What does it take to succeed? Furthermore, especially when all the odds are pointing in the other direction? How does one find the courage and the motivation to soar above and beyond the status-quo, in order to reach higher ground? Ferro Productions unveiled the answers to those questions during our most recent Up-and-Coming interview, featuring Michael Becton… Enjoy!

Mr. Becton sits down with Executive Producer, Joe Scacciaferro.

Michael Becton is a talented twenty-six year-old from Brooklyn, New York… Brownsville to be exact. A neighborhood in Brooklyn certainly NOT short of notable native born talent that ranges across the board to include the names and brilliant careers of the GZA, RZA, Andrew Dice Clay, Aaron Copland, Arnold Greenberg (co-founder of Snapple), Larry King, Willie Randolph, Otis Wilson, Mike Tyson and many many more. Similar to the majority of young males in America, Mike always had a warm spot in his heart for music and sports. His favorite sport: Football. His favorite music: Hip-Hop… and how fitting, if you consider that New York City is notorious for not only birthing some of hip-hop’s most renowned artists, but for birthing the genre of music itself.

“It’s the roughest neighborhood in New York. I decided at an early age that I was going go to college and provide my mother and grandmother with the lives that they deserved.”

After graduating high school Michael fulfilled that dream of his and began classes at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. Initially enrolled as an Electrical Engineer major, he quickly decided that a change was needed. Mike ultimately made the switch to Television Production because he felt it would not only allow him to work towards a career where his creativity would flourish but it would also give him an opportunity to work in the Sports and Entertainment industries that he loved so much.

In the early years at Morgan State, Mike recalls hanging out with a few friends at a local recording studio and laying down some verses. After that first trip to the studio Mike began writing music of his own but strictly as a creative hobby…

By senior year the Brooklyn native got his first big break into the TV industry, working as a production intern with the Baltimore Ravens Broadcasting Department. He was part of a small crew that was responsible for portraying the Ravens to the media in interesting and exciting ways. Whether is was TV shows, commercials, or stadium presentations, Michael was thrown right into the mix and as he shares, “It was amazing. I was mixing sports and television and I was only twenty-one… I loved it.”

Following a job-well-done with the Ravens, Mr. Becton immediately landed a job with the Baltimore Orioles Broadcast Department where he was a game-day camera operator for the stadium presentation, as well as a contributing editor for their local programming. It was now beginning to become apparent that Michael was well on his way to earning his stay in the television industry.

Michael graduated college while working the Orioles. It was at this same time that he came across a Tweet (Twitter) that would forever change his life. A person affiliated with the New York rapper, 50 Cent, sent out a tweet informing the public that they were looking for an editor to contribute to the website ThisIs50.com. Mike immediately sent over his resume and, you guessed it, he landed the gig. “They saw that I had been around celebrities before. They saw that I could operate a camera and I could edit, and they saw that I was a local New York kid.” Needless to say, the music lover in Michael made the executive decision to move back to NYC and take the gig with G-Unit and ThisIs50.

Mike’s first day on the job was one that he will never forget. He sat down with 50 Cent, who was, “ Very professional and very encouraging. He treated me with nothing but respect from day one. I can’t say I wasn’t a little star-struck at first though.” Shares Mike. Although it was a dream job for Mr. Becton, it turned out to be short-lived. After four months of shooting and editing interviews for ThisIs50.com he got a call from the New York Giants Broadcasting Department, who ultimately offered him an intern position after a successful interview. He left the job with 50 Cent, but not before making a lot of great connections in the music industry. Michael was still very interested in music…

“TV and Video was something to pay the bills. The whole reason I went to college was to land a job that would help me pay the bills and provide for my family. I always had music in the back of my mind though.”

Upon completing his first season with the Giants, Mike was offered a full-time job as an Associate Producer. All of his hard work, all of his dedication, all of his perseverance… He now found himself with that full-time salary job that he always wanted. A goal that he decided at an early age he was going to obtain…

The second greatest moment of Michael’s life: Celebrating on the field after the Giants victory in Super Bowl XLVI.

Mike now finds himself in his fourth season with the Giants Broadcasting Department. He is traveling to a new city every weekend, he is using his creativity and passion as a means to obtain income, and he even got to experience one of the greatest moments of his life. “Shooting camera at the Super Bowl was the second best moment of my life, behind only the birth of my daughter. I remember sitting on the bench during the pre-game and just having that moment of clarity where I got the chills and everything. I looked up and saw my mother sitting in the twelfth row and I just smiled. I knew I had done something right in my life.”

In the midst of a hectic schedule, the young and accomplished associate producer put some of the connections from ThisIs50 to work and has since recorded two rap albums. The EP’s feature some club songs, some songs for his daughter, but mostly songs that tell a story about Michael’s life. “Although I write my own lyrics and find my own beats, I can’t consider myself a rapper nor a producer. You’ve got to earn your stripes for something like that. I’m just putting my creativity to work in a hobby, much like some people do with video games or something. Unlike video games though, I think that this has the potential to turn into something big.”

We hope that Mike’s story serves as a means of motivation to all of those aspiring to make

it in the industry; as it certainly has inspired all of us here at Ferro. When we asked Mr. Becton what trait he possesses that enabled him to arrive at this exact point in his life, he said, “ Aside from hard-work and all that, I think you always just have to stay humble. There is absolutely no room for ego in my life, or anyones life in my opinion. Where I’m from, all the people with egos, are now dead or in jail.”

Mike Becton transforms into “Horse” when he’s in the booth recording.

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Interested in listening to some of Horse’s music? Click here and enjoy!