Tristan Wilds

Last updated

Tristan Wilds
Mack Wilds in Toronto, 2014.jpg
Wilds performing in 2014
Background information
Birth nameTristan Paul Mack Wilds
Also known asMack Wilds
Born (1989-07-15) July 15, 1989 (age 34)
Staten Island, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, singer-songwriter, record producer
Years active2005–present
Labels

Tristan Paul Mack Wilds (born July 15, 1989) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, and record producer. [1] [2] He is known for his roles as Michael Lee on the HBO original drama series, The Wire , and as Dixon Wilson on the CW teen drama series, 90210 . He was also featured in the Adele music video for "Hello". His debut album, New York: A Love Story was released on September 30, 2013 [3] [4] and was nominated for the Best Urban Contemporary Album at the Grammy Awards in 2014. [5] Wilds' second album, AfterHours was released on April 7, 2017. [6]

Contents

Early life and education

Wilds was born and grew up in Staten Island, New York City. His mother, Monique Moncion, is of Afro-Dominican and Irish descent, and his father, Paul Wilds, is African-American. [7] [8] His mother was first a beautician and then a stockbroker. Wilds attended and graduated from the Michael J. Petrides School in Staten Island. [5]

Acting career

His acting debut came in Miracle's Boys , a drama mini-series produced by Spike Lee on The N (now called TeenNick). [5] He also made guest appearances on television shows such as Cold Case and Law & Order . In 2006, Wilds made his film debut in a bit-role in the independent drama film Half Nelson alongside Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling. [9] That same year, Wilds joined the cast of the HBO drama television series, The Wire (then into its fourth season) in a major recurring role as Michael Lee, a smart but troubled middle school student who lives in poverty and cares for his younger brother. [3] [5] [10]

In 2007, Wilds appeared in the music videos for songs such as "Roc Boys", "Teenage Love Affair" and "Ghetto Mindstate", among others. [11] In 2008, he appeared alongside Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Dakota Fanning in The Secret Life of Bees , the film adaptation of the novel of the same name. [7] Soon after his run on The Wire, he attended an acting workshop at the Roundabout Theatre Company where he worked alongside actress, Phylicia Rashad in productions of Stockholm Brooklyn and Wool at the Cherry Lane Theatre. [12]

In 2008, Wilds returned to television in The CW's teen drama series, 90210 , a spin-off of Beverly Hills, 90210 . He played Dixon Wilson, a teenage boy who is adopted and moves with his family to Beverly Hills. [13] The show ran until 2013. [4] In March 2009, he secured a role in the George Lucas-produced war film Red Tails . The film follows the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American United States Army Air Force (USAAF) servicemen, during World War II. Wilds portrayed Ray "Ray Gun" Knight. [14] The film, which also starred Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Terrence Howard, was eventually released in January 2012 after numerous push-backs. [15]

In 2015, Wilds starred as Adele's love interest in the music video for her song, "Hello", directed by Xavier Dolan. [16] In early 2016, he starred in the VH1 television movie, The Breaks about the hip hop industry in the 1990s. [4] On the heels of its successful January TV movie premiere, VH1 greenlighted a full first season for the hip-hop drama, which started airing in 2017. [17] That year, Wilds also played Officer Beck, the Black officer at the center of the controversial shooting of a young white male in a racially charged town in the TV show Shots Fired .

Music career

Wilds met producer Salaam Remi in 2008 at the BMI Awards, which sparked Wilds' initial interest in becoming a music artist. [5] In 2010, Wilds signed a recording contract with independent record label, Ten2one. He released several singles, including "2 Girlz" which was featured on the fourth season of his TV show, 90210. The song Fall 4 Her was produced by Rico Love. Wilds' debut EP, Remember Remember, was released toward the end of 2011. [18] [19]

Wilds began working with Salaam Remi on his debut studio album in 2012. He signed to Remi's Sony Music imprint, Louder than Life, that same year. [5] He released the first single off the album, "Own It," in June 2013. The album, New York: A Love Story, was released in September 2013. [11] It was well received by critics earning a Grammy nomination for the Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 56th Grammy Awards in 2014. The album would lose to Rihanna's Unapologetic . [9] In November 2015, Wilds released the first single, "Love in the 90z", off his second album AfterHours. [6] [20] In March 2016, it was announced that Wilds had signed a management deal with Roc Nation. [21]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
[22]
US
Hip-Hop

