Hip-hop artist B.A.M.’s latest venture has been generating a lot of buzz in Hollywood, but first, a quick introduction about the man using his musical credibility to bring some the truth to the silver screen.
Gerald Langston Whaley aka B.A.M. was mentored by legendary producer Prince Paul, who lived on the same block and noticed him rhyming at the park. He quickly took Gerald under his wing.
After befriending Dave of legendary rap group “De La Soul,” Dave and Paul introduced Gerald to Derek LA Jackson and Fran Spero of Russell Simmon’s “Rush Production Management”. Gerald was immediately signed which lead to his first recording contract with Columbia/Sony. He began recording his debut album entitled “The Coming…Coast II Coast” with production from Dr.Dre’s sidekick producer Mark Batson along with corporate sponsorship. Later on he recorded with Royce Da 5’9, Jamiroquai, Maxwell, Keith Murray, M.O.P. to name a few.
During his commercial success, his unfinished degree remained on his mind, and Gerald insisted upon receiving his degree while balancing his music career.
After graduating college, Gerald volunteered his time as an inner city group-home mentor and began to see the corruption and shady politics behind the group home system. Working with the youth was special and deeply impactful for Gerald, and he knew he would have to eventually shed light on the stories often found within group home walls.
Writing lyrics soon transitioned him into the art of writing for the silver screen. He discovered his passion for storytelling and began to improve his craft alongside his Actor/Writer friend, Jaime Zevallos. Their first screenplay “Tulum” was quickly sold to National Lampoons. With a new writing career blossoming, he formed his own film production company, War Machine Inc., and it was off to the races.
After several years of honing his screenwriting skills, he teamed up with Inn-A-Circle Productions to shoot the television pilot called “Shrader House,” starring Andre Royo of the HBO hit series “The Wire.” Also playing important roles in the project are the people behind the scenes, Producer Lyndon Brown, Philip Adkins, and Director Jack Bank.
“This is where his life really came full circle and art began to imitate life,” said Gerald in a brief interview on the set. To intermingle creativity with real issues and something personal, Gerald went back to his days of volunteering in the group home and bringing this subject to life. The TV project is entitled “Shrader House”, an action/drama focusing around underprivileged youth in a group home setting in “Do or Die” Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. The project zooms in on how street life and political corruption breaks down the system that is meant to rehabilitate society’s “Juvenile Delinquents.”
The pilot was recently seen by Hollywood veteran movie producer, Warren Zide (American Pie, Final Destination) and is now in development for the big screen. Gerald aka B.A.M. continues making music on a higher conscious level that is similar to his penmanship for the small and big screen.
