Meet Jody: Artist & Filmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jody and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jody, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
As cliché as it’ll sound, I truly believe in the phrase “no risk, no reward”. Risks are what sets you apart from the ones who play it safe. When we play it safe, we get and accept what life gives us versus when we take risks; we’re betting on ourselves to be able to go out and get the things we desire out of life. Taking risks is a showcase of my faith. The risks I take are bigger than what my reality looks like and investing in myself has been the most life changing action I could have made.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an undefinable artist. My sound and who I am internally is unmatched because I bring light wherever I go and I choose not to play it safe with my sound. I hate the idea of sounding like other people so I play around with the range of my voice and the sounds of r&b, dancehall, reggae, rap and hip hop. You never really know what vibe I’m coming with when you hit play and I like it like that. I am most proud of my growing confidence. In the past, it almost seemed like others had more faith in my talents than I did but I am grateful to have gotten to a place where I am comfortable in my artistry enough to be able to put it out into the world. Nothing in my life has been easy, it’s almost as if the phrase “all my life I had to fight” is a constant theme in my life but I digress. I have been able to see how many of my “misfortunes” have worked out for my betterment so I live in a state of gratitude even when it gets tough. I truly believe that the other side of all that I have endured is not too far out of my reach. So in the meantime, I’ll continue to do the work and increase my faith. This legacy that I am building is not all about me. There is so much work that God wants me to do on this earth that it can sometimes get overwhelming but I am here to be of service to the people, My work is to heal, uplift, encourage and inspire so that more individuals- no matter what the journey has looked like- can step into their purpose.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is going to be a bit intense because we’d probably be finding new spots together being that I just started exploring Ga not too long ago. However, some staple areas to check out would be Little Five Points, Atlantic Station, Stone Mountain Park, Edgewood, Dunwoody, Midtown and Decatur. Some spots that I have enjoyed and don’t mind returning to are; Jacks Pizza, Fletchers, Slutty Vegan, Fellini’s, Cheddars, Chateau Elan, Sushi Matsuya (weekdays before 2pm you