Kim Wayans "Looked To Her Brothers" To Define Who She Was

BY Erika Marie 3.4K Views
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Shawn Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Kim Wayans
Kim Wayans has had a long career with many accomplishments and she reflected on her 20s with BET for their webseries.

"Wayans" is a powerful family tree in the entertainment industry. With decades of successful careers under their belts, many of the Wayans crew have established themselves as formidable forces in front of and behind the camera. Siblings Keenen, Damon, Marlon, Shawn, and Kim are just a handful of successful Wayans continuing their paths in the industry. The famous Wayans sister recently chatted with BET for their In My Twenties series and she reflected on what her career was like back in her In Living Color days alongside her family.

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"In my 20s, I was 16," the former In the House star said. "I was a late bloomer. I was still very much a child when I was in my 20s. I was very much a teenager in so many different ways." Kim stated that in today's culture, entertainers have so many ways to get noticed or to create opportunities for themselves. However, back when she was making a way in the industry, it was a bit more difficult not to be boxed in by the movers and shakers.

"Certain things are asked of you to do as a black actress and it really wasn't all that thrilling and all that exciting," she said. "It's nice to see now all these opportunities and all these different ways of seeing black people and black women, in particular, that's really great." Kim also dropped off a bit of wisdom for creatives navigating their careers.

"Trust your own voice," said Kim. "When I was young like that, I didn't really trust my voice. I looked to my brothers, I looked to other people to basically tell me who I was. Deep inside, I knew who I was and I knew what I wanted to do, but when you're young like that, sometimes it's hard to trust that." Watch Kim Wayans's In My Twenties below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.