JUST T-Boy

Although friends with him on Facebook for quite some time, his name fascinated me enough to want to see what he was about. Finally, Just T-Boy performed the finale for Get Out! magazine’s holiday party, and he was beyond awesome! Tall, dark and sexy, he brought down the house with his high-energy performance. Having just recorded an album and two singles, he is about to become a movie star in a six-year documentary project. I found him extremely professional, extraordinarily captivating and about so much more than I thought.

So, Just T-Boy, how did you get that name?
It’s a nickname. I got in high school. I did a bunch of talent shows back in middle school and high school, and one of the first celebrities that ever gave me inspiration is a group called TLC.  The lead singer of that group is where my name came from.

And what’s the lead singer of that group named?
Her name is T-Boz, and mine is T-Boy.

What’s your real name?
Myles.

Myles what?
Johnson, from Miami, Florida.

I love Miami.
I’m a Miami boy.

How long have you been an entertainer?
Performing – oh, gosh – I’m just gonna say 20 years. That’s when I started doing it in the gay arena, in bars and clubs, when I started doing stuff like that. It was 20 years ago. I started performing in a bar in Miami called Twist.

That’s my favorite South Beach bar.
My friends run the place, and they’re just incredible, and that’s where I got my start. My first performance ever was there.

So what is it exactly that you do performance wise?
“Androgynous sex-rock,” an avant-garde, fetish show. At the end of the day, first and foremost I’m a performer. I’ve always been a performer. I come from a family of performers. My mom did everything from modeling to acting to DJing in a radio station in college at Florida State. My cousin was a rapper; my cousin was actually the reason that I moved to New York. I moved to New York wanting to record an album. That’s been my life’s dream … to record a full album, 10 to 12 songs, and to put this music out, and to have some original music. I love rock ‘n’ roll, so I’ve always had an ear for it. I moved to New York in 2002, and from that day, I’ve been pursuing that dream of recording an album, which I did.

Nice!
I have two singles now that are on ITunes. I just put my second single up on iTunes actually at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. That’s what I am. I’m a performer.

So where can one find you if they want to see you perform?
Wherever I can get a gig! The last time I performed was at the Get Out! Magazine Holiday Party. I’m very picky with where I perform. I have a few performances in the works with the Gabanna Girls, my dancers.

And you were amazing!
Thank you. Other than that I’m really focusing on getting the music out, and I also have a movie coming out this year. A documentary that my friend did.

What’s the name of it?
Yeah, it’s called “Black Velvet,” directed by Tobias Daniels.

When is it coming out?
It’s coming out sometime in March I believe. He’s going to send it to all the film festivals.

That’s the way to go.
Yeah, it’s been a six-year project. We’ve been filming for six years, internationally, from New York to Miami to LA to Amsterdam to Berlin and back to New York City. So we just wrapped the movie at the end of June of last year. We had a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to get me and the director and the crew and my dancers over to Germany, and we met our goal. We had a lot of help from friends and family, AFROPUNK and CNN. We were filming for six years. So what I’m trying to do this year is release my album and my movie at the same time.

How exciting.
I love to perform and DJ.

So you’re a DJ also?
My first gig was at a bar called The Slide. It used to be a really cool place, a lot of drag performers. I’ve DJ’d at every single bar in NYC, every one, just name it. I was at Therapy in Hell’s Kitchen for five years. I’m at Boots and Saddle now going on my second year, which is just great. I love DJing. I love music. I come from music.

There’s a lot more to you than I knew.
My album is called “Acquired Taste.” I’ve been recording for eight years on the album. One of the main reasons I went to Germany was to test the waters and see how the music goes over there. It’s a completely different crowd. They are open to alternative sex, alternative love, and it was just amazing. The audiences were great, the music. I’m actually going to record one of my songs in Germany in the next few months.

I’m impressed with you.
Thank you.

So is there anything else that you’d like to promote?
Just my two singles on iTunes: “Magnificent Soul” and “Lick My Boots.”

Lastly: What’s your favorite color?
Red.

blackvelvetthemovie.com

Photo by Thomas Evans