Today we’d like to introduce you to Iran “Bang” Paylor.
Hi Iran “Bang”, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Washington DC and raised in the Housing Projects of Syphax Gardens On 1st & P st Sw. Which we call now (106). I grew up one block from where Iconic Musician Marvin Gaye once Lived. Our neighborhood was very fashion-forward; even though we were considered a low-income area, we always had a rich soul. My aunt Cookie was really like FOX TV SHOW EMPIRE COOKIE LYONS in every aspect but the music. She was always into fashion, from Gucci boots, diamond rings to fox fur coats; she had it all and I grew up seeing her come in and out of my grandmother’s house like a live fashion show.
My mother stayed with a FENDI bag and they just loved nice things. Outside on the block was just a fashion frenzy, with Georgetown only two miles from our front porch the Heavy Hitters in my neighborhood were always dressed with the best, so fashion was everywhere I looked, & Dc as a whole was just on high fashion status wearing designers like Versace, Moschino, Coogie, FENDI & Chanel in the hood.
That lit a fire and passion in me from there on. I also shared a love for music because my mom would play music every day in our house. I would wake up to her blasting the stylistics, Chubb rock, kool Moe Dee & Michael Jackson any given day… She used to sing, my dad also would sing and my sister Shawn Shawn was a rapper in a go go band founded in my neighborhood called Hot Profit. Those influences led me to drop my album “custom made” by Bang this MAY. All of the readers, I encourage you to download it, share it add it to your Spotify & Apple playlist and support new music artists… we have a lot to say.
I would be so excited to watch 106 & Park as a child just to hear the top songs and create dance moves. I knew I wanted to create dances based of the music I loved, I never thought years later that I would be able to do that with some of the music artists I truly loved.
The biggest step that opened my eyes was going to college. It showed me a whole new world of people from different places, different cultures and that change in my environment I feel ultimately saved my life and took me one step closer to my dreams.
During that decision to go to college, I started a modeling organization name Models Inc. where I was able to express my artistry of fashion Dance & production. I choreographed, studied, produced & created something alongside my partner Aaron Handy where I was able to practice my craft and get better through the years, I never thought it would still be around 17 years later, with recognition from Dc Mayor Muriel Bowser, Dc Mayor Vincent Gray l, The Legendary John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts and many more.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been many challenges along the way; the biggest challenge was dealing with the distrust and unloyal individuals we believed in, poured into, mentored and found that no one believed in…….. I believed in them, built their confidence, gave them the courage to be who they are to get to their dreams all to have them use you, stab you in the back, or act like you did nothing for them, that they did all on their own.
Learning how to deal with that was a major challenge but later, I learned that that’s not my issue. It’s their issue, and even if no one on earth knows I contributed to the development of their success, GOD KNOWS I DID and he will bless me for it in many ways because I did it genuinely for nothing in return. Betrayal hurts but that was a lesson I needed to learn early on, so when it happens now, it doesn’t affect me 1%.
The other challenges were getting people to believe in me, invest in me, & give me and my members an opportunity. They counted me out! So I traveled and hustled from state to state and made my own opportunities for my participants, my models and myself for 16 years consistently. I showed all of them who didn’t believe that I can get my models signed, I can get them on billboards, I can get them in movies, I can put them on National Tours with Grammy-nominated artists, I can choreograph for recording artists, I can produce NYFW Shows with Fashion Pioneers & Fashion Icons and That Model’s Inc will be the leading modeling Performing Arts Organization in the DMV that organizations from state to state will look up to & inspire to be!! I bet you they believe now!!! Proving them all wrong was the best feeling in the world.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a celebrity choreographer, Nyfw Fashion Show Producer, rapper, dancer, and all-around artist. I’m most known for my modeling performing arts organization MODELS INC. I’m most proud of creating a platform for young adults in the inner city to create, cultivate & express themselves.
What sets me apart from others is my quality of work, my drive and my consistency.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can work with me by emailing us at incmodel@yahoo.com or going to our website at www.modelsincdc.org.
They can support our organization by donating to the link below
https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8UhKGLBIh6
Contact Info:
- Website: www.modelsincdc.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bang500?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/bang5000?fbclid=PAAaZTJ5Ll_zeGhCFdwRl5uXCOPeIhs-BfoJBELqnyIPiQzwGQyuLIg7SbSu0
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Bangbanginc1
- Other: https://music.apple.com/us/album/custom-made/1686264368
