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Actor and Hip-Hop artist and lead member of the group Onyx returned to his roots in Jamaica, Queens at the Queens Public Library at 89-11 Merrick Boulevard. On April 8, he sat with the TV Host of Video Music Box and QPL Hip-Hop Coordinator, Ralph McDaniels, for a one-on-one on his new book, “Bacdafucup: The Story of Onyx”. The book is a behind-the-scenes of his journey coming from Southside, Queens, the creation of his group, Onyx, and his transition into acting.

Starr was welcomed by fans who grew up with him in the same neighborhood. He is releasing his first autobiography but is already an accomplished author, having previously released two children’s books, “Lil Freddy: The Red Sock” and “Lil Freddy: The Bully Kid,” back in 2011.

Now, his new book is walking through his 30-year journey and what mistakes and lessons he learned along the way. The group Onyx was originally formed in 1986 by Fredro Starr, Suave, and the late Big DS, who died of lymphatic cancer in 2003. In July 1991, Fredro Starr, Big DS, and Suave met Jam Master Jay at a traffic jam at The Jones Beach GreekFest Festival.

“It started with Jam Master Jay,” said Starr. ” I remember first meeting Jay. We met Jay in a traffic jam. I felt like I met Jesus! We jumped out of the car in the middle of a traffic jam and got his phone number. We freestyle for him and told him we were on Profile Records, the same record as him.” he said.

Later that year, Sticky Fingaz, aka Starr’s cousin Kirk Jones,  joined the group. The group was later signed by Jam Master Jay’s label JMJ Records in 1993. After joining Jam Master Jay’s label, he gave the group two months to produce a demo.

“At that time, there were a lot of groups out like De La Soul, NWA, A Tribe Called Quest, and New Leaders of New School, with an unknown Busta Rhymes. This changed my life and we changed our style with our first single Stik N’ Muve” said Starr.

In that same year, Onyx release their first album “Bacdafucup”, with Jam Master Jay as their producer. The album went multi-platinum and hit the Billboard 200,with their  hitsingle “Slam”.

The album was nominated for Best New Artist at the 1994 American Music Awards and won Best Rap Album at the 1994 Soul Train Awards.

McDaniels question Starr on how he transitions into acting.  While in the studio, Jeff Harris, Starr’s long-time manager,  approached the group about an open audition for a movie. Harris spoke to the casting director to give Starr a chance to read for an audition. A month later, the audition was for a role in a movie for HBO Showcase produced by Forest Whitaker named “Strapped”.

“I went to the audition, not knowing what an audition was. I remember seeing Q-Tip there.  said Starr. “I remember going in and them giving me a piece of paper with lines on it called slides. When I went to Forest Whitiker, he looked at me and asked me to come back the next day. I took the train the next day and learned my lines. In the second audition, Whitaker looked at me and asked me, “Can I trust you to get this part?” I looked him in the eye and told him he could trust me and I got the part.” he said. Starr was given the role of Mark “Bamboo” Rivers, a gun salesman in Brooklyn.

In 1996, Starr was cast in the sports drama,” Sunset Park” along with Terrence Howard and Danny DeVito and his wife Rhea Perlman.  He played the role of Shorty.

“He didn’t know anything about basketball,” said Harris. “I had to take a month and teach him the basics of  basketball,” he said.

“Sunset Park was a bigger production and it was filmed in California. This was my first time in California. I remember being three hours late because I drove the wrong way” said Starr. “It was my first mistake and my last mistake,” he said.

McDaniels then asked Starr about his transition from film to TV, with his most popular role on the 90s sitcom UPN’s Moesha. Starr was cast alongside  R&B artist Brandy as her boyfriend Quentin “Q” Brooks. He spoke about how he got the role in the show.

“When the show was brought to my attention, the executive producer Ralph Farquhar, asked me to do a freestyle in the audition. So, I went in freestyle and got the part. said Starr.” Brandy was a fan of Sunset Park, and that’s how I got the audition.  I sat with the writers of the show, which included Mara Brock Ali,  and she added Starr’s slang to the script. I wasn’t playing a role, I was playing a kid from Southside Jamaica, Queens. ” he said.

In 1999, Starr was next cased in the movie “Light It Up” along with R&B artist Usher, Forest Whitaker, Rosario Dawson, and Vanessa L. Williams. He played the criminal  Rodney J. Templeton, In 2001, he was cast in the hit-movie “Saved the Last Dance” along with Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Harris, and Kerry Washington. He played the gangster Malakai.

He also made guest appearances in crime dramas like Law & Order The Wire, and New York Undercover.

McDaniels asked Starr about what he had learned in his time in Hollywood. “There are a lot of no’s than yes’s,” said Starr. ” I got a lot of no’s, but I got a lot of ambition and I ready to write my movie,” he said.

Starr is currently writing and directing his movie called “The Tunnel”, which he plans to start filming this summer in New York.  On April 10th, in an interview on WPIX-11, Starr said his movie will be a high school drama, loosely, based on the club named The Tunnel located in Chelsea Terminal Warehouse, which closed down in 2001.

“I am looking for new faces for auditions, just like Forest Whitaker was looking for new faces for Strapped,” he said.

During the Q&A with the audience, Starr was asked about his goals he has for the future. I plan to continue making movies. I would love to work with Denzel Washington. Why not work with the best? I would love to play a lawyer too. Musically, I am planning an upcoming tour with Onyx in Europe, and I would like to work with DJ Premier.” said Starr.

After the Q&A, fans got to meet Star and get the opportunity for photos and videos with him. He  autographs copies of his new book, and fans purchase Onyx merchandise.

On April 10th, Starr will be attending the movie premiere for his new movie “King of Newark 3” in Newark, Jew Jersey. In the movie, he will play Diamond, a short-fused drug dealer. On April 11th, on the Onyx Instagram, the group dropped their new album “Lower East Side”.

He will start touring with Onyx in their first performance in Los Angeles performing at The Whiskey on April 24th.

He ended the book talk by sending love to the man who discovered him, Grand Master Jay. He remembers him where he was murdered in his recording studio in 2002 on Merrick Boulevard, which was across the street from the Queens Public Library. “He saw something in me and Onyx.”

Photo Credit: Indra Graves (IG: @gxddess_indra )