Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Rudolph.
Hi Aaron, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I have always been inspired by performing arts performers. I took up Drama 1 & 2 in high school. I became class president my first two years and homecoming freshman and sophomore. Talking about the popular kid of the school would be me. Everyone knew me for the great deeds I would do in the community.
I’ve helped organize after-school activities in Overtown Miami such as dance, and step classes to help keep the youth out of trouble. Being switched from school made me who I am today. I became a rebel and then started acting out from being frustrated about the move. I had to find my way again. Starting over at a school where nobody knew me at. I hated it and I didn’t want to ever perform again.
During my junior and senior years in school, I wanted to give up. I hated my life and then begin struggling with my mental health. Mental health was something to be ashamed about where I’m from. You get teased about it so a lot of us never wanted to get help. Getting help has completely changed my life for the better. I’m no longer in those dark times and thoughts.
To fast forward in my life to 2021 I had this idea to do a performance after being out of performing for years. I was ready to hit the stage again. I saved up a budget of $500 to get my very first costume professionally made. I made a promise to myself that if this works out well for me I will start back performing. I was given an opportunity to perform at club Nomis hosted by Malaysia Babydoll Foxx and Melissa Plastic Hilton. It was the night my life was about to change forever.
My mom, my friends, and my family showed up at my performance to cheer me on. I rocked the house leaving the crowd chanting for more. Money was all over the floor. I took the footage from that performance and kept it for any auditions. I was invited to the restaurant hamburger mary’s Wilton manors by my grandpa Montrae Iman to support him as he performed.
Afterward, he put me in contact with the head person in charge and I presented my video to them. After sending my video in I was offered an opportunity to be an entertainer for Hamburger marys. I’m still currently performing and on the cast for hamburger marys. Dreams are all you have to do is just believe.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some of my struggles have been drug and alcohol abuse. For many years of feeling neglected by my father, I tried to numb my pain by hurting myself. That’s when I was in a dark time of my life. I graduated from The village rehabilitation center in 2015. I did a major 360 and I won’t turn back. Staying in mental health treatment was also a struggle back when I was using. I ran away from my problems.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a male entertainer and it’s known as “Drag King” I go by the name of Tokyo Iman from Miami fl. We have to get creative with costumes and lip sing on stage in front of people. It’s extremely fun and interesting. I’m very shy and would never sing in front of people. But being a drag king you don’t have to sing live if you don’t want to. You can act it out and lip sing. I love what I do and I’m so happy I decided to try. I specialize in dramatic performance.
I get deep with emotions in some of my performances and even made people cry before. It’s like I’m another person when I hit the stage. What sets me apart from others is my personality off-stage. Some performers have terrible attitudes. Me on the other hand I’m a social butterfly and love to pour love into others.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
A time I took a risk was packing up and moving to Phoenix Arizona with nothing. I couldn’t make it home in time before my flight. I went up there with one outfit. I would hand wash the outfit every day until I found a job at Walmart.
When I got that job I started studying for my CDL test. I passed on my second chance and became a school bus driver for Paradise valley. My life elevated because I motivated and pushed myself to do better. I didn’t want the easy way out.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Tokyo_Iman
- Facebook: @Aaron Rudolph
