Memphis’ Kinfolk Kia Shine Coleman: Hit records to Hollywood, a mission bigger than music

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — For most people, one successful career would be enough. For Memphis rapper, songwriter, producer, actor and advocate Kinfolk Kia Shine Coleman, success has never been confined to just one lane.

Long before he was appearing on television screens and movie sets, Kia Shine made his name in music, helping put Memphis hip-hop on the map with his distinctive sound, entrepreneurial spirit and chart-topping songs. His music career opened doors across the entertainment industry, but these days, he’s proving his story is still being written.

And increasingly, that story is playing out on screens both big and small.

This weekend, Shine appears in “Color Book,” a moving new drama that has landed on Netflix after an acclaimed run on the film festival circuit. The film follows a newly widowed father and his son with Down Syndrome as they embark on a journey to attend the boy’s first baseball game together.

For Kia Shine, who plays the character Rico, the project became much more than another acting role.

“First and foremost, I say God get all praise and glory. He’s the one to continue to write my story,” Kia Shine told Alex Coleman during a recent appearance on WREG’s 3 at 3. “Sometimes my story goes into film and television and from music. Sometimes it goes to autism and just whatever story He writing for me that day.”

That perspective has become the foundation of his journey.

Whether he’s creating music, acting in television and film, or advocating for children with special needs, Kia Shine views each opportunity as part of a larger purpose.

The film’s path to Netflix is remarkable in its own right.

In 2023, filmmaker David Fortune won AT&T’s Untold Stories competition, earning a $1 million prize to turn his vision for “Color Book” into reality. What followed was a two-year journey across film festivals, where audiences embraced the heartfelt story before Netflix acquired the project and introduced it to a global audience.

“We’ve been working the festival circuit with this movie for the past two years,” Kia Shine said. “It got picked up by Netflix and bought, and now it’s available today on Netflix, man. I’m super excited about it. And people are feeling it. They are loving it.”

But what makes the movie especially meaningful for the Memphis entertainer isn’t its Hollywood success. It’s the personal connection.

Kia Shine and his wife, Nikki, have become widely known throughout Memphis and beyond for their tireless advocacy on behalf of children and families affected by autism and other developmental disabilities.

Their work isn’t driven by theory. It’s driven by experience.

Kia Shine is the father of a child with special needs, and when he read the script for “Color Book,” he immediately saw similarities between the film’s father-son relationship and his own relationship with his son, James.

Kia Shine promotes autism acceptance at Memphis school

“I am a special-needs father,” Kia Shine said. “The relationship reminds me a lot of me and my son James’ relationship, so I felt like it was God saying for me to even get this opportunity.”

In the movie, Kia Shine plays the best friend of a father navigating life after tragedy while raising a child with special needs. The role felt natural.

“Who better to be a best friend to a father who’s a special-needs father than someone who actually has a special-needs son?” Kia Shine said. “The alignment for the assignment was perfect.”

That personal understanding gives the film an authenticity that audiences are already responding to. For Shine, Color Book is about much more than one family.

It’s about shining a light on families whose stories often go untold.

“These are these untold stories that people don’t get a chance to see behind the grind and see what it’s like to be a father or mother of a special-needs child,” he said.

He hopes viewers come away with a deeper appreciation for the challenges, victories and realities many families experience every day.

“It’s just a way for us to be able to shine a light, not just on autism, not just on Down syndrome, but on the whole entire special-needs community,” he said.

That message carries extra weight because it’s the same one he and Nikki champion year-round through their advocacy efforts.

Across Memphis, the couple has built a reputation for supporting families, increasing awareness and reminding parents they are not alone. The same compassion that drives their work in the community is evident throughout “Color Book,” making the film feel less like entertainment and more like a reflection of real life.

Yet while acting continues to create new opportunities, don’t expect Kia Shine to leave music behind.

In fact, he says his creative approach is expanding…not changing.

“I gotta balance it, man. One is too close to none,” he said with a laugh. “God gave me multiple talents, so I can’t bury the talent. I gotta use it.”

The rapper recently released new music alongside his latest acting projects, including a single called “Grown Folk,” reflecting the evolution of both the man and the artist.

Memphis rapper drops movie ‘Color Book’ on Netflix

“I want people to grow with me,” he said. “What I’m listening to now, what I’m going through now, my experiences now…it’s just a little different. So I want to give that through the music, too.”

And Netflix isn’t his only high-profile project.

Kia Shine is also appearing in the final season of BET+ and Paramount+’s hit series “All the Queen’s Men,” where he plays the character Goldmouth. During his appearance on 3 at 3, he said viewers can expect to see him later this season as his acting résumé continues to grow.

For someone who first captured the city’s attention through music, the transition into acting has been impressive. Yet what stands out most isn’t the growing list of credits.

It’s the purpose behind them. From recording studios to movie sets. From television screens to advocacy events. From entertainment to community impact.

Kia Shine continues to reinvent himself without losing sight of where he came from.

The Memphis artist who first earned fans through music is now reaching audiences around the world through film and television. The actor appearing on Netflix is also a father determined to advocate for children like his son. The public figure remains grounded by faith, family and service.

“I’m being blessed, man. Attitude of gratitude,” Shine said.

It’s a simple phrase, but it speaks volumes.

For Kia Shine, the journey from Memphis hip-hop to Hollywood has never been just about fame. It’s been about purpose, platform and perseverance.

And whether he’s dropping a new song, appearing on Netflix, starring in a television drama or advocating for children and families with special needs, he’s proving that success means the most when it’s used to help somebody else.

That’s a message that resonates far beyond Memphis….and one reason Kinfolk Kia Shine Coleman’s story continues to inspire.

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