Rapper, singer and actor Ashante “PT” Stokes is on a mission to use his versatile talents to make a joyful noise unto the Lord at the end of each day.
“We all have a purpose. Some people embrace it and some people hide from it. If you’re constantly making a joyful noise, the universe has no choice but to yield that back,” explained Stokes who resides in Atlanta but has paternal ties to Monessen and Clairton.
His father grew up in Mon City while his grandfather owned a pharmacy in the city of Clairton. Stokes spent a year of his early life in the Steel City with his grandparents and so places like Kennywood and Clairton Park have special meaning to Stokes.
“We would hold family reunions every other year in Clairton Park and when I spent a year in Pittsburgh I got accustomed to Pittsburgh and the roller skating rink and the mill in Monessen,” he recalled. “It was always a great time with my family.”
Stokes recently returned to Monessen earlier this summer for a family reunion before returning to the A.T.L. to continue filming the TV movie, “Bessie” a biopic about legendary blues performer Bessie Smith who rose to fame in the 1920s and ‘30s. The movie will feature rapper/actress/talk show host Queen Latifah in the title role and other notables like comedienne/actress/talk show host, Monique and actor Charles S. Dutton.
“I have a background role in that movie. I play a sharecropper and a club patron. But I learned that professionalism is always needed and warranted,” Stokes said. “I got to see the jovial spirit that Monique and Queen Latifah had before going on camera but they still stayed in character. As soon as they were about to start filming there was no more cutting up, they were ready to go. It was a long day of filming that went from about 10 p.m. at night until about six or seven in the morning. I had coffee to help me out. They made it fresh for us.”
Stokes drew on his grandfather’s love of the genre to prepare for the part.
“Bessie used to be a gospel vocalist and she was big in Jazz and my grandad was a big Jazz enthusiast and I’d listen to it,” said Stokes.
The rhythm and gospel artist was raised as a youth chanter at Wheat Street Baptist Church and playing the hand bells at Hillside Presbyterian Church. He was selected to be a member of the Dekalb County Honors Chorus when he was in the third grade. After accepting a track scholarship to Ohio State University, Stokes accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior.
In late 2013, at the urging of a friend, Stokes auditioned for an indie film, “Burning Bridges.” The casting director asked him to read for a bigger part, which he landed.
“I played an attorney who sings good. It’s slated to come out later this year,” he said with pride.
He will also be seen in the third film in the Liam Neeson “Taken” film series, which is set for release in 2015.
Just like with Queen Latifah and Monique, Stokes learned some invaluable lessons from Liam Neeson and Forrest Whitaker on the set of “Taken 3.”
“I play a detective in the squad room. Both of them have a Denzel Washington spirit. They are in character all of the time and they only talk to the director or the other actor that is in the scene
The main thing I learned from them was to stay in character,” he said.
In addition to his acting career, Stokes will be releasing his first record “Raise Up” later this year under the stage name PT the Gospel Spitter. To hone his musical craft, Stokes has been working with a vocal coach and performing in various shows and showcases throughout Georgia. He got the moniker Gospel Spitter from his mother and grandmother.
“My mother was fighting cancer and I would call her and make sure she had a scripture—a positive note each day and I would leave some of them on her answering machine. It was cool to be able to give her that and it was cool to see the scriptures living and breathing,” he said.
After spending some time singing lyrics for a rapper friend, Stokes went back to his musical roots and entered GMA’s Immerse, a gospel competition that allows the artist to perform original music. Stokes made it into the semi-finals.
“It was my first gospel talent show. My nerves got the best of me and I missed a note. No one knew until they looked at my face. That show helped me to see that things don’t always go well with your performances,” he said. “At the end of the day I learned that Gospel is living and breathing and God is working. I know I’m using my talent exactly how I’m supposed to use it. I know that from me asking God. I required Him to tell me what my purpose is. I believe if you’re not using your gift the way God wants you to roadblocks keep popping up.”
Stokes is definitely jumping over any hurdles that try to derail him from his purpose.
He is currently looking to get deeper into voice-over work preferably in a cartoon movie.
“My childhood favorite was cartoons. I’m big on that. I’m a big character,” laughed Stokes. “I hope to jump into more voice over work. That’s what the acting is about.”
(For more information on Stokes, visit his website www.ptthegospelspitter.com.)
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