Markuann Smith

Age: 46

From a very young age, Markuann Smith knew that failure was not an option, and always used that as his motto. Born in Harlem, New York, Markuann spent a majority of his time in Queens, attending Far Rockaway High School and, later on, Garden State Academy. Considered a "no man's land", Far Rockaway was certainly a learning experience. While the average kid was going away to camp, Markuann and his peers were pouring out liquor and hoping to survive the tough summers.

While the streets were rough, his household did not offer much of an escape. Markuann's mother worked three jobs to maintain their lifestyle, so in a sense he raised himself. His resentment caused him to rebel and he bumped heads with his stepfather quite often. Because of these actions, Markuann's mother kicked him out of the house at a very young age, forcing him to mature faster than he anticipated.

While it seemed that all hope was lost, reprieve presented itself at the perfect time. While in high school, Markuann's brother, Father M.C., got a record deal with Uptown MCA records - one of the most popular Hip Hop and R&B labels of the early 1990s - at the start of the New Jack Swing era. He began touring - taking Markuann with him - exposing Markuann to the likes of Tupac, Toni Tony Tone, Digital Underground and Boyz II Men to name a few.

He started off as a roadie where Sean "Diddy" Combs - who went from intern to top executive at the label - taught him how to be a hype man and get the crowd excited. It was then that Markuann truly caught the entertainment bug. Upon returning home from tour, he attended Morgan State University where he minored in Theater.

Although the tour triggered the bug, Markuann always had a passion for acting. As a child, he was exposed to many different types of films because he spent a lot of time alone at home, and movies were a constant companion. This exposure nurtured his love for the craft of film, as he considered those movies an escape from his reality.

He worked very hard, and his dedication has paid off. Markuann has had roles on the "Chapelle Show", as well as movies such as "Juice", "Poetic Justice" and "Code Blue", and the award-winning short film "A Good Day to Die". He has also hosted the All Hip Hop TV segment on the AllHipHop.com website, and was recently tapped to be featured in the upcoming VH-1 series starring rapper Pepa, entitled "Let's Talk About Pep". Markuann's ultimate goal is to move people: whether its to laugh to cry, it's all about the emotional connection.