He was the good kid gone bad in HBO’s hit television series “The Wire.” After pushing weight and then poppin’ a cap in Snoop’s ass, Tristan “Mack” Wilds switched gears and coasts and landed a role on CW’s “90210.” But Wilds, 24, had more to offer, and when the show came to an end, he began pursuing his first love of music.
Under the the guidance of hip-hop heavy weight Saalam Remi, Mack is gearing up for his debut album “New York: A Love Story set to drop Sept. 17 (Louder Than Life/Sony Music). We chopped it up with singer/songwriter/emcee about his name change, his album and the best advice he’s ever received.
I mean, I didn’t want this Quickie to end.
Tell us about the name “Mack”
Well Mack is my middle name. Tristan Paul Mack Wilds. Mack is also my family name. My mom calls me Mack unless she’s mad at me and she’ll call me my whole name. The name is close and personal to me and so is my music.
How did your album come about?
The album came from conversations I had with Saalam about New York and the different emotions
What did you do with your first big check?
My first big check, I went out and bought my mom a house. I got my mom out of the projects. It was when I started “90210″ It’s still on Staten Island but definitely away from the projects, pool and everything.
What’s the best piece of advice someone in the industry has given to you?
Persistence breaks resistance. That one came from one of my dad’s friends in the barbershop. Oh, and less is more. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned while shooting “The Wire” Ed Burns, one of the producers of the show.
If you could go back in time and play any other character from the wire who would it be?
Probably Avon or Stringer. I really liked their characters especially Stringer Bells. I loved the way it developed. Idris Elba did an amazing job with that character so I don’t even think I’d be able to hold a candle to it.
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