| North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University students, staff and alumni are all coming down from the excitement of the greatest homecoming on earth. For one Aggie, last weekend was much more than another reunion. Darren Brand, a 2007 graphic communications graduate, captured a long awaited milestone when he performed at the homecoming comedy show as talent for the first time.
In 2010 Brand decided to pursue a career as an entertainer and comedian. He took to the stage at a local open mic night and hasn’t turned back since.
“I always wanted to do it I just never had the courage to take it seriously,” he said.
Since his first show Brand has performed countless times. Three moments that stand out to him are performing at Winston Salem State University’s homecoming and receiving the largest check he’s ever received for stand-up comedy, performing in front of 10,000 people at a women’s empowerment event in Raleigh, N.C. and lastly, opening the homecoming comedy show at North Carolina A&T with accomplished comedian and entertainer, Mike Epps.
“One of my personal goals was to perform stand-up at homecoming,” Brand said. “It was like a moment of peace to be in front of 6,000 people screaming Aggie Pride.”
The budding star is a member of Freestyle Funny Comedy Show (FFCS)—a four man comedy crew who has entertained audiences through stand-up, improv and interactive games since 2009. Members include, Brand who also goes by “Big Baby,” fellow Aggie Demar “Osama Bin Drankin” Rankin, Brian “B Daht” McLaughlin of radio station 102 Jamz Wild Out Wake-up Show, Walter Latham of Comedy After Dark and Anthony “Chico” Bean from MTV2’s Nick Cannon Presents: Wild N’ Out.
The group will begin its first collegiate comedy tour in January 2014 and will perform at more than 50 colleges and universities by October 2014.
“The reason why I’m so big on performing for colleges is because the one thing we should do as entertainers is give kids a chance and a sense of hope,” Brand said. “I came from a single parent home, drug abuse, family abuse and according to society I’m either supposed to be selling drugs or in jail.”
“I am not a product of my environment,” he said.
Brand’s personal mission is to encourage others to be unique. He has mentored many students and attributes his passion for mentoring others to the countless number of A&T graduates who helped him in the past.
“One thing about Aggies, (we) don’t like to see other Aggies fail,” he said.
While Brand was a student at N.C. A&T he was a member of Couture Modeling Troupe, vice president of external affairs for the student government association, a campus life mentor, orientation counselor and president of the Fayetteville Aggies hometown club.
“I owe a lot of my success just to the ups and downs I went through while attending A&T,” he said.
Now that Brand has accomplished one of his most precious goals he’s ready to take on the world but no matter how far he goes in his career you can bet there will always be a blue and gold beat in his heart and an Aggie Pride in his soul.
“When the Aggie family recognizes that you have a talent and you’re good at it they’ll push you even when you don’t feel like being pushed—there’s nothing better,” Brand said.
By: Courtney J. Jackson |