[23]
US
R&B

[23]
US
Indie

[24]
US
Heat

[25]
New York: A Love Story
  • Released: September 30, 2013
  • Label: Louder Than Life, Sony RED
  • Formats: CD, Digital Download
1792815367
AfterHours
  • Released: April 7, 2017
  • Label: The Ninety Five Percent, EMPIRE
  • Formats: CD, Digital Download
4615
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US US R&B
[26]
US Heat
[27]
"Own It"20133518New York: A Love Story
"Henny"2014
"Love in the 90z"2016AfterHours
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

List of guest appearances
TitleYearOther performer(s)Album
"Situationships"2013 Fabolous, Tiara Thomas The Soul Tape 3
"Banned From Radio"2014 Maino, Bodega Bamz, Chinx, Troy Ave, City Boy Dee
"Debut"DJ Prostyle
"Low" Mobb Deep The Infamous Mobb Deep
"Henny (Remix)" Mobb Deep, Busta Rhymes, French Montana
"All About You" Maino King of Brooklyn 2
"Bottle Girl (Remix)" Consequence, Blue GemMovies on Demand 5
"Good Money"2015 N.O.R.E., Troy Ave, Tweez, City Boy DeeDrinks
"Act Like That" Bridget Kelly
"50 Shots" Method Man, Streetlife, Cory Gunz The Meth Lab
"Troubled Times"2016 Torae Entitled
"Money Dance II" J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Rick Ross, Camp Lo

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
2006 Half Nelson Jamal
2008 The Secret Life of Bees Zach Taylor
2012 Red Tails 2nd Lt. Ray "Ray Gun" Gannon
2020 Really Love Nick Wright
2023 Praise This Pastor Nick "P.G." Goodman
Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
2005 Miracle's Boys A.J.3 episodes
2006–08 The Wire Michael Lee 22 episodes
2007 Cold Case Skill Jones (2002)Episode: ""8:03 AM"
2008 Law & Order Will ManningEpisode: "Driven"
2008–13 90210 Dixon Wilson 111 episodes
2016 The Breaks DeeVeeTelevision film
2016 Dinner in America with Brett Gelman HimselfTelevision special
2017 The Breaks DeeVee8 episodes
2017 Shots Fired Deputy Joshua Beck10 episodes
2018Dinner for Two [28] ChrisTelevision film
2019 Tales KayronEpisode: "Deep Cover"
2021 Swagger Alonzo Powers
2022Profiled: The Black Man [29] Host4-part documentary
Music Video
YearTitleArtistDirector
2007"Teenage Love Affair" Alicia Keys Chris Robinson
2007"Roc Boys" Jay-Z Chris Robinson
2011"How To Love"Lil Wayne Chris Robinson
2015"Hello" Adele Xavier Dolan
Web
YearTitleRoleNotes
2013Black ActressJared SmithEpisode 5

Awards and nominations

Film

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2008 Black Reel Awards Breakthrough Performance The Secret Life of BeesNominated
2019Newark International Film FestivalBest Actor in a Narrative Short [30] FifteenWon

Television

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2009 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Breakout Star: Male90210Nominated
2010 Choice TV Actor Drama Nominated
2011 ALMA Awards Favorite TV Actor – Supporting RoleNominated
2012Prism AwardDrama Series Multi-Episode Storyline – Substance UseNominated
Male Performance in a Drama Series Multi-Episode StorylineNominated
2017 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic SpecialShots FiredNominated

Music

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2014 Grammy Awards Best Urban Contemporary Album New York: A Love StoryNominated
BET Awards Best New ArtistMack WildsNominated
2017 Soul Train Music Awards Soul Train Certified AwardNominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LL Cool J</span> American rapper (born 1968)

James Todd Smith, known professionally as LL Cool J, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary J. Blige</span> American singer (born 1971)

Mary Jane Blige is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, including the Billboard Icon Award. She has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its original song "Mighty River", becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandy Moore</span> American singer and actress (born 1984)

Amanda Leigh Moore is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her debut single, "Candy", which peaked at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her debut studio album, So Real (1999), received a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The title single from her reissue of So Real, I Wanna Be With You (2000), became Moore's first top 30 song in the US, peaking at #24 on the Hot 100. Moore subsequently released the studio albums Mandy Moore (2001), Coverage (2003), Wild Hope (2007), Amanda Leigh (2009), Silver Landings (2020), and In Real Life (2022). She has sold 10 million albums worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benny Boom</span> American film director

Benny Douglas, professionally known as Benny Boom, is an American director who has worked in music, television, and film. His most commercially successful film was the 2017 Tupac Shakur biopic All Eyez on Me.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tristan Prettyman</span> American musician

