Domingo Guyton is an award-winning music and film producer, youth developer, community leader, and man of God. Hailing from the rough streets of Boston, Massachusetts, he has a remarkable story of transformation. Raised by a single mother and grandmother, Domingo was a troubled teen in the late 1980’s and early 90s. He fought frequently, was expelled from school, robbed at gunpoint, and even stabbed four times! Additionally, he found himself facing possible jail time on an alleged gun charge.
However, two things Domingo did have was the gift of musical talent, and a community that wanted to see him turn his life around. Inspired by the likes of KRS-One, Ice Cube, A Tribe Called Quest, and others, Domingo, or “Mingo” as he would be called on stage, rose to a nationally recognized rapper. However, his music was inundated with profanity and sexualized lyrics. After various internal battles and the words of wise counsel, he realized that his purpose was to use his creative gifts to educate, inspire, and share the word of God. To date, he has released numerous albums and is determined to leave a legacy that describes a man committed to uplfting his community and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Domingo is married with children, has a Master’s Degree, and is an award-winning film producer with ten film festival awards. HLN, BET, CBS News, The Source Magazine and many other media platforms have covered him. He has even toured as a drummer with two-time Grammy Award Winning R&B/Soul and Funk band, Tavares. Despite all of these achievements, Domingo insists he is just getting started.
Tell us a little about your background and how you started your company.
I grew up in Boston, lived in a single family home and was going through some of the same issues that alot of our young men in the 80s and 90s went through. I definitely had an eventful life. By God’s grace I have gotten out of it. Also, by the grace of the community of people I had around me and the church, I didn’t get swallowed up in the toxic environment I grew up in.
So many people who don’t get the credit they deserve played a part in me and others turning our lives around. They instilled in us discipline and good values. We were going to rehearsals every week to sing, going to events where we would visit other churches and participate in activities to keep up busy. Vacation Bible School, black history week events, amusement parks, you name it. Every month there was a youth service. They really just poured into me and played an integral role. Because of that, I was able to find my purpose, which is to empower my community through the arts. I have been doing that for almost three decades.
Please tell us about your business – what is Wake Up My People Publishing all about?
I have been recording music the past 29 years and now it is released through Wake Up My People Publishing. The music we are doing at the company is uplifting the community and giving honor to our God for what he has done. We have been using music as a means to wake folks up who have been sleep, so that they recognize that the clock is ticking and they might as well get their stuff together before their time is up.
What are your future plans, and how do you plan to grow this company?
We plan on using all of the arts, and I have been working on a feature film called Yesterday Today Forever. With the film, I helped to write it, I am helping to produce it and may even have a small acting role in it. I am just using all of the talents that God has given me. We also plan to put a soundtrack out. I am just using all of my God-given gifts, from acting, producing and writing to continue to grow the company and to make as big of an impact on my community as possible.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Well, I am still facing challenges, but I think one of the biggest challenges is being a Christian in this society that we are living in. It is kind of hard when many Christians can’t see outside of their normal way of viewing Christ and what they think we are supposed to do. In my film (YTF) we are portraying Jesus as a man of color. Since the inception of this idea there has been much pushback and opposition, and lack of support from many individuals. However, I do believe that God has called me for a time such as this.
Also, since the terrible incident with our brother George Floyd and him dying that premature death, it helped to wake up some of the folks who have been sleeping as far as racial injustices are concerned. They are starting to see how much evil and pain has been caused in the name of Jesus.
What helps you stay driven and motivated to keep going in business?
My children – I have 2 daughters and 3 nephews. My nephews are 29, 27, and 25, and my daughters are 13 and 11. My wife and I have seen the better parts of our years, so why not pour into the ones who will be here longer than us. One of my children is learning about film production. My youngest daughter wants to do everything I am not doing. She is in soccer, a class president, an author who wrote a book that is on Amazon, and she’s working on another book now. She’s just going into the 6th grade! That keeps me going…the fact that these younger people are going to likely be here longer than us and they will do bigger and better than what we did, because they will have a better launching pad than we had.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
I wouldn’t really say I have competitors. But, I separate myself from others by being true to myself and staying in my own lane. I don’t try to be something that I’m not, and I am not afraid of speaking the truth. Some people tell others what they want to hear, I tell them the truth.
What is a productivity tip you swear by?
Just because someone is talented doesn’t mean you have to work with them. There are many talented people, but sometimes we are trying to get connected and get with that talented person feeling like it is going to elevate us. They may not be in the same mindset. They may be detrimental to who you are and what your cause is. So I don’t focus on who I want to work with but what I am working on and what I need to do to reach the goal. I have dealt with a lot of pain, confusion trying to force and make things happen and it wasn’t a good fit.
What is your definition of success?
Simple. Success in my eye is doing God’s will.
What is your favorite quote?
Proverbs 3:5-6 . Trust God with your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all things acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.
How do you personally overcome fear?
I think that fear is a good motivator because it will force you to act. Overcoming fear is actually moving and starting, so if I am fearful of something I overcome it by either moving towards it or moving away from it. It is action. That is how I am motivated. If I am fearful, whether it is from a task, something I don’t want to do or someone I don’t want to talk to, I overcome it because I am motivated to move and act.
What are you learning now? Why is it important?
I am learning the key to patience. Being from Boston and living in Atlanta now, it is a lot different. Everything in Boston is fast paced, from the traffic and people. Lips are moving, conversations are happening and things are getting done quickly. I have been learning the importance of patience here because it is not the same. It has been a tough lesson, but as I am learning the art of being patient and taking things a little slower. I am noticing the value in it. Sometimes when things are moving fast, you miss some details. But, I have noticed that when things are moving slower, I am able to learn from some of those details that I wouldn’t catch by moving fast.
Finally, How can readers get in touch with you?
You can reach me at my website, which is domingoguyton.com, or @thedomingoguyton on IG, on Facebook and on YouTube.
