Interview: One Slap, One Drive, Zero Words Since: The Locker Room Story Mitchell Royel Can't Forget

This moment was brought to life in the Fashion District, expertly captured on location by Mitchell Royel. This image was created in the Fashion District by Mitchell Royel. We find ourselves immersed in the hauntingly magnetic soundscapes of Lights Out by Bludnymph. This track is an evocative masterpiece, weaving intricate emotions into a melody that feels both intimate and electrifying. It’s the kind of song that stays with you, echoing long after the final note fades. Join us as we take in every beat and lyric, appreciating the artistry that transforms moments like these into unforgettable memories.

Mitchell Royel has spent the last few months looking back at middle school, old Myspace messages, and the lessons that stuck with him long after the bell rang. We sat down with him to talk about locker room legends, unanswered DMs, and what it really means to let things go.

Mitchell Royel has spent the last few months looking back at middle school, old Myspace messages, and the lessons that stuck with him long after the bell rang. We sat down with him to talk about locker room legends, unanswered DMs, and what it really means to let things go.

Host: Mitchell, thanks for sitting down with me. I hear you've been on a serious nostalgia kick lately.

Mitchell: (laughs) Man, I'm deep in it. I've been digging through old photos, old playlists, old everything. Somewhere along the way, I realized a lot of who I am today got shaped between the ages of eleven and fourteen. The good, the bad, and the very embarrassing.

Host: Let's start with the embarrassing, then. You were an extra on Everybody Hates Chris.

Mitchell: I was! Background kid, blink-and-you-miss-me energy. But in my head? I was basically a cast member. I walked around school like I had a Hollywood agent.

Host: And you took that confidence straight to Myspace.

Mitchell: (covers face) Yes. So after I was on the show, I found one of the series regulars on Myspace. This was peak Myspace, right? Top 8, profile songs, glitter graphics. And I wrote him this long message.

Host: What did it say?

Mitchell: It was me pouring my heart out. I told him about something that happened to me in the locker room during P.E. I think, in my kid brain, I figured since we were "coworkers," he'd get it. Like he'd write back with some big-brother wisdom.

Host: Did he?

Mitchell: Never heard back. Not a word. (laughs) And honestly? Looking back now, I get it. He was a teenager on a hit TV show getting who knows how many messages a day. But at the time, I refreshed that inbox like it owed me money.

The Locker Room Incident

Host: Okay, so let's get into what was in that message. The locker room story.

Mitchell: Here we go. So, P.E. class. Middle school. There was this guy, one of the few African American guys at our school. He came from a pretty well-known family, and these days he makes music. Talented dude, even back then. Everybody kind of looked up to him.

Host: And you two were friends?

Mitchell: We were cool. We ran track together, hung out. So one day in the locker room, somebody brings up a slap scrap battle.

Host: For those who don't know, what exactly is a slap scrap battle?

Mitchell: (laughing) It's exactly what it sounds like. Two people take turns slapping each other until somebody taps out or goes down. It's the dumbest game on Earth, and every middle schooler thinks it's a brilliant idea.

Host: And you agreed to it.

Mitchell: I agreed to it! Nobody forced me. I want to be clear about that. I stood up, puffed out my chest, and said, "Let's go."

Host: How'd that work out?

Mitchell: (long pause) I was on the ground. Laid. Out. One slap, and I was staring at the ceiling tiles of that locker room, wondering how I got there. I could hear the whole class losing it. The smell of gym socks and humiliation. I still remember it.

Host: That's rough.

Mitchell: It was rough on my pride more than anything. But at that age, your pride is your whole personality.

The Drive That Changed Everything

Host: So what happened after that?

Mitchell: This is the part I've been thinking about a lot lately. The next time we saw each other was after track practice. And instead of just letting it go, I drove over to his house.

Host: You drove over there?

Mitchell: I did. And I kind of hinted to him that something was wrong. That things weren't right between us. I didn't come out and say it directly, but the message was clear. I was hurt, and I wanted him to know.

Host: How did he respond?

Mitchell: It was awkward. Real awkward. Neither of us really knew what to say. And that ended up being the last time we ever physically hung out.

Host: Wow. Just like that.

Mitchell: Just like that. One slap, one drive, and a friendship kind of faded out. And for years, I told myself the story where I was the victim. But growing up changes how you see things.

Forgive and Forget

Host: You've been pretty open about your faith. How does that play into how you see this now?

Mitchell: It's everything, honestly. The Bible is clear that we're called to forgive. Colossians 3:13 says to bear with each other and forgive one another, just like the Lord forgave you. And there's that beautiful line in Hebrews about God remembering our sins no more. If God can forget, who am I to hold onto a slap from middle school?

Host: That's a big shift from refreshing your Myspace inbox.

Mitchell: (laughs) Huge shift. Forgiveness isn't about pretending something didn't happen. It's about deciding it doesn't get to control you anymore. I agreed to that game. I chose to step up. He just happened to have a stronger arm than me.

Host: Have you stayed in touch with his family at all?

Mitchell: Here's a funny twist. About three years ago, his mother actually showed up to my family's BBQ. Out of nowhere. She was lovely, very warm. And that was the last time I reached out to the family.

Host: How did that feel?

Mitchell: It felt like closure, in a weird way. Life comes full circle. You think a chapter's closed, and then somebody's mom is in your backyard eating potato salad. (laughs) God's got a sense of humor.

To Be Fair…

Host: Now, I have to ask. Was this the only time you got laid out in middle school?

Mitchell: (groans) You did your research. No. To be fair, and I have to be fair here, I also got laid out in a scrap battle by another guy in my grade. White kid, part of the "popular group." Same story, different locker room energy.

Host: So it wasn't personal.

Mitchell: Not at all! That's what I want people to understand. I wasn't singled out. I was just a kid who kept signing up for fights I had no business being in. (laughs) I had a lot of heart and absolutely zero defense.

Host: What would you tell your younger self?

Mitchell: Sit down. (laughs) No, really, I'd tell him that the stuff that feels huge right now won't define you. The slap, the unanswered message, the awkward drive, none of it is the end of your story. Forgive people quickly. Forgive yourself even quicker. And maybe, just maybe, skip the slap battles.

Host: Mitchell, this was great. Any final words?

Mitchell: Just this: if there's somebody you've been holding something against since you were a kid, let it go. Life's too short, and you never know when their mom's going to show up at your BBQ.