Marques Houston is a rare breed in Hollywood, an entertainer who grew up in front of the camera and on the Billboard charts, yet has managed to continuously reinvent himself without losing his core identity. We first met the multi-hyphenate as a founding member of the chart-topping R&B boy band Immature (later IMx).
Simultaneously, he became a 90s television fixture, endearing himself to millions as the lovably annoying neighbor Roger Evans on the iconic sitcom Sister Sister. Between securing platinum plaques and being on our screens in cult classics like You Got Served, Houston built a formidable blueprint for longevity early on.
Over the years, Houston successfully transitioned from being solely a frontman to a powerhouse behind the scenes. In 2014, alongside his longtime manager and business partner Chris Stokes, he co-founded the production company Footage Films. Stepping into the roles of writer and producer, Houston has spent the last decade creating a massive catalog of films and dominating streaming platforms like Tubi.
But despite his success in the film industry, music remains his “first love” and his ultimate grounding force. Now, at 44 years old, Houston is entering a dynamic new creative chapter. He is gearing up to release his forthcoming album, aptly titled Grown. Preceded by the unapologetic lead single Only Me and the emotionally charged Her Side of the Bed, the project represents a return to “vintage M.H.,” a mature, soulful reflection of where he currently stands as a man, a father, and an artist.
After years away from touring, Houston is giving back to his dedicated supporters with The All Because of You Tour, which kicks off with a massive live performance at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, on April 25th.
In our exclusive sit-down for The Quintessential Gentleman, we caught up with the R&B veteran to discuss the state of music, the vision and inspiration driving his new album, and how his sound and perspective have shifted over the years. We also explore his approach to legacy, the importance of creative independence, and what it really takes to sustain relevance in an ever-changing industry.
[Interview has been edited for length and clarity]
The Quintessential Gentleman: The music industry is not easy. What keeps you wanting to put out music?
Marques Houston: I think it’s the drive of… music that’s in me. Music is my first love. It’s not my only love, but it’s my first love. It’s where I started. It’s what grounds me. And I think the fact that you can do so many things as a person. But when it comes to music, that’s self-expressive and you could just lose yourself in music. And that’s what it always comes down to as a real artist and as a real creator of artistic music and everything that I have in my head. It’s just a way to just release. Sometimes the pressure gets hard in life. Just, every day, life is full of anxiety, and sometimes music you could just lose yourself in the music and you could just let go.
QG: Where did your creativity come from at a young age?
MH: I’ve always been, in my family, I was the one that would break out in dance moves at the family function. And I always studied music. I studied movies. I would watch a lot of television, watch a lot of movies. My parents introduced me to music at an early age. They were very music-heavy as far as parties and stuff like that. Music was always playing in my household and then, I caught my first glimpse of that super stardom when I saw Michael Jackson for the first time when I was a kid. And Michael Jackson, Eddie Murphy, these guys inspired me young. Music was always part of me and it was just my way of expressing myself. I used to love to dance. So I would dance and I would sing around the house.
QG: What did that support system look like when you were either going to auditions or having to go to set and filming?
MH: Moms, pops. Chris Stokes back in the day. I met Chris when I was like eight or nine. He became my manager. So it was either him or my mom or my pops, or I always had somebody with me that I really trusted and that, that really looked out for me. That’s why I’ve never left my team. Me and Chris Stokes, we started as manager artists and we’re now business partners in footage films and we’ve been rocking together for 30 plus years.
QG: This new album is called Grown. What does that mean?
MH: It’s like a double meaning. I’m grown, of course. I’m 44. I’ve seen a lot, done a lot. So I’m grown. But, also, I’ve grown. I’ve grown into what I’ve become as an artist and a man.
QG: Talk to me about the first single, Only Me.
MH: When I write, I’ve always written for the benefit of others, not necessarily for myself. Sometimes it could be from personal experience. Sometimes I just get creative and want to do something altogether different. Only Me is just really one of those songs that…It’s just like, I know a lot of guys feel like you tell a girl you’re looking for all this, but it’s only me. I’m the truth, you ain’t gonna find nobody else out there like me. That’s just one of those records that’s exactly what it’s saying, it’s like you ain’t gonna find nobody, it’s only me.
QG: Talk to me about that song [Her Side of the Bed] and just kind of overall.
MH: Every relationship is going to go through turmoil. And you’re going to have those points where you hit those solid points where you’re arguing and you’re constantly going back and forth and you’re not getting along. It’s really about communication. And Her Side of the Bed is saying, it’s so much left unsaid. On Her Side of the Bed, it’s like, if we could just talk about it, maybe we could work things out. But when it gets too far, then that’s when it breaks. So it’s really about being able to communicate with each other when you’re going through those problems.
QG: How has having children changed your life?
MH: You see, I can’t even do interviews no more without my baby girl busting in the door. No, but I mean, I think having kids definitely…you have a completely different look on life. And the love that you get from your kids is unmatched. And they look up to me, I’m their hero. And you have a whole new reason why you want to live. And you want to live for your kids and you want to do everything you can to protect them and just make sure that they’re just the greatest they can be. For me, it’s just like, that’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me was becoming a father.
QG: Do you think about your legacy? Does that matter to you?
MH: No, I don’t think about legacy. I just want to be remembered as a great person. That’s it. I would rather the people that know me, speak on the legacy, whatever legacy that I leave. And the people that don’t know me, hopefully, I was able to touch them in some special way.
QG: What’s next?
MH: I have a secret bucket list of what I want to do before I retire, before I kind of just hang it up. I don’t want to be still doing the same thing as, as when I get into my fifties. I’m 44. I got a couple of years till I get to 50. I think I want to definitely be more stable. Spending more time with my kids and stuff like that. When I’m near that age of like 50, I don’t want to be out there still doing this. I have an exit plan, for sure.
Check out the full interview.
