Entertainment

Leon Budrow: The Heart of a Rising Star

Published

6 years ago

February 20, 2020

If you have ever enjoyed a live concert or a male revue show, you undoubtedly love a good time with live entertainment, but what if you were to combine the two? With catchy beats and hooks coupled with the looks and charisma of a charming male entertainer, Leon Budrow has done just that. Below is our interview with him.

BigTimeDaily Team – As a musician, how do you balance branding yourself as a male entertainer?

BUDROW – For me it is easy because it is just who I am, I am a male entertainer. I work for a great male revue company called Hunk-O-Mania where I manage, host and perform at our Philadelphia location every weekend. My music career has been heavily influenced by my experiences at the Hunk-O-Mania male revue. My songs often reference the show and my experience as a host/MC has really influenced my stage presence as musician in a great way.

BTD – You have built quite a fan base for yourself, having toured the country with various Pop Stars such as O-Town and Aaron Carter. How do you stay connected with all of your fans?

BUDROW – I have been very blessed to have met so many amazing people throughout the country. I believe that fan interaction is incredibly important, especially to show thanks and love back to those that show love and support to you. I take pictures with as many fans as I can and I try very hard to respond to everybody’s comments and tags on my social media posts. I also do random free merch contest giveaways, and a segment on my Instagram Story every Thursday that I call “Q&A Thursday” where I can personally interact with them answering their questions.

BTD – Given your experience touring the country, are there any particular cities that you’d love to tour again? Any new cities you’d like to visit that you have not yet experienced?

BUDROW – It’s hard to pick a particular city considering I’d love to tour them all again. I had great experiences touring the Mid West and North East, performing in great cities such as Easton, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Louisville, Cleveland, Boston and many more. I’d really love to visit them all again soon on my next tour. As for new areas, I’d love to tour the West Coast and head down south a little more, maybe hit Tennessee, Maryland, Florida and Texas.

BTD – As a male dancer for Hunk-O-Mania, you mentioned you work at the Philadelphia location. Are there any other Hunk-O-Mania locations you’d like to experience?

BUDROW – I have worked at a couple other Hunk-O-Mania shows filling in as a performer at our Atlantic City and Hamptons shows. I believe we are currently in 19 different cities. I’d like to work at any one of shows honestly, but I’d really like to experience our show in Nashville. I love Nashville and it would be great to get to work at that show sometime.

BTD – You promote yourself as a Pop | Hip-Hop Artist, why is that?

BUDROW – I enjoy all types of music, from pop, rap, rock, country, etc. If I listen to it all, why can’t I create it all? My sound is unique in that I am versatile and like to record different genres based on how I am feeling. Sometimes I sing, sometimes I rap, sometimes my instrumentals are very edm or pop sounding and others are heavier beats. One day I’d even like to write and record a country song. I enjoy variety and the creative process in general.

BTD – You’ve appeared in various film and tv projects such as the Television show “Younger” and an upcoming role in the Zach Snyder Netflix Film “Army of The Dead” , is acting something you’d to pursue more?

BUDROW – Yes, absolutely. I love acting, I would really like to become deeper involved with it and build a name for myself in Hollywood one day.

BTD – You live a very fast paced life with work, music and dancing. As a professional male dancer for Hunk-O-Mania, what do you do to stay in shape?

BUDROW – Fitness has been a big part of my life. As a former wrestler, fitness competitor and current recreational hockey player, I have always been athlete and use sports as a great way to stay fit. I play on three hockey teams which provides me great cardio. In the gym I focus on intense weight training, incorporating techniques such as drop sets, super sets, and rest pause sets into my workouts with minimal rest. I chase the burn, the hotter it burns the harder it dries!

BTD – More than just an entertainer, you also work a full time job during the day. How do you stay focused on all of your projects?

BUDROW – I have a great job as a Regional Manager for the best GNC Franchise Operator in the company. I love what I do and I am very fortunate to be surrounded by great people at all times. To stay focused, I really just try to be active at all times and make the best of every moment. One thing to the next, I don’t like to waste time. Wasted time or unproductive time is worst than wasted money.

BTD – As a jack of all trades, what would you be doing if not for GNC, Hunk-O-Mania and your music career?

BUDROW – I don’t think I would be doing anything else. I would continue chasing all of my goals until I achieve them. Like I said above, this is just who I am. To me everything connects.

BTD – You seem very positive and confident, how do you handle criticism and rejection?

BUDROW – I have faced an immense amount of criticism and rejection, just like everybody has. The key is to take what you can from it in a productive, positive manner and not let it stop you. I was told by many people I couldn’t be a dancer or a singer, but I stayed true to myself and worked to become what I wanted to be. Don’t let others bring you down, just keep going.

BTD – Describe your personal style

BUDROW – If you’ve ever seen me before a show or in my down time, you’ll see me rocking nothing but grey sweatpants and some sort of long sleeve shirt. Right before all shows I switch out of this to something flashier, like black skinny jeans and a black t shirt. My style is definitely black on black everything, typically accessorized with some chains, a watch and hat.

BTD – What two accessories can’t you leave the house without?

