Today we’d like to introduce you to Najat Abdu and Kobe Sipp.
Hi Najat and Kobe, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
The idea of Best on The Block Entertainment started about 6-7 years ago when we first met and developed an understanding that we were people who had very grand visions of what our futures would be like and connected on our level of drive and ambition. Of course, we love all art formats, with both of us having competitive acting and theatrical backgrounds. In 2017, we went our separate ways due to college; however, our friendship continued. As we naturally discovered who we were and our passions, we realized we were more aligned in our ideology than we thought.
We agreed that we wanted to start a movement that eventually would lead to a conglomeration due to our interest in the study of business in general. There was a year of ideas, brainstorming, lengthy phone calls, heavy discourse, and teaching ourselves about the fundamentals of how to build a brand. We agreed that we do not believe in competition – every person has a unique function and skill set that only THEY bring to the table. We saw that in these media spaces (film, theater, production, business), there was minimal collaboration and no emphasis on the actual value of TEAM. Creativity is controlled and manufactured. Eventually, in June 2019, while Kobe was studying at the New York Film Academy, he called me and said, “This is what we are doing, and we are the people who are going to make it happen. Nothing is stopping us except ourselves; let’s take what is ours.”
Best On The Block was born out of observation. Often, a lack of diversity is represented, especially in the media context. Although it has become a social expectation for brands to promote diversity and inclusivity across all media formats as of recently, behind the scenes, there is still a huge opportunity to highlight minority groups in these workspaces. Our goal is to create a platform where ALL, and we mean ALL, artists and business leaders of all industries can connect and collaborate. We foster an environment where all talent is challenged to push their skill set to the next level, creating an outlet for those who are committed to their passion and striving for the best in their respective fields. There is no ceiling on what is possible when hard work is involved.
The essence of our brand is the authenticity you experience while working with us. We provide a safe space for amateurs, pros, and everything in between to learn and grow but to have fun and genuinely CREATE with no boundaries! We 100% fund opportunities for other creatives. One of the most notable characteristics about our duo is that we are people of ACTION. We let our body of work speak for itself. We do NOTHING without intention and progression. We officially launched in 2020; since then, it has been a whirlwind of self-discovery and expansion.
We got to where we are today by creating a plan and seeing it through with patience and trust in our leadership skill sets. Long days with back-to-back events, traveling between cities with little sleep to shoot with new talent, heavy discipline, and extreme time management – it has not been easy, but nothing ever worth it is.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing is easy when striving for something you have never done before. One of the most significant obstacles was getting out of the way of ourselves and genuinely allowing others to see our work for what it is. From a creative standpoint, we often wait for the perfect time to show off our content, and the truth is there is no “perfect time”; the moment is now. When you feel confident in work, allow others to consume, evaluate the feedback, and consider it for your next moment. Don’t let negative thoughts cloud your judgment about what you should put out. Show your work! Allow the audience to experience the journey with you! We overcame that by understanding our niche and who we were as a company. That set the tone for everything moving forward, and we no longer held ourselves back because of quality because quality is a company standard when dealing with us. It became more of a moment of growth, and how are we challenging ourselves? How does this push us further?
As you know, we’re big fans of Best On The Block Entertainment. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a Media Production Company that creates and produces projects based in Orlando, FL, while also operating in Miami, metro Atlanta, and New York providing specialized services such as cinematography and photography.
We are known for captivating moments in Photography and Cinematography. While also providing but not limited to other services such as sound engineering, Artist development, Stage Management, Directing, Producing, Sound Recording, and much more.
We are bridging the gap between the media industry and upcoming developments. We create opportunities for creatives in all branches of media to further develop their skill sets through hands-on experience by hosting an environment for technical and innovative personnel of all backgrounds. We focus primarily on building our members’ skills and pushing them to the next level of their careers. Our company provides many tools to jumpstart your career, creating an extraordinary experience like no other and allowing your name to be attached to a growing legacy that can only push you to be the best you can be.
What sets us aside is not only our ability to dive into any art form (filmmaking, music, modeling, and fashion), but our immense discipline, urgency of action, quality in performance, and overall experience of collaboration is something indisputable. Having that level of connection with every one of our participants creates moments where they can design, discover, and collaborate with like-minded peers that they never thought would be this close to what feels like home for them.
One thing about working with Best On The Block Entertainment is that you get the experience you deserve. We don’t like to say too much, we rather show you what we are capable of!
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Never give up! There is strength through adversity. “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, and how you can still come out of it.” — Maya Angelou.
Covid was an excellent teacher of resilience and strategy. It taught us how to prepare for any unexpected challenges and critically think about how to still be successful during the most difficult time of our careers. We experienced covid at the launch of our business. We had just put on a grand opening showcase, built a fantastic team, and started some unique projects, and due to the shutdown, production had to halt for most film projects. I would be lying if I said we didn’t feel discouraged because of it, but inevitably you get over it and figure it out! You have complete control of your business! You have the ability to make or break it! Now it’s up to you to decide if you will wait for that star to fall out of the sky or if you will do everything in your power to try and grab it. We motivate each other to keep going and pushing ourselves further, constantly asking, “what’s next?”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bestontheblock.myportfolio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b.o.t.b.entertainment/?hl=en
- Other: https://bookbotb.as.me/schedule.php
