19°
The Newark native, who was a top VJ on MTV in the 90s, will be appearing at Newark Symphony Hall on Tuesday, April 25, to celebrate his new memoir "Top Billin': Stories of Laughter, Lessons and Triumph," which chronicles how a kid from New Jersey ended up partying with Snoop Dogg and Tupac and even starring in his own movie.
Newark Symphony Hall is where Bellamy first performed standup comedy.
"My story is a true American story," Bellamy said. "It's about a guy coming up from humble beginnings pursuing his dream and refusing to give up on his dream regardless of the setbacks he faced. I went from being a comedian in New Jersey to being a household name in one summer. It was like a booster pack was strapped to me. If you're a dreamer, this book is your blueprint."
Bellamy promises readers will laugh as he recounts his days interviewing the biggest names in Hollywood and hanging out at the MTV Beach House in the Hamptons with Will Smith and Ice Cube.
"We brought so much flavor to the Hamptons," Bellamy said. "The Hamptons had never seen so much energy. The neighbors were complaining, 'why are they playing the music so loud? Why are the kids laughing?' We brought too much swag to the Hamptons."
In 1997, Bellamy got to star in "Def Jam's How to Be a Player," fitting for the man who invented the term "booty call." The cast featured comedians like Bernie Mac and Gilbert Gottfried and remains fondly remembered.
"That movie comes up everyday," Bellamy said. "Everyone smiles when they talk about it. It's a movie you couldn't tell your parents you watched."
Making the movie could be exhausting. Bellamy said he had to shoot all of his love scenes in one day with a crew of 45 people watching his every move.
"All of the guys out there that think they got stamina..." Bellamy said. "I had to get into whole other gear."
The man who wrote the playbook on how to be a player later got married and had two children.
"How to Be a Daddy," Bellamy said, laughing. "How to be a financier for their education. It was just a blessing."
Performing at Symphony Hall will be a surreal experience for Bellamy. He performed at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in February and said he always enjoys coming home. Only this time, he gets to add author to his resume.
"This is like whaaaaat," Bellamy said. "Are you kidding me? I'm not going to believe it. I might get misty. I think it's going to be a really good time. I've represented not only myself, but people from Newark. I just want to be a beacon of light."
Bellamy said it's important that anyone with aspirations believe in themselves and their dreams.
"I always tell people if God gave you a snapshot of a dream, why would he give it to you?" Bellamy said. "Just think about it. Why would you manifest something that wasn't possible. Do not allow yourself to be fearful of your dreams."
To purchase tickets for Bellamy's show, click here.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Vineland and receive free news updates.
