25 Personal Questions
1. Name, Nickname, Birthday?
Napoleon (Polo), November 11th
Where were you born?
Staten Island, NY
Where were you raised? (what cities)
Staten Island, NY
2. What is your family background? (Nationality) African American
Family? (Siblings, married, children,etc.) 5 sisters, 3 brothers.
I’m married with 2 sons
3. Before the band you were… and if you were not singing what would you be doing?
I was a pianist for 13 years and in college before I joined the group. If I was not singing I would be teaching elementary school.
4. what is your vocal range?
Bb 1 – F4
5. What is your voice part and your vocal play specialty?
4th Tenor and Guitar
6. What is the best thing and what is the hardest thing being in N7?
The best thing is the fact that we perform genuinely good music, travel the world, and do what I love to do. The hardest thing being in N7 is staying AHEAD of the game, it easy to blend into a particular scene, but to stay fresh and new and different is work.
7. Do you play an instrument?
Piano (15 years)
8. What’s your favorite place to perform?
NYC
9. What’s the worse thing that has happened on a stage and what was the best thing?
The worst thing that has happened on stage to me was: I forgot to sing the 2nd verse to “Let it rain” and just sat there bewildered… The best thing for me was NYC Madison Square Garden performing at home in front of my mother and sisters.
10. What is your musical influences?
Stevie Wonder, Oscar Peterson, Chic Corea, Greg Phillinganes, Ella Fitzgerald, Chaka Khan, Debarge, Herbie Hancock, Doobie Brothers, Earth Wind and Fire, George Benson, Grover Washington Jr., Johnny Costa, Harry Connick Jr. , Isley Brothers, Israel Houghton, Kirk Franklin, Louis Armstrong, Luther Vandross, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles
11. Name your five favorite albums?
Songs in the key of life, Full moon, Thriller, Giant Steps, Donny Hathaway Live (The best of Dr Buzzard and the original Savannah Band) (Israel Houghton Love God Love People)
12. Name your five favorite artists?
Bobby Caldwell, Herbie Hancock, Brandy, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder
What’s your favorite bible verse? Phillipians 4:13
13. What’s your favorite character from the bible?
Jonah
14. What are your hobbies?
Reading… A lot, writing music, collecting hotel toiletries
15.What are your 3 favorite movies?
Shawshank Redemption, Finding Forester, any Grisham book turned movie, the sound of music
16. What’s your favorite book?
Too many to name one, Ragamuffin Gospel, The Pelican Brief, Orthodoxy- G. K. Chesterton, Bible, Ted Dekker books
17. Favorite sport to watch, favorite sport to play?
Rugby of course, the original “Hooligan sport for gentlemen” not to be confused with the “Gentlemen sport for hooligans” which is soccer.
18. What’s your favorite team in sports?
All Blacks, NY Giants
19. Who is your favorite athlete/s?
Walter Peyton, Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice, Deon Sanders, Lawrence Taylor, Jonah Lomu, Richie McCaw
20. What’s your favorite historical sports moment?
Giants superbowl win over Patriots 2008
21. What are the most unique items you travel with?
Floss, Nike dunks, spare shoe laces, rubbing alcohol, and of course cleaners for my gas permeable contact lenses.
22. What is your biggest pet peave?
Know it alls. Juice that is too sweet, Bad drivers
23. Who is your hero?
Pioneers like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Phineas Newborn Jr., Ray Charles, WEB Dubios, Harriet Tubman, just too many heroes to name.
24. What is your view of life?
“Life is like a piano, what you get out of it, depends on how well you play it”
Treat others how you would want to be treated..
Carpe diem