Hollywood has seen its fair share of actors trying to transition from on-screen stars to bonafide musicians. Hilary Duff made the switch from being Lizzy McGuire to just being plain old Hilary, Miley Cyrus went from Hannah Montana to Miley - the list goes on. Joining his peers is Mishon Ratliff, a pint-sized R&B crooner who initially got his start as Tay Hutton on Lincoln Heights. You may know him as the somewhat troublesome younger brother of the family, but he's determined to step out on his own - even if he does get a little help from the ABC sitcom through cross-promotion.
His debut album, The Yearbook, is coming out soon, and with the single "Excuse Me Mama" being featured on Lincoln Heights, Mishon is having no trouble balancing his acting and singing career. The album, a sleek R&B record featuring production from The Underdogs and Sean "The Pen" Garrett, shows a more mature side of Mishon, and with bold moves being made like he describes on "Excuse Me Mama" (he claims he steps to a girl in the mall and asks her mom for permission to take her hand), Mishon is out to prove that he's on his way to becoming an adult, showing that he's got the manners and courtesy that some of his rude R&B contemporaries lack.
Mishon hasn't always been the gentleman that he currently is today. Growing up in Los Angeles, California, he got his start at the tender age of 10 when he released his first record Still Mishon, an album that featured songs about childish topics like video games. But he was encouraged by his family to keep performing and build a career for himself, going on auditions until he eventually landed a vocal role in Akeelah and the Bee and eventually Lincoln Heights.
Talking on the set while filming the next and third season of Lincoln Heights, Mishon took a break to talk with Senior Editor Steven. His mom butted in on the conversation at one point, but that's just a day in the life of a growing boy. As he discussed his forthcoming album, he doted on what it was like to work with production giants The Underdogs, why he's taking comparisons to Chris Brown as a compliment and why he hasn't yet approached a girl's mom in the mall to ask for her hand.
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