Markuann Smith was born and raised in Queens and Harlem, but his impact has extended far beyond the five boroughs of New York City. He has been on The Dave Chappelle Show, cult Hip-Hop classics like Juice and Poetic Justice, among other roles. He’s also the executive producer and one of the key creatives of popular drama Godfather of Harlem, which stars the incomparable Forest Whitaker. The show just started season three and continues to chronicle the life and times of infamous gangster Bumpy Johnson. Markuann plays Junie Byrd, one of Johnson’s heavies. The show expounds on the relationship between Malcolm X, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Bumpy as well as the Mafia.
In an exclusive interview with Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur, Markuann delves into the nuance of season three. But, he goes farther. Smith reveals he used to rap, one of the few artists signed to Whitney Houston’s record label and talks about the experience. He also discuss working with Swizz Beatz on the soundtrack of Godfather of Harlem and what they have in store musically with Jadakiss. Most importantly, Markuann shares how his story is one of resilience, perseverance and relentless pursuit of dreams.
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