackson’s up coming
album.
One thing about Marcus that stuck with me more than anything else was
his positivity and overall happiness and talking about music, and this
was most evident when he spontaneously started singing mid-convesaion.
His face lit up, his perfect smile went ear to ear, he looked as if
nothing could ever hold him down, because in his mind, nothing can.
And this was contagious, I could feel it also, whatever it was.
In 2001, while playing basketball at community college in CA, he was
on his way to practice and lost control of his car, which wound up
flipping 3 times and throwing him out of the sunroof, ( maybe
passenger window, he really has no idea) and into a ditch. More or
less, he actually walked away from this accident with out a scratch on
his entire body.
Are you kidding me? I replied in disbelief, especially by the way he
told the crash part of the story.
He says he felt as if someone or something guided him from the car,
through the air, laid him down ever so gently in that ditch, (away
from on coming traffic), and ensured his safety. Later that same day,
friend Mike Dixon, asked him if he planned on playing in tonight
game. After some thought he realized he had to. Despite his accident,
he was unharmed, he could play, so why wouldnt he? He did.
This lesson stuck with him, if you have the talent to do something,
use it, use yourself to your own full potential, it would be unjust
not to, a waste almost.
Marcus loves music, he loves everything else he does, but even more he
loves making others happy, he does this while fulfilling all his
potential. He claims there is too much negatively in the world, on the
news, he wants to spread the positivity and happiness.
So has created a TV show, that showcases athletes during the
offseason, using their time, money and energy for good, rather than
for evil as they are normally portrayed to us in the media. Aptly
titled “The Off Season”, episode 1 will feature NBA guard Kareem Rush,
and his aspiring musical career in hip/hop.
I try and learn and take away whatever possible from any situation,
and with help from Marcus, I have learned more about spreading
positive ideas, and energy, as well as always using your own skills
and talents to their full potential. No excuses, bc he sure didnt use
any. I wonder how many people Marcus has effected for the better
throughout his life? Surely, more then just me.
More about Marcus can be found on
I’ll leave you with what he left me with..
“Hide not your talents. For use they were made. Whats a sun dial in the shade?”
-Benjamin Franklin
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ttp://www.marcussmith3.com/
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ttp://www.marcussmith3.com/