Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Spurlock Jr.
So, before we jump into specific questions about your career, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, I was always told that I had a great look and that I should look into becoming a model. After moving to Texas, from Omaha, Nebraska, I can recall my mom taking me to an agency for an open call. The experience I had there was great and they told my mom how much they loved me, but there were fees involved. My mom wasn’t trying to pay anything at that time; then I was about nine or ten years of age. From that day forward, I continued to stay heavily involved in sports, therefore I never had the availability in my schedule to actually pursue modeling, because my focus was strictly on school and athletics. That eventually lead to me receiving a full ride scholarship to college for basketball.
2014-2016, I attended an HBCU, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where I was introduced to BME. BME stands for Bazaar Models Entertainment. I would attend their events when I had the availability and I was interested, but I knew between classes and my basketball schedule I didn’t have much freedom to put my energy into anything else. Just by observing them at their shows, I would catch a glimpse of what runway life was about, & I could always envision myself in that type of atmosphere.
My friend from high school and I had stayed in touch over the years, and she had always been a creative artist. She had a concept in mind that she was interested in shooting and wanted to use me as her muse. I was open to the opportunity, with no question. There was minor direction throughout the shoot because everything just felt natural. The whole shoot was amazing; from that day forward, my passion for modeling was set in stone, and I vowed to pursue modeling when I had the proper availability and opportunity.
I eventually connected with Willie Johnson (wardrobe stylist, runway coach, model manager), and he has been a major part of my journey as a fresh face in the industry. From 2016-2018, while still in school, my opportunities had begun to present themselves consecutively, which has lead me to meeting and working with many great people. I have modeled and walked in fashion shows for a variety of creative artists, including Ronald K Jones ( RKJ Clothing, RKJ Experience), and Willie Johnson (wardrobe stylist, runway coach, model manager, Owner of J3). In addition, I had the pleasure to work with Ebony Peoples-Wordlaw (weddings and event planner) for a feature in a wedding magazine. The “From This Day Forward”, Modern Luxury Weddings Atlanta, Fall/Winter 2018 issue was my first publication as a model. That experience in itself opened my mind to the limitless opportunities I was bound to have in the industry.
After graduating with a degree of the Bachelor of Arts in Information Technology in May of 2018, I felt that I had accomplished all of the goals my parents had wanted me to obtain. It was then when I insisted on following my passion for modeling full fledge. Since then, I have continued to connect and network with others in the industry, in addition to building my portfolio. This year I was honored to meet and work with Celebrity stylist, J. Bolin, in which I had the opportunity to walk in his private Fashion Bootcamp runway show. Furthermore, I am now in the process of acquiring as much information as possible in regards to the industry and taking the time to evolve as a true model and actor in preparation of my future success.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road at all, my transition has been the most challenging by far. Basketball was my lifestyle, and there was an expectation set that I would go and play professionally. After graduating from college, I was torn between basketball, modeling, and pursuing a career in my field of study. I had to make a decision, but it was not easy to let go of a passion I had put ample amount of time into since childhood, in pursuit to follow another passion I had never had the time for. It was then that I decided to take the time out to clear my mind from the outside voices and follow my heart and intuition. After all, my vision had become clear, and my focus and energy shifted towards my passion for modeling and acting.
Meanwhile, I was in the process of changing my diet and becoming a vegetarian. Which was a challenge in itself, due to the fact that everyone in my household does not eat the same way that I do. In this case, consistency & discipline were my challenges. I had to stay disciplined enough to not eat things that weren’t apart of my diet, and consistent enough to continue to do so. Especially when I got those late night cravings. I also began to change my workout regime, because I felt that it was not necessary for me to be as massive as I was when I was playing ball. As a model you have to be a hanger; I understood that if I were to become more slim and cut, then I would be able to fit a variety of designs, instead of limiting myself during fittings due to a massive muscular build. Another challenge that I have come across is my height. I am a couple of inches taller than the industry’s standard height for a male model, but I believe it is a part of what makes me different and I will continue to embrace it as I progress.
Lastly, in this generation, many ppl get introduced to the industry based off of their social media activity and following. I have always been a very private person, therefore, posting on social media wasn’t always a big thing for me. It’s something that I am having to adjust to slowly but surely as I learn the techniques of marketing in the industry.
In conclusion, embarking on something new comes with many learning curves. I am embracing that by being a student of the game and learning as much as possible to not only become successful but to stay successful in this industry. I will thrive off of the challenges along my journey, and use the lessons of my experiences as stepping stones towards my bright future.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Nothing. Personally, I am proud of my journey and where I have emerged from. It is my story, there’s a lot of meaning behind it, and I believe everything happens for a reason so I don’t devalue anything that I’ve been through.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @stephenspurlockjr
- Twitter: @StephenSean_
Image Credit:
Kieon Young (@kieoneyoungphotos), Shed Collins (@drivenimage), CJ (@eli_capture), Darius Lemon (@creativeshotsproductions)
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