Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with The Rookie’s Titus Makin

Titus Makin is laying down the law as Officer Jackson West on ABC’s The Rookie. Now in its second season, we’ve seen Titus’s character break out of his shell and come into his own. It’s a transformation that only an actor as talented as Titus could portray. We caught up with Titus for an in-depth conversation, and he shared some intel on Season 2, how his character has grown, and diving back into music, where he records under the name Butterfly Ali.

Career

PC: You’re an actor, dancer, and singer. How did you discover your passion for the arts? Is there one that you naturally gravitate towards?
Titus: I started in music and dance. I was the kid in school who was always doing talent shows and pep rallies. My sister was actually the actress in the family. Then I saw a movie called Step Up. I was like, “There’s a school where you can go and hone all these traits?” I looked up those types of schools and found a performing arts school in New York called the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. I auditioned and ended up getting in. From there, it all started to snowball. I went to New York to train and then moved out to LA.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Titus: That’s a great question. Funny enough, it’s someone who I’ve never met and that’s Will Smith. [laughs] He’s had a huge influence on me because he’s also a musician-actor. He also brings such an energy on set. I’ve been on the same set as him, but I haven’t met him personally. He’s incredibly kind on set and has a blast on any job he’s doing.

PC: You’ve had tons of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Titus: There are tons. But one that popped in my head as you asked that is going on the world tour with Glee 3D. I saw so much of the world at such a young age. It was so cool to see how receptive people are to something that you enjoy doing. That got me excited for my journey.

The Rookie

PC: The Rookie’s made its return. What can you tease about the back half of Season 2?
Titus: It gets extremely intense. There’s more romance, but there’s way more thrill. There’s a lot of shady things that happen. That’s about all I can say. [laughs]

PC: We’ve seen your character come into his own in the first two seasons. Has anything surprised you about his journey? What does his future hold?
Titus: Nothing has really surprised me, but I’m really proud of him for stepping into his own. He’s become tougher on the streets and less of a pushover. As far as what’s coming for him, it’s just that! He’s coming into his own. He’s navigating things better. He’ll get to step out solo a bit. He gets to step out of the shadow of being the kid who was only book smart.

PC: There are a lot of intricate relationships in the series. Which of Jackson’s has been your favorite to explore and why? Has it changed from Season 1 to Season 2?
Titus: It’s been really cool to see Jackson’s relationship with his training officer develop. It’s that transition of your superior becoming your partner and having your back and becoming peers instead of teacher and student.

PC: You’ve been a part of this cast since Season 1. What’s been the biggest takeaway from this experience?
Titus: Learning and respecting everything that goes into being a cop. I took it for granted at first. I was like, “It’ll be so cool to play a cop!” But even playing pretend, you learn how much it takes to make last-minute calls and how insanely on point your judgment has to be at a drop of a dime. It’s an extremely hard job that I’ve learned I could never do in real life.

Music

PC: You just released the single “Righteous.” Tell us the inspiration behind the song.
Titus: I’m super excited about “Righteous.” It’s one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever recorded. It captures all that is Butterfly Ali, which is my musician name. It’s fully me. I wrote that song about being an underdog. It’s for anyone in any community that’s ever felt like that. It’s for all those people who feel like they’re not hitting all those checkboxes that that community thinks they should have. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt different and feels like people are judging them because of that. But I’m going to put it away because they’re acting self-righteous, and I know that I have a lot to offer.

PC: Love that! You’ve dropped a few singles throughout the years. Is there more music on the horizon?
Titus: Yes, tons! I’ve been able to grasp back the music side of my career. It’s been nice to dive back in. We’re coming full force. We have tons of songs in the pipeline.

PC: If you had to choose one song that best encompasses you as an artist, what would it be and why?
Titus: That’s a good one. I would say something fun. I’m a lot of energy. I love color. Maybe Andre 3000’s “Hey Ya”?

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Titus: The Bachelor

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Titus: I’m not ashamed of it: Devil Wears Prada.

PC: Favorite book?
Titus: I’m going to stick to my gun and say the Bible.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Titus: The Color Purple

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Titus: Joey Purp

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Titus: Jaden Smith

To keep up with Titus, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Catch new episodes of The Rookie every Sunday at 10/9c on ABC.

Photo Credit: Matthew Coleman