Today we’d like to introduce you to Elgin David.
Elgin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Bay Shore, New York. When I was 13, I began breakdancing in my basement. It became a full-time obsession and I dedicated every waking moment to the dance and the culture. It wasn’t until I moved to Florida at 19 that I began to pursue a career in entertainment. I was asked to join a boyband, and after an audition with them, I was added to the group. We were known as Imij (Image) and soon after, we were living in Germany, performing, touring, and having a blast! It was an amazing experience. When we came back from Germany and the group disbanded, I continued to dance and perform, background dancing on award shows, TV shows, and commercials. In 2012 I was cast in the role of “Kevy Z” (a member of the fictional boyband “Z Guyeezz”) in the film Rock of Ages. It was then that I got the chance to showcase my dancing, as well as my acting and my comedic side. This spawned a new love for comedy, which I have pursued since. I started doing stand up comedy shortly after, signing up for classes at the Miami Improv. I made my way into the South Florida comedy scene, did a lot of open mics, shows, and made a lot of comic friends.
In 2014, I was in the Top 12 for the Ultimate Miami Comedian Contest. In 2015, I heard about an audition for Wild ‘N Out, which was taking place in Miami. It was like everything I had been training for; from breaking, to rapping, to acting, to stand up, all prepared me for the moment when I auditioned for Nick Cannon and the producers of the show. After the initial Miami audition, followed by an intense week in Los Angeles battling for a spot on the show, I joined the Season 8 Cast of Wild ‘N Out on MTV. Being a part of the show was an amazing experience. After Wild ‘N Out, I got back together with my boyband buddies from Germany, but this time, we added a comedic twist. With this, we created the boyband 5 Alive. You may remember them from Season 12 of America’s Got Talent! So far, my entertainment journey has been an amazing ride… and it’s far from over! I really enjoy making people laugh, smile, and overall have a good time and enjoy life!
Has it been a smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but it’s the bumps and bruises along the way that truly make us the best version of who we are meant to be. Shortly before Rock of Ages, I tore my ACL in my right knee. This injury was devastating to my soul, for it had put a major question mark in the air in regards to my dance career. It was a tough time, mentally and physically. I thought that I would never dance again. I didn’t get surgery right away, and even with a torn ACL, I persevered, booked, and worked on the film Rock of Ages. I then went on to have surgery to repair the knee. After recovering from that, I was blessed with Wild ‘N Out. When I came back from LA doing the show, there was some downtime before the show aired. In this interval, I suffered another leg injury, a full tear of the Achilles tendon… on the same leg as the knee.
So when I should have been mixing and mingling, making connections and making moves in LA, I watched my entire season in bed from Florida with my leg in a cast post-surgery. Just like the hundreds of auditions and callbacks I have been through over the years and was told “No,” these were very important character-building moments in my life. You can either choose to quit or know your purpose and your path and continue to pursue it. I know there is much more for me to do in this life and this industry, and I look forward with positivity to whatever comes next!
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I still write and perform stand up comedy, as well as continue to create funny songs and parodies. My latest, which I created during the quarantine, is a rap song that I perform as the Tiger King character from the popular Netflix series. I really enjoy being silly, laughing at myself, and sharing that laughter with my audience. My comedy is mostly stories about myself, my short stature (I’m 5’2″), and most famously my hairstyle (a tall pompadour) which I use to get on rides at the amusement park (It’s not a hairstyle, it’s a height requirement!) I still have a huge love for Hip Hop, and yes I can still dance! Besides all of my accomplishments in entertainment, my most cherished life moments are marrying my amazing wife, who has supported me through it all, and the birth of our beautiful son!
The family has always been a huge part of why I work so hard to reach my dreams, and it is their love and support that lifts me up to put those dreams in my grasp. With the right people on your side, I believe you can accomplish anything. If I could give any advice to someone looking to be successful, I would say to surround yourself with positive people and cut any negativity out of your life. I still continue to attend auditions on a regular basis looking for my next big break. Most importantly, I still hear ‘No” a lot… but like I said, with a little bit of patience, persistence, and POSITIVITY, I know another “Yes” will be out there waiting for me to turn it into another amazing milestone in my life! Don’t forget to smile. It’s free!
Contact Info:
- Phone: 631 647 0404
- Email: elgindavidcomic@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/elgindavid
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/elgindavidcomic
- Other: www.tiktok.com/DaTygerKyng
www.youtube.com/elgindavidcomic
Suggest a story: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
