Today we’d like to introduce you to Bam Hendrixx.
Hi Bam, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a Nashville native from the Antioch area. I moved around a little bit as a kid due to military family and most of my elementary school years is in another state, but we moved back to Nashville in 2001. From there, I’ve gone to private schools, public, and finally landed on MLK in 2007 and was there until I graduated high school in 2013. I was always a creative child, very outgoing and I loved making friends. Looking back on it, I would say I could bond with pretty much anyone I met. I could even make a rock talk. I loved drawing, acting, singing, dancing. etc. I went to Wharton and IT Creswell for the first half of my middle school years, so I was naturally drawn to the arts. I also played instruments as well, but I was more fascinated with everything else going on. I loved anime and cartoons as a kid and soon started to write fanfiction and draw my own characters as well. I was obsessed with Naruto, Inuyasha, and Bleach mostly. Alot of my material was based on those 3 shows. However, once I transferred to MLK, a lot of my creativity subsided due to the new, challenging environment. I started to focus on academics well until my early adulthood.
After high school, I attended UTC for the next four years. During my time in college, I was still very heavily focused on academics, joining a sorority, and just trying to find my footing. To be honest, I really hated my undergrad experience. It feels like a fever dream really. It was such a culture shock given how segregated it was compared to my diverse experience at MLK. I graduated from UTC in 2017, took a gap year, and eventually found myself in Atlanta at Mercer University for graduate school in 2018. During my first year, I studied Clinical Mental Health Counseling. However, I began content creation after rekindling my love for anime/manga. I wrote parody skits on various anime series and found early success. It was great! It was so riveting and new. I started to come across like minded creators who also wrote skits, or cosplayed. This was the early stages of content creation and before I knew it, I had my own fanbase. I was simply having fun, and I didn’t realize the gravity of the opportunities that I amassed. I was nervous, scared, and a few times I declined interviews because I never wanted to feel like I was a spectacle.
I eventually left graduate school for a career as a flight attendant, and for a while, content creation took a back seat. I was still wanting to write, but my life was engrossed in my career at the time. I was a young, black woman who was travelling the world before I turned 25. Nothing else really mattered, but in the back of my head, there was this nag to always return back to content creation. I took a smooth 3 years off, and a lot of my peers that I started with had amassed huge followings and made a career from social media. Once I made the decision to return back to comedy, I was discouraged more times than I could count. People’s attentions spans were different; I felt like I didn’t have skit material anymore; I felt a lot of my methods were outdated and that the market was oversaturated. Who would want to watch ME? I used to go back and forth, questioning if this was a true passion of mine. I vented to other creators, friends, even family in order to not feel so alone. I tried other avenues like makeup, cosplay, and voice acting, but none of them fulfilled me like the pen did.
Fast forwarding to later half of 2022, I was signed to an agency called HubTaku (HBTKU), was press at AnimeNYC and indulged in vocal work (and was paid), I had gotten out of the air and wanted to fully immerse myself in content creation, but it was harder than I could imagine, I was pushing 30 and was going through a career change, and I wasn’t sure what direction I needed to go in. I was back home after living in major cities like New York, DC, and Philadelphia and I felt lost. But time and time again, I found myself writing skits again but wanting more from that as well. I eventually wanted to throw community events related to anime and manga in Nashville. There were so many other individuals in bigger anime communities across the nation, and I wanted in on the fun too. New York has an anime scene. LA has an anime scene. Atlanta as well. Why can’t Nashville? We didn’t have anything like that, and I knew I wanted to create that space, but I didn’t have any resources or connections at the time. I simply had an idea and prayer behind it.
I was unemployed almost a year at this point, and I was hoping for one chance. I eventually was able to work with my older brother at a hotel and was promoted into sales. My role as a sales coordinator introduced me to the world of event planning. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this was my prayers being answered. In December of 2024, I was able to host my first ever anime event at the AC Hotel in Brentwood. It was a holiday anime party and maaaaaan. It was a blast! I made a drink menu, contracted my first ever DJ, promoted on social media, reached out for partnerships, had guest cosplayers, created my own logo, had a cosplay walk, the whole 9. I was able to ask friends for help and to say the least, the event was an EXTREME success. I even had a local content creator come and interview me. It was surreal. I knew that I was finally where I wanted to be, on top of continuing content creation. And now almost 2 years later, I have my own team. It’s been a journey already, and It’s truly just beginning.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all. The road has been frustrating, rewarding, fun, hard, but mostly one big teachable moment. The hardest realization for me was who would actually support me and who shows up. It’s always who you least expect to buy a ticket or attend. Another struggle was betting on other people to see and support your vision like you do. Securing sponsorships and partnerships is always gamble especially in your beginning stages. It’s a muscle I still have to work out. There have been plenty of no’s, but what matters most is the one “yes.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Bam’s House Productions is a Black woman-owned event production company specializing in immersive experiences inspired by anime, manga, gaming, and pop culture. We believe events are opportunities to build community, foster creativity, and create lasting connections. Every event begins with a theme. From cosplay celebrations to formal affairs, we design immersive experiences that keep our community excited for what’s next. Interactive games, cosplay contests, and themed activities encourage guests to connect, while prizes and friendly competition add to the fun. Above all, our mission is to create a welcoming, inclusive space where everyone can celebrate their interests, build meaningful connections, and feel a true sense of belonging. We pride ourselves on curating a space that every and anyone can enjoy and participate in.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I used to be able to speak German pretty fluently. Lost it after high school, haha.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bamhendrixx_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bamhendrixx
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bamhendrixx
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bamhendrixx
