Not Afraid…

Late on a humid, Houston Tuesday night, I ride with Marcello “Cello” (as he likes to be called) to the now famous Club Next (2020 McKinney Houston, TX), a location where he is a three year veteran  promoter.  Cello and a group of young men made the club famous for its Saturday nights, but by far that is not what he wants to be known for. “I refuse to call myself a promoter, I am an entertainer. The opportunities are more vast that way,” he says as we pull up to the packed parking lot.  As we try to find a parking spot, I use the opportunity to squeeze out some questions.

Houston TREND:

What’s one thing you want to be mentioned about you?

Marcello:

I want to be here for a greater purpose.  I want to be one of the greatest people that ever lived here.  If you really believe in something, if you really focus in on it, and stand by what you believe in, then nothing can stand in your way.  You are the only person that can stop you from achieving the things you want in life.   Don’t let the people around you, the situation, or the problems that you may be in affect your judgment.  Just believe in your purpose and stand by it, stay true, and just make it happen, because it really is that simple.  It’s not as complex or as difficult as people make it seem.  Most people that are trying to get from point A to point B think about the different obstacles that they may encounter or will encounter, but you can’t think about all that.  Just know that you’re at point A and you are trying to make it to point B and that’s that.  Not that you’re trying to, but you are going to make it and the little stuff that’s between it, doesn’t matter.

Houston TREND:

What gives you the focus that you have?

Marcello:

Above all, it’s just what I believe, you know?  As I was growing up, seeing my mom raise three children on her own, seeing how she worked so hard, still struggled at the same time, wasn’t able to have the things she wanted, that I decided I refuse to be like that. I refuse to have to work for somebody else and I decided that a long time ago that that wasn’t going to happen. Ever since I was a little boy my grandma always called me Moses.  She told me that I would lead my people to a better life and I believed that.  I really believe that you can make what you want happen, you just have to believe in yourself.  Of course before anyone else believes in you, you have to believe. It all starts within you. And like what Will Smith said, “Greatness is not this wonderful, esoteric, elusive god-like feature that only the special among us will ever taste…” it’s really installed in all of us. Goes to what he was saying “It’s really simple, this is what I believe, and I am willing to die for it. I know who I am and I know where I’m going.”  Once you figure that out, the universe will get out of your way.

Houston TREND:

When did you decide that this is what you were going to do?

Marcello:

For sure it started off when I decided that me working for someone else was not going to happen, I would say my freshman year of college.  Of course, like any other student or any other person that age, you still don’t know what the hell you want to do,  you’re still trying to figure out what is my place, what is my purpose, where do I belong, what is my niche, rather.  I started off in Pharmacy, [at TSU] then I realized that that’s not what I was going to be doing for the rest of my life [laughing] but I heard they do make a lot of money.  Above all, it’s not just about the money; you wake up everyday and you are making money, but going to hell everyday. That’s pointless.  I believe you should really enjoy what you do and have a passion for what you do and if you’re making money while doing that, Phss… ain’t nothing better than that.

Houston TREND:

Was Next was your first project?

Marcello:

Yeah my first project that helped me get in the game…

Houston TREND:

When you started at Club Next, what were your thoughts?

Marcello:

Ok, I’m at the bottom, now I have to make these people know who I am… I was told from the beginning I was not going to make any serious money, but it would give me knowledge and help me gain experience.  So after that, I built a team and got to work.

Houston TREND:

How long did ya’ll do Next?

Marcello:

Three years

Houston TREND:

What experiences you got out of it?

Marcello:

It helped me build my network and I did what I wanted to get accomplished, make people know who I am.

Houston TREND:

What’s next for Cello?

Marcello:

I’m going to make the world see that anything is possible once you believe in what you’re doing and have faith.  I will give sight to the blind and the non-hearing will hear my voice… Think about it.

Houston TREND:

HEY, I got the first one Cello! [Laughing]♣