Tristan Ann Prettyman is an American singer-songwriter from San Diego, California. She was signed to Virgin Records until 2013 and released her first major label album Twentythree on August 2, 2005, followed by her second album Hello...x which was released on April 15, 2008. Her third studio album, Cedar + Gold, was released on October 2, 2012. On October 27, 2014, Prettyman independently released an EP, "Back To Home". She toured throughout the United States with Eric Hutchinson in support of his City and Sand tour during the fall of 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordin Sparks</span> American singer and actress (born 1989)

Jordin Sparks is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame in 2007 after winning the sixth season of American Idol at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the series' history. Her self-titled debut studio album (2007) was met with critical and commercial success; it peaked at number ten on the Billboard 200, received platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and sold over two million copies worldwide. The album was supported by the Billboard Hot 100-top ten singles "Tattoo" and "No Air" —the latter received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and remains the third highest-selling song by an American Idol contestant—with three million digital copies sold in the United States.

Salaam Remi Gibbs is an American record producer. He is most known for producing material for close associates Nas, Amy Winehouse, and Jazmine Sullivan, but has also produced for other mainstream acts including Alicia Keys, Fugees, Doja Cat, Miguel, Fergie, Alessia Cara, Nelly Furtado, and Estelle, among others. Gibbs is noted for his reggae-tinged approach to production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hello (Lionel Richie song)</span> 1984 song by Lionel Richie

"Hello" is a song by American singer and songwriter Lionel Richie. Taken as the third single from his second solo album, Can't Slow Down (1983), the song was released in 1984 and reached number one on three Billboard music charts: the pop chart, the R&B chart, and the Adult Contemporary chart. The song also went to number one on the UK Singles Chart for six weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Lowndes</span> Canadian actress and singer

Jessica Lowndes is a Canadian actress, singer, and songwriter. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Lowndes began her acting career at a young age, appearing in various television shows and films before landing her breakout role as drug addicted teen Adrianna Tate-Duncan on The CW TV series 90210. Originally written as a 3-episode arc, the character quickly became a series regular and a central character on 90210 for five seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anwan Glover</span> Musical artist

Ralph Anwan Glover is an American rapper, actor, model, DJ, and founding member of the D.C.-based go-go band "BackYard Band". Glover is also known for his portrayal of Slim Charles in the HBO crime-drama television series The Wire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adele</span> English singer (born 1988)

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, known mononymously as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She is known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting. Adele has received numerous accolades including 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chasing Pavements</span> 2008 single by Adele

"Chasing Pavements" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her debut studio album, 19 (2008). Written by Adele with her producer Francis "Eg" White, the song was released as the second single from the album on 14 January 2008. Its lyrics describe questioning whether or not to keep chasing something that is not going anywhere. Adele was inspired to write the song after public argument and subsequent break up with an older man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Kurstin</span> American record producer and songwriter

Gregory Allen Kurstin is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2017 and 2018, and contributed to four songs which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adele discography</span>

English singer-songwriter Adele has released four studio albums, one video album, two extended plays, 17 singles and eleven music videos. Adele has sold over 70 million in pure album sales and over 100 million in album equivalent units worldwide over four studio albums and one video album as of December 2021. She was named the best-selling album artist of the 2010s decade in the US and worldwide. She has also sold over 100 million in single sales with total sales records over 170 million as of December 2021. She also became the best-selling female artist of the 21st century in the UK. Her album 21 became the best-selling album of the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. Michelle</span> American singer

Kimberly Michelle Pate is an American singer and television personality. She is best known for appearing as a regular cast member on the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta during its first two seasons, later returning to the show during its fifth season. Michelle subsequently signed with Atlantic Records. Her debut studio album, Rebellious Soul, debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, and number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Her second studio album Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? was released on December 9, 2014. The album debuted at number six in the US and spawned three singles "Love 'Em All", "Maybe I Should Call" and "Hard to Do". The album sold 87,000 copies in its first week in sales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Smith</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1992)

Samuel Frederick Smith is an English singer and songwriter. In October 2012, they performed on Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart. The following year, they performed on Naughty Boy's 2013 single "La La La", which became a number one single on the chart.

<i>New York: A Love Story</i> 2013 studio album by Mack Wilds

New York: A Love Story is the debut studio album by American R&B singer Mack Wilds. It was released on September 30, 2013, by Louder Than Life and RED Distribution. The album features guest appearances from Method Man, Raekwon and Doug E. Fresh. The album was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 56th Grammy Awards, which was held on January 26, 2014.