BUDROW – My cell phone and my watch, or my crystals. I always have to have a crystal of some sort with me in hand or in my pocket.

BTD – You often use the word “Dreamin” in your music branding, what is your message with that?

BUDROW – I really believe in doing what you love. Even if you can’t do it as a career, at least pursue a hobby around whatever your passion is. If you wanted to be a professional hockey player, sign up for a recreational league. If you wanted to be a marine biologist, take up a scuba diving class. I believe we should pursue whatever makes us happy in some form, no matter what people say or how busy we are. Live your dreams and take action, that is the principle behind why I make use of the word Dreamin.

BTD – What is your life motto?

BUDROW – “A life filled with regret is just a life wasted away”

A great lyric from a humble man, inspiring others to always live life to their fullest.

Entertainment

When Motherhood Meets the Mic: Stacey Jackson’s Story Sings Its Own Soundtrack

Published

3 weeks ago

December 13, 2025

Jonathan Grilli

Stacey Jackson doesn’t take herself too seriously, and that might be the secret to her success. She’s the first to admit that her latest project, How a Gangsta Rapper Made Me a Better Mom (Integrated Musical Edition), began with laughter. “The title came from a moment of total chaos and comedy in my real life, juggling my kids, my career, and all the curveballs in between,” she says. “At the point I found myself working with an actual ‘gangsta rapper’, and the clash of worlds was so surreal, my son blurted out ‘Mom, how about calling the book How A Gangsta Rapper Made Me a Better Mom?’ And it just stuck with me.”

It’s the kind of moment that defines Jackson’s brand of honesty, a combination of humor and heart that turns the chaos of daily life into something both relatable and inspiring. “The phrase may have started as a bit of a joke… but the more I thought about it, the more I realised how true it was. That experience (and the people I met along the way) genuinely changed how I parent, how I view and teach my kids about drive and ambition, and how I navigate life as a woman trying to do it all. So the title is cheeky, yes but it’s also honest.”

That mix of playfulness and sincerity runs through the entire project. How a Gangsta Rapper Made Me a Better Mom isn’t just a memoir it’s a musical novel, a storytelling format that merges fiction, sound, and emotion. “Honestly? I’ve always seen life like one big music video, scenes, moods, characters and music has always been the emotional thread that ties it all together for me,” Jackson says. “So when I started writing this story, I couldn’t not hear the songs that went with it. I thought, what if the characters in the book had their own voices literally through music? That’s when it hit me: what if a novel could be heard as much as read?”

It’s a question only Jackson could ask and actually answer. The book allows readers to hear songs as they appear in the story. “For the paperback we’ve included QR codes throughout the story where the song appears (direct links to all music platforms on an e-book) so that readers can instantly listen to the tracks that align with certain scenes or characters,” she explains. “For the audiobook, we took it a step further: the music is actually woven into the narration. The tracks are part of the whole immersive experience much like a film score or a musical.”

Her confidence in crossing genres from pop to publishing to tech innovation didn’t come from comfort zones. Jackson credits her past collaborations for teaching her how to take risks. “Working with someone like Snoop was a game-changer,” she says. “It showed me what it meant to blend worlds, to find common ground through music even when you come from totally different backgrounds. That spirit of collaboration and that sense of humour and grit absolutely influenced the tone of the story. You’ll see it in the character of ‘The Most Famous Rapper in the World’ he’s not based on Snoop, but let’s just say I borrowed some of that larger-than-life charisma.”

Behind the glitz of the project lies a deeply personal truth: Jackson knows what it’s like to be stretched thin, to juggle family, art, and the expectations of the world. “While the plot is fictional, the emotional heart of it is deeply personal,” she says. “Like Stephanie Bloom, I’ve had to juggle a million roles: mom, wife, performer, businesswoman all while chasing dreams that sometimes felt a bit… delusional. I know what it’s like to be underestimated, to start again, and to fight for your creative voice.”

That battle fought with humor and resilience fuels the book’s message. “At its core, it’s about second chances, finding your voice, and refusing to let age, motherhood, or society box you in,” Jackson says. “It’s about stepping into your power, even if it looks messy or unconventional. It’s also about grief, resilience, and the beauty of reinventing yourself and doing it with humour and heart.”

But make no mistake: this isn’t just an emotional journey. It’s also a technical feat. “Syncing the timing of the book release with the music production was a bit like conducting an orchestra while tap dancing,” she says with a laugh. “Then there were the logistics of making sure QR codes worked… and that the audiobook format allowed music integration without disrupting the listening experience. It was a lot of back-and-forth with engineers, designers, and tech partners. But I had an amazing team, and we just kept pushing boundaries until it all came together.”

Like her heroine, Jackson isn’t content to stay still. She’s already imagining future chapters, sequels, new formats, fresh reinventions. “I really do feel that audiences today want more than just a book or an album; they want experiences,” she says. “We’re already used to streaming, binge-watching, interacting across platforms… So why not apply that to storytelling? For me, this is just the beginning.”

And for someone like Stacey Jackson whose career has thrived on laughter, chaos, and pure creative courage it’s easy to believe her story is only growing stronger.