The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree for many kids of Hollywood celebs. While several of her contemporaries were graduating high school and leveraging their connections to launch showbiz careers, Corinne Foxx daughter of Grammy-, Golden Globe- and Academy Award-winning actor and musician Jamie Foxx opted for college, studying Public Relations at The University of Southern California. "I rebelled into normalcy," Foxx said in an interview with Blavity. "People were pressuring me [saying], 'you know Corrine you could be an actor right now. You could be making millions. Why would you want to waste four years of your life?' But, as a young black woman, I was very adamant that my education was something that I valued above all else, and everything else would be put on hold until I got my degree."
With a college degree under her belt, the 24-year-old model, writer, and actress is now leaning into the industry. In the past couple of years she has starred in her own MTV’s series, strutted the runway of New York Fashion Week in Yeezy couture, and served as Ms. Golden Globe 2016.
On May 29th, Corrine will add another notch to her budding portfolio, joining her dad as the new DJ on Beat Shazam. The game show pits teams of two against the clock and each other as they attempt to identify the biggest hit songs of all time. In the end, the team with the most money banked will outlast the competition and go against Shazam, the popular song identification app, for the chance to win up to $1 million.
Blavity recently spoke with the actress about everything from her passion for philanthropy to her favorite Cardi B track, to her new co-hosting gig. Here's what she had to say:
What can we expect from this second season of Beat Shazam? I am so excited for people to see the show. You can expect new energy. My dad and I are having so much fun with each other and with the guests. I get to rag on him, and he brings so much energy. It’s a fresh dynamic that people can be excited about.
How is it working with your dad? He is so funny. I definitely have to reel him in sometimes. We have worked together in the past on few projects, but this is definitely the biggest project we’ve ever done together.
Aside from acting and modeling, you have been a vocal advocate for women's empowerment and eradicating the stigma around mental health. Why are these two causes so important to you? I feel most comfortable being in the philanthropic space. I work with the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the United Nations Foundation Girl Up! Campaign.
I feel most aligned with my purpose when I’m doing advocacy work around gender equality and mental health. It is important to me that everything I chose to do has some form of a positive social impact.
You have approached your career and causes with such pragmatism and generosity. Where does that level of groundedness come from? I’d definitely attribute that to my parents and the way they raised me. I’ve always just felt like a normal girl. I’ve never really identified with the whole child celebrity thing. My mom was in the military, and she was very strict with me. My dad is strict as well. They just never glamorized that Hollywood lifestyle. My dad would take me to events with him, and that was fun, but he was always sure to let me know that wasn't the real world. My parents just instilled in me the value of normalcy. As I get older, I am very grateful to them for that.
Alright, as game show co-host and DJ for Beat Shazam, let's get into a little musical lightening round. What is your favorite musical genre? Ahh, that's tough. I like all types of music. Music is my first love. I can't say I have a favorite genre, but I feel really comfortable in that deejaying space.
What’s the last song you listened to on your playlist? "Best Life" by Cardi B. She references my dad in it, which I always get excited about.
What’s your favorite song of your dads? It’s a song people don’t really know called "Heaven." It was written about me. That's my favorite.
Catch Corinne Foxx on Beat Shazam season 2, premiering on Fox Tuesday, May 29, at 8 p.m. ET.
