30 Sep

Encouraging Kids To Be Themselves with Kenneth Kellogg

Kenneth Kellogg Fatherhood Is Lit #FatherhoodIsLit

How do you get your kids to be themselves?

Growing up, my dad would always tell me to take pride in who I am.

He was my biggest fan and I can’t really tell you how he pushed me to chase my dreams, he just did it.

I was a computer nerd in a neighborhood that drug dealers ruled supreme. All the cool kids wanted to be like them. They wanted the nice cars, the jewelry, the women, the whole lifestyle.

All I wanted to do was on play on this new piece of technology called a computer.

To the hood I was a nerd, to the nerds I was a thug. I was caught in between not always knowing how to identify but somehow traversed both sides of the world with grace.

Be You, Do You

Kenneth Kellogg #FatherhoodIsLit be yourself

This week, I sat down with someone that I knew probably had the same issues with fitting in as I did.

He goes by the name of Kenneth Kellogg and even though we were raised in different parts of the country, we both lived the lifestyle that many of us have lived in the inner cities of America.

Kenneth didn’t grow up with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. Like me, he was raised in the hood around things most adults and kids will never have to see.

He saw what the streets offered and as impressive as it was, it didn’t impress him enough.

Instead, he chose a different path. He got educated and found solace in singing. However; he wasn’t the typical rapper, Kenneth found his true love in OPERA!

Kenneth the Bass Baritone

kenneth kellogg representing #fatherhoodislit

Yup, you read that correctly.

Kenneth Kellogg, a black man, a scholar took it there. He became a BASS BARITONE and killed it! He didn’t want to fit the norm, special people never fit the norm. Instead, he chose a profession he loved that many of us had no clue about.

When I think of music, I immediately think of rap or Hip Hop! Kenneth loved that genre as well and still does, but he knew his true calling was showcasing his vocals in the OPERA world.

Talk about being a real gangster! Not only did he chase his dreams and kill it but now he’s teaching his own kids why it’s important to be themselves!

The podcast

At 1st, I messed up. I did the wrong thing and judged Kenneth by his cover. He was an opera singer, a great one at that, no way he came from where I come from, and no way he could have the respect for the hood the way that I have.

I was WRONG and yah know I have no problem admitting it. Read more about admitting when you are wrong HERE!

Kenneth and I have more in common than we have different. He is me, a much better vocalist than I will ever be, but he is me. His experiences growing up are just like my own. His want to make it out of the hood and represent is exactly like my own.

kenneth kellogg the opera dad on #fatherhoodislit dadgang dad gang #dadgang

I can go on for days because Kenneth made it feel like I was talking to one of my friends from my old neighborhood. Some call Kenneth the Opera Dad, I call him a reminder that we can follow our hearts and live it up!

Kenneth dropped some gems and reminded our community of the importance of doing YOU! That lesson isn’t just for us, it’s one we can pass along to our KIDS!

We covered what it takes to Encourage Your Kids To Be Themselves, how he felt having his son on stage with him and much more. Salutes to Kenneth for keeping it super real with our community and myself.

IG: @kenneth.Kellogg
Website: kennethkellogg.com To support the movement click HERE!