Meet De Shawn Montel Fowler | DJ/Producer/Dancer/Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with De Shawn Montel Fowler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi De Shawn Montel, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Im originally from lorain, Ohio. Growing up here was easy especially with the downfall of jobs and poverty rising at an extreme rate. We struggled growing up barely having money for food and watching my mom work 60 a week at the hair salon to provide for us only meant she wasn’t around as much as we’d hope for at the time but through all of it she found time to still provide for us and keep us in many art programs that she can find. My brother and I grew up in dance classes together. Starting with jazz & Tap and eventually taking on ballet, contemporary, modern, and hip hop dance styles. It was at the moment that I finally felt free and I wasn’t acting out anymore. But classes aren’t cheap and you must do what you can to provide for your family so eventually we stopped going and my brother went on to fully take on playing music and I attempted to play the guitar but it didn’t fulfill my appetite to express myself the dance did.

Fast forward after years of acting out getting expelled from 2 schools and almost ending up in jail I got to HS and found love for dance again but with that I also found a new love that couldn’t be replaced and that was music. I found a group of friends that’s really understood music the way my family did. So we all clicked together trained to the music we’d find. I eventually went on to audition for the Cleveland cavaliers at 18 and didn’t make it but I knew I could it just wasn’t my time. I eventually became homeless at one point and lost everything and looked in the mirror and knew I had to do something.

So I kept training and did side gigs here and there as a back up dancer and one of my first big performances was dancing for Bsmooth Boys with my best friend Bryan Witherspoon as they were doing an opening set for the Migos at Masonic temple..

Fast forward some years later I tried again at 24 and finally made the team beginning my career dancing for the Cleveland cavaliers Scream Team 2018-2020. From there I got to dance for Coolio, Flo Rida, and a couple other big artist while with the Cavs.

As more and more opportunities came about and things were getting better and better but then tragic struck again and I my mother was on the brink of death so I quit the cavs and moved home to help her get herself back to the point she needed to be.

I eventually lost the love for dance that I once had again and felt lost and it’s during 2020 so everything is locked down outside. I seen an opportunity and created an event called Groove Mondays w/ Samuel McIntosh which had 150+ people come and dance with being 6 ft apart while playing only house music giving people that has never experience authentic house music an opportunity to. I worked with many djs such as DJ ESO, NicNacc, Milo B, and Theo.
When things opened back up, Groove Monday closed out.
I went on to join Smooth Talk which was a house music group based out of Akron/cleveland that was just getting started as their emcee and I’d bring a bunch of dancers in as well since I was a dancer.
As time went on I also became a DJ as well and we had created something very special in Cleveland called WELCOME HOME. An event we created that introduces you to Authentic House music to the nightlife. Once a month we’d do these shows and bring in some big special guest such that made the music as Kyle Hall (Detroit), Patrice Scott (Detroit), Javonntte (Detroit), Deon Jamar (Detroit), Jon Dixon (Detroit), Jimpster (London), Blackloops (Italy), and more.

These opportunities have taken me far as I have been able to take my talents and play in different areas such as Denver and LA.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Being able to say I was a professional dancer for the NBA and a back up dancer multiple music artist and now I’m a upcoming house music Dj/producer with my group smooth talk has got to be the greatest feeling and looking and back I get blown away by it all. I got to where I am now because I stopped hating myself and started believing in myself. Never I taken a road that didn’t have a bump in it, it personally made my experience on that road even more enjoyable knowing I had to work hard to be here’. I made my own personal brand that I’m still working on a launch for called Connections Radio that is considered a modern day radio while also connecting to the audience in a deeper way allowing them to get to know their favorite artist on a deeper level.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
You’re just getting in town and need a meal I’m going to suggest somewhere like il Venetian, marble room, or my favorite pizza spot Cents pizza! Drinks you can go anywhere just depends on the type of mood environment youre looking for east 4th has a ton of great speak easy bars or head over to lava lounge or procos for a very intimate experience. I do suggest everyone head over to cro Bar and for a true experience of good music and dance culture.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to shout out my group, my family, and my friends, because without them I have nothing.

My older brother Dominque Fowler who’s also a producer based in LA now. Has always supported all I’ve done and pushed me to do more and more every day.

My group Smooth Talk (JT Hicks “Theo” and Steve ball “Milo B” has taught me how to DJ and do what I do now correctly.

My mentor Carrington “eyes” who has been nothing but a blessing helping me understand my creative abilities and making sure I push each limit I had on myself.

John Stursa/Pat O’Shea/Christopher Colon/Emily Denney/ Xavier Bennett my I’m from Cleveland family haha these friends of mine became family to me and supported me through everything by helping me understand myself and got me to stop questioning myself as an artist and how to package myself as an artist.

Niko/Val/Christian has always kept me out of my depressive slumps as well and provided me energy when I had nothing to give myself and has been my family since my family moved away.

My aunt for being my second mother always and staying on me to do and be the best version of myself 24/7

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealmrfowler?igsh=MXRxMTZmNW54cnV6cA==

Other: SoundCloud https://on.soundcloud.com/zo5sMh6KbfYbPXKG9

Image Credits
Photography credits @povpat @theo.flac @CHURKH @createdbyEyes