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The ‘Pride of Pop Legend’ Ronald Stephens on Art & Style, Faith and Fatherhood

from CEO Magazine June 2015 Issue

By Chaya Braxton

Ronald Stephens stands at 5’4” but his movement evokes a certain type of regal flair. He is dapper, wearing gray slacks, a stylish sweater and dress socks with no shoes. His smile is inviting, and you can tell that he is eager to make you comfortable.

In the music industry, he is known as “Pop Legend” or “Popz.” He is the dedicated father of Ronald Lamar “Bumper” Stephens, Jr; John Stephens a.k.a John Legend; Vaughn Anthony Stephens and Phyllis “Missy” Stephens. Ronald Stephens, Sr. is a sculptor, portrait artist and minister. He can sing, play the drums and is learning to play the piano. He designs elaborate tailored suits, upholsters furniture and is the creative mind/owner behind the hat brand, Popz Topz.

Art & Style

Ronald Stephens was born in 1949 in Springfield, Ohio, in what the Gallup Poll reported to be one of the ‘saddest cities’ in the United States; Stephens was one of five children and according to his 85 yearold mom, Marjorie Stephens, “Ron was always tearing stuff up around the house.” “I remix everything,” says Stephens. “It is the curiosity about how things work.”

Once he fixed a room partition for her over 40 years ago that she still uses to day. Mrs. Marjorie believes his artistry began when he started drawing pic tures of her on the couch. Stephens would go on to start a business called Crown Portraits where he captured the images of historical figures, ath letes and children at play with pencil and sold original, autographed prints online.

“My dad has never left things alone,” recalls his older son, Ronald “Bumper” Stephens, Jr. He puts his ‘flavors’ on everything, like he changes walls in his house.” Bumper is referring to his fa ther installing a wooden carving of a Bible and hands on the wall above the staircase in his father’s previous home.

Ron’s most popular piece, and only his second sculpture, is called Soul ful Hands which is on display at the National Afro-American Muse um and Culture Center in Wilberforce, Ohio. Soulful Hands is a 10- foot wooden carving made from

Ronald Stephens and Soulful Hands at National Afro-American Museum and Culture Center in Wilberforce, Ohio.

300 separate pieces of wood, to depict human hands playing four different instruments: the bass violin, the drum, the piano and the saxophone. The secret to Mr. Stephens’ style is that he is detailed and unrelenting until his work is complete. Soulful Hands, created with seven different types of wood, took almost 800 hours to finish. The intricate patterns and designs of the sculpture were created using a technique called intarsia which is a form of wood inlaying to help create the details of his piece. Childhood friend, Paul Chilton, says that when Ron could not find the wood he needed for the project, he decided to order samples from a Brazilian rainforest to help him complete elements of Soulful Hands. “It is for sale; although, I had Quincy Jones in mind when I created it,” joked Mr. Stephens.

“Sometimes I am up in the middle of the night with an idea and cannot rest until it’s done–it’s the anxiety of seeing the finished product.” This is how he continues to create new designs for his hat brand, Popz Topz. “It all started when I was spring cleaning and came across this full brim hat. I wanted to know what would happen if I cut off the brim of this black straw hat and replaced it with the bill of a baseball cap.” Mr. Stephens started wearing it around town and everyone would ask: “Where did you get that?” The interest was so great that it set the stage for Popz Topz.

The Popz Topz hat is a cross between a baseball cap and a hat. It looks like a futuristic, fashion-forward fedora. Some are made of straw and felt. Others are adorned with a small feather and satin ribbon to accent. Popz Topz are retailed in eight boutiques, online and have been displayed at various events across the country including the Steve Harvey Neighborhood Awards, Jazz in the Gardens in Miami, Florida and the national Church of God in Christ Convention. Mr. Stephens has plans to expand the business to more locations including college and university campuses.

Fatherhood & Faith

“I told my kids if you put anything on my tomb, put ‘My Dad was running after balance.’ I have tried to convey that to my kids, not only by what I said, but by what I did.”

Ronald Stephens focused on spiritual character development with the use of home school curriculum. The Stephens decided to home school their children because they believed they should be the first ones to impact them. The kids were taught lessons on honesty, loyalty and the value of preparation and attention to detail. As adults, all would agree these traits were developed from their father’s hands-on approach to parenting. Certainly anyone can look at this family and say all of them are successful; however, Stephens asserts, “Success is not what the world considers to be success. True success comes from God.”

Stephens strategically wove faith and religion into the daily lives of his children while also creating a fun environment with games. “My father would play treasure hunt where he would leave clues around the house that led to priz

The Stephens family in front of Grandma’s house, Springfield, Ohio c. 1988. Back row (l to r): Ronald “Bumper” Stephens Jr., Ronald Stephens Sr., John Stephens Front row (l to r): Phyllis “Missy” Stephens, Vaughn Anthony Stephens

es,” says John Legend. This was one of Legend’s favorite memories.

At times Stephens had to get creative to keep the pack in line. Youngest son Vaughn and his sister remember playing “Getting Ready for the Rapture.” Stephens played this game when he had to leave the house and run errands.

“He would make us sit down at the table and no one was supposed to get up,” says his daughter Missy. He would peek at us through the kitchen window to see if we were doing what we were supposed to be doing. Most of the time

everyone would be up from their seat except for Johnny.”

Eventually when Ron Stephens and his wife divorced, Mr. Stephens kept his children, put them all in public school and had to rely on the help of family and church members to assist in caring for his children while he was at work.

“It was definitely a difficult time for us,” says Missy Stephens. “I had to grow up a little faster and learn some things on my own.”

Ronald Stephens never thought he would reap benefits from doing what he was supposed to do for his children as their father. His oldest son, Bumper, is a gifted artist, drummer, and photographer who travels with his younger brother on the road. John Legend is an accomplished musician and nine-time Grammy Award winner. Vaughn is a talented singer, father and community advocate in the local Springfield, Ohio community. Missy is a skilled hair stylist and mother who enjoys sewing, a skill she learned from both of her parents.

“My dad never pressured us to be anything. He just taught us how to be good people…I get my personality and temperament from him,” says Legend. In 1994, as a teenager, John Legend wrote in an essay published in the Dayton Daily News: “I plan to be one of these future Black History Makers of Tomorrow.” Fast forward 21 years on February 22, 2015, Legend delivered an impactful award acceptance speech about social justice in America after winning his first Oscar. He and rapper Common collaborated to create the moving song “Glory” for the soundtrack of the movie Selma.

Mr. Stephens is proud of his children. In fact, he calls them his ‘pride’ which ironically is a group of lions that form a social unit. In separate conversations, each of his children, Bumper, John, Vaughn and Missy, call their dad ‘a lion’ describing similarities in his physical features, character traits and biblical parallels. Bumper makes a final connection by describing his father as “strong and powerful,” two words often used to describe “the King of the Jungle.” As the interview came to a close with Mr. Stephens and his kids, “Popz” shared some wisdom for all fathers: “To produce the kinds of kids you want to produce, you have to be involved in their lives. And if you are not in their lives, don’t be upset if when you’re not involved, they become adults and you don’t have anything to relate to. Fatherhood is more than birthing children; it is about being a father indeed— time and attendance.”

To read the full story, visit www.ceosofrva.com

For more information about Popz Topz, visit: www.popztopz.com