SUPER TEEN MAKES THE CUT
While most teenagers spend a considerable amount of time chatting on the phone, texting, watching television, or keeping company with their
seemingly endless amount of friends 19-year old Vincent Mcdonald is busy running his own business - Extreme Youth T.V.
He is already a successful singer/songwriter, record label owner and producer - impossible you might say, that is until you meet V-Mac as Vincent is
affectionately called an unusual teenager with an insatiable appetite for gospel music.
It all began for him on Christmas Day 1983. That
year he received as gifts a drum set, piano and a guitar. The very next day there were no toys to be found for the tiny tot had beaten the toys to their untimely death trying to learn how to play them. Not daunted by the destruction of his new toys he set out on a path to create more toys and in the process more noise which drove his parents to despair.
The racket he made was turned up more than a notch when he began using five-gallon water jugs as his drums –pots, pans and anything else he could get his hand on as instruments. A flashlight made the perfect
microphone.
At 9yrs old he decided to join the church's choir, where he sang to the honour and glory of the Lord louder than anyone else- but very much off key. The choirmaster who loved his enthusiasm also informed him. 'Stand in the back, because you can not sing.'
Again undaunted V-Mac turned to concerts and had his first concert at 10 years old. He invited family and friends to his backyard. He even rented
chairs. That concert was dubbed 'Shout to The Lord' After his 2nd concert Vincent's aunt told him 'If you are going to have a free concert at least send around a collection plate.' The concerts have now become
annual event and have moved from his backyard to various church halls, always with a different theme and featuring top Bahamian Gospel artists.
In the meantime he took voice lessons from the famed Grays Music School and learned a few instruments all in an effort to improve himself musically.
He began with the assistance of his parents to purchase
various musical instruments and also a movie camera. He decided to open a production company. He did not have a name for it and he mentioned this fact to a friend. The friend said why you don't just call it V-Mac Productions and the rest as they say is history- that was March 2007.
After the annual concert that year, V Mac Productions decided to launch Extreme Youth Television (E.Y.T.V.) What began as format where gospel artists were interviewed and was able to speak about what they were
doing in their respective careers soon exploded to showing the latest gospel video and concert coverage and the works. The show can be seen on Cable Channel 12 twice weekly.
In 2008 V-Mac saw the need to yet again extend his business ventures and added a new dimension, V-Mac
Record label to his already fast growing company. He has a few artists under its belt and currently does the majority of the work himself along with five volunteers that assist him intermittently.
October 2008 the show was taken on the road and the productions launched its school
tour that featured many popular artists such as D.J Counsellor, and highlighted the television show. Lots of issues were addressed like sex, drugs, peer pressure and tons of paraphernalia was also given away at that time. The main aim of the tour was to hear issues affecting youth from the youth themselves and to address them head on.
The initiative was also undertaken by the productions Extreme Youth Jam, which is a quarterly event that features games, contest and various activities to
keep young people active. This venture focuses on providing fun activities in a safe environment.
V- Mac productions have also teamed up with others to pull of various events such as The Bahamian Artist
Showcase. This biennial production is done in conjunction with Oasis of Love church and Taylor University Alumni and was held this year at The
Performing Arts Centre.
He was honoured recently by the government of the Bahamas as one of the country's outstanding youth during National Youth month in October. He received the pacesetter award in for his outstanding work in Creative Arts.
What's next for this dynamic teenager? He is already planning his next concert set for June 2010.
This one promises to be the biggest and best yet. V-Mac is slated to release his 1st album, with a number of singles that are written, sung and
produced by him but also featuring two of the most sought after Bahamian artists to date.
All of this will compliment his first music video
that was released in July of last year featuring the single Just Believe, which is already enjoying appreciable airplay.
Things are going well according to V-Mac, \"I am beginning to get more international bookings so I am very pleased with that. Extreme Youth T.V. has exploded, there are so many gospel artists that need an avenue to promote their music. I am happy to be able to provide that. I am enjoying the modicum amount of success that I have attained in the music industry The lessons that I am learning in the arena is helping me with my production company. I am consistently working to achieve my goals and that is why I keep busy.\"
There are times when we think that we are doing enough to impact our country and when one looks at this dynamic teenager it should make us want to work twice as hard.
Faced with long term health challenges that affect his hearing and sight, he doesn't complain he just rolls with the punches gets up every morning
and seizes the day.
