Today we’d like to introduce you to Isaiah Plater.
Hi Isaiah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Zay, but I also go by ZayyDeyy. I am an actor, artist, model, creative director, and writer. I grew up on the West Side of Bankhead and spent some time in Louisiana and South Carolina. My birth was a struggle as the umbilical cords were wrapped around my neck three times while my mother was trying to push me out, causing an emergency C-section. We both barely made it out alive, but I was born nine pounds and 15 ounces.
Growing up was difficult. My mother and I were poor, and we struggled to find a place to sleep and food to eat. We often stayed in homeless shelters where I witnessed people fighting each other while we were all trying to survive. Throughout my schooling, I found myself getting into the wrong crowds, fighting, and arguing, trying to fit in. But I never allowed myself to be disrespected while trying to be normal. I was always different, and some people had an expectation for me to be like my father, a street dude. Others said I could be a menace or a good kid, so I tried various things to discover who I was.
I discovered my love for music when I joined the marching band in middle school. I loved using an instrument that reminded me of rapping, especially after being inspired by TI, Waka Flaka, 2 Chainz, Gucci, Future, and Drake. I used to freestyle all the time, and being in the church choir enabled me to develop my singing ability, making rapping come easily to me. My family members were also talented, but they couldn’t pursue their dreams due to responsibilities like having kids.
In my first year of middle school, I picked my one program, which was marching band. I also did football, but marching band was different. On the first day of band class, I showed off and was invited after school to watch the high school marching band. I attended Best Academy Middle School, which was connected to a high school and two other schools. The marching band met at Best Academy the majority of the time, even though Coretta Scott’s football field was bigger and better maintained. In sixth grade, I rose within the ranks as a trumpet player, going to various games and upholding the persona of being one of the most skilled trumpet players at such a young age. The next year, in seventh grade, I became vice president of the high school marching band and first trumpet. It was a powerful position for a seventh-grader over high schoolers.
However, things changed when the band director and assistant director resigned, and I moved to Palmetto, Georgia. I started to hang out with the wrong crowd again, but I had to make a conscious decision on who I wanted to be. A few years later, I went to a barbershop, and a guy told me I looked like a star. At that point, I had already bought music equipment and a car for my mom, and I was starting my music journey. The guy ended up scamming me out of $600 but gave me some information that helped me make connections.
Despite this setback, I met many famous people while doing background for movies and shows and ended up getting a Sag-Aftra speaking role for a TV show on BounceTv called Johnsons. This was in my first four months of trying background work, and it ended up opening many doors for my acting and music careers. I currently have music out on all streaming platforms under ZayyDeyy, but it’s 2023, and I am ready to do bigger and greater things with my talents.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a challenging journey for me, especially since I underwent open-heart surgery at the tender age of two, which left me weaker and smaller than my peers. This physical disadvantage caused me to struggle with anger management and led me to get into trouble. Furthermore, the constant discouragement from others who told me what I couldn’t do, coupled with my mother’s traumatic experiences and her subsequent PTSD from military service, made it difficult for me to feel loved or cared for while growing up in a single-parent household. Consequently, I often had no one to turn to for support.
In my quest for a sense of belonging, I fell into the trap of gang activity, which resulted in the theft of a precious gift from my late uncle and brought more conflict between me and my mother. Despite my unstable mental state, I persevered in finding my footing, although my health issues prevented me from securing employment until my first job as a background actor at the age of 15-18.
It often feels as if progress is always met with setbacks. Nonetheless, I am determined to make myself proud and provide a better life for my mother. I aspire to be the kind of father I never had and to leave a positive impact on every person I meet and the world at large. Even though I yearned for love, it seemed impossible to obtain. However, I have never given up on my dreams because I believe that only God and I can see the vision I have. Therefore, I urge you not to give up on your dreams because someone else cannot see your vision.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an accomplished actor, artist, model, host, creative director, and writer, with a talent for freestyling on any beat. I enjoy creating love songs, sad songs, rap, and hip hop. I am also known for my appearance on the TV show “Johnsons” Season 1 Episodes 6 and 9, which made me Sag Aftra Eligible within my first four months of acting. People often describe me as highly enthusiastic and inspirational.
I take pride in my music and have released several songs, as well as some unreleased tracks. I create music based on the present moment and the events that lead me to the studio, resulting in realistic and lively songs that give people life. Similarly, when it comes to acting, I strive to be the character rather than portraying the character. I have studied method acting and the 12-step Power of the Actor Book, trained by TSAW online.
My approach to achieving my goals is relentlessly ruthless while being respectful to others. I never give up, and I am not envious or jealous of others.
”The only time I look down on A Brother is when I am complimenting Him On His shoes” – Dr. Frank Marshall
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is being a successful and God-fearing man who is surrounded by a loving family that I never had. I want to be a role model for my kids and show them how to achieve their dreams. I also want to share my talents and gifts with the world and be recognized for who I am and who I aspire to be. Although I’m still figuring out my true identity, I have a sense of direction and purpose that drives me forward.
“I have a mentor named Mark Barnes who has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth. His guidance and inspiration have given me the tools to push myself forward, and he remains a driving force in my resilience. I aspire to make a positive impact on the youth in my community, just as he has done through his commitment to Each One Teach One. His dedication and support saved me from a life of violence and street gang activity that could have potentially ended my life. Even during difficult times, he remained by my side, including a hospital visit when I was in a bad state, despite his dislike for hospitals. His unwavering belief in me when I had no hope for the future was a turning point in my life, and I am forever grateful for his mentorship. BiddyBarnes is an excellent role model and an amazing father figure to me. I am driven to achieve greatness like him and make him proud.”
Moreover, I am passionate about giving back to the community and addressing the major issues that affect my people. We are still not truly free and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I also have a strong desire to retire my mother and take care of my 11 siblings on my father’s side, even though it is not my sole responsibility.
In my music, I aim to uplift and inspire individuals who have faced hardships, such as losing loved ones to street violence or experiencing emotional scars. I believe in resilience, persistence, and turning pain into something beautiful. It is crucial to promote love and peace rather than violence, and I strive to be a positive influence in people’s lives. Ultimately, what matters most to me is bringing more love into the world and teaching others to love one another.
Pricing:
- Features Are $300 And Up
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.zayydeyymusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zayydeyy/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZayyDeyy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZayyDeyy
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-546908795
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/3TkqSMa0YEmZX6lP8T1pA4
Image Credits
@Cam_TheDirector @scorpion_studios
