Yandy Smith & Egypt Sherrod: Why You Need to See "Life, Love, Soul" [EXCLUSIVE]

Cast speaks on it's positive message

It took nearly 4 years to create "Life, Love, Soul" -- the coming-of-age drama that won the Audience Award at last year’s Urban World Film Festival -- but these days it seems like the struggle has been worth it.

In the tragedy-to-triumph story, 17-year-old Roosevelt Jackson (Robbie Tate-Brickle) loses his mother (Tami Roman) and brother in a car accident. He later finds himself forced to deal with his tumultuous relationship with his estranged father (Chad Coleman). In coping with grief and dealing with his own journey to manhood, Jackson discovers that life may knock him down but as long as he gets up again, he will prevail.

The film also stars radio personality Egypt Sherrod, Jamie Hector of "The Wire" and "Steve Harvey Show" favorite Terri J. Vaughn; also, "Love and Hip-Hop" reality star Yandy Smith serves as producer, as Noel Calloway does director.  Loop 21 caught up with the cast to dish on why people should support this project.

Loop 21: Yandy, how did you get attached to the project?

Yandy Smith: Noel and I are good friends. We went to high school together many moons ago. He reached out to me four years ago when he was getting into the process of shooting the film, but I was going crazy with the music stuff and my career was starting to take off, so I couldn’t really focus as much as I wanted to. But a couple of months ago, he reached back out and said he was getting ready to start marketing and promoting. When I came to the screening, I was blown away: 'What can I do to be down? How can I help promote this movie?' Using my celebrity, I wanted to do whatever it took to make this thing pop. I came on board at the end of this project -- when the filming was completed -- and my role was strategizing and branding on the producer side. It’s very close to what I do in the music world; as a manager, you market and you strategize for the artists. Hopefully I’ll expand and do a lot more.

[ALSO READ: PIC: Yandy Finally Reveals Baby Bump]

Loop 21: How has working with Mona Scott-Young helped prepare you for your work with this film?

Smith: The first TV project I ever worked on was Missy Elliott’s UPN show, "Road to Stardom." I was in the marketing department and a production assistant. I was running around getting posters made. It really helped me with the marketing and branding of this film. Her mentorship goes a lot of other places beyond just management.

Loop 21: What did you all take from your experience filming?

Smith: Hope. The message of hope is prevalent throughout the film.