<i>25</i> (Adele album) 2015 studio album by Adele

25 is the third studio album by the English singer-songwriter Adele, released on 20 November 2015 by XL Recordings and Columbia Records. The album is titled as a reflection of her life and frame of mind at 25 years old and is termed a "make-up record". Its lyrical content features themes of Adele "yearning for her old self, her nostalgia", and "melancholia about the passage of time" according to an interview with the singer by Rolling Stone, as well as themes of motherhood, new love, and regret.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hello (Adele song)</span> 2015 single by Adele

"Hello" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele, released on 23 October 2015 by XL Recordings as the lead single from her third studio album, 25 (2015). Written by Adele and the album's producer, Greg Kurstin, "Hello" is a piano ballad with soul influences and lyrics that discuss themes of nostalgia and regret. Upon release, the song garnered critical acclaim, with reviewers comparing it favourably to Adele's previous works and praised its lyrics, production and Adele's vocal performance. It was recorded in Metropolis Studios, London.

Love in the 90z is a single by American recording artist Mack Wilds, released on November 24, 2015. The song was written by Elijah Blake, Salaam Remi and James Poyser, and produced by the latter two alongside new jack swing creator Teddy Riley and Scott Storch. With the music video premiering on January 16, 2016, The single was originally intended to be on Wilds's second studio album.

References

  1. Iandoli, Kathy (July 30, 2013). "Tristan 'Mack' Wilds On His Move From Acting To Singing". NPR . Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Lavallee, Andrew (September 25, 2013). "From Screen to Studio". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Jones, Tashara (January 3, 2016). "Tristan Wilds, Adele's ex from 'Hello', dishes on role in VH1 drama". New York Post . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hope, Clover (June 23, 2014). "VIBE Summer 2014 Cover Story: Mack Wilds". Vibe . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Harling, Danielle (January 4, 2016). "Mack Wilds Discusses Role In VH1's "The Breaks" & Plans For Sophomore Album". HipHopDX . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Platt, Tevah (January 6, 2008). "Star of HBO's 'The Wire' is still an Islander at heart". Staten Island Advance . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  7. Hernandez, Lee (September 4, 2008). "Tristan Wilds: a Beverly Hills Dominican". New York Daily News . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  8. 1 2 Harnick, Chris (October 23, 2015). "Adele's "Hello" Lover Is Tristan Wilds From 90210". E! . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  9. Phull, Hardeep (September 14, 2013). "The Wire's' Tristan Wilds mixes it up with a new name and debut album". New York Post . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Iandoli, Kathy (July 30, 2013). "Tristan 'Mack' Wilds On His Move From Acting To Singing". NPR . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  11. Vernon, Cheril (July 31, 2008). "Tristan Wilds as Dixon Wilson on the new 90210". Crushable.com . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  12. "Tristan Wilds makes move to "90210"". Reuters . May 4, 2008. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  13. Fernandez, Jay A. (March 19, 2009). "'90210' star joins 'Red Tails' film". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  14. Haque, Fahima (January 20, 2012). "'Red Tails' based on the Tuskegee Airmen opens Friday". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  15. Case, Wesley (October 23, 2015). "'Wire' alum Tristan Wilds plays Adele's love interest in 'Hello' video". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  16. VH1's 'The Breaks' to Become a Full Series; First Season Ordered, theboombox.com; accessed December 1, 2016.
  17. "Mack Wilds on Own it". Floss Magazine. October 19, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  18. Burt, Sharelle A. (October 16, 2015). "7 actors that also topped the music charts". New York Daily News . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  19. Rathon, Rocko (November 24, 2015). "Mack Wilds Is Feeling Nostalgic On "Love In The 90z"". The Source . Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  20. "Mack Wilds Signs To Roc Nation". DDotOmen.com. October 23, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  21. -Staff. "Mack Wilds – Chart History". billboard.com. Billboard . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  22. 1 2 Staff. "Mack Wilds – Chart History". billboard.com. Billboard . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  23. Staff. "Mack Wilds – Chart History". billboard.com. Billboard . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  24. Staff. "Mack Wilds – Chart History". billboard.com. Billboard . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  25. Staff. "Mack Wilds – Chart History". billboard.com. Billboard . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  26. Staff. "Mack Wilds – Chart History". billboard.com. Billboard . Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  27. "Breaking News – TV One Announces the Production of "Dinner for Two," An Original Film Starring Tristan "Mack" Wilds and Chaley Rose". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  28. Jones, Tashara (February 11, 2022). "Why Tristan 'Mack' Wilds is hosting a docuseries on discovery". Nypost.com. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  29. "Tristan Mack Wilds". IMDb. Retrieved September 20, 2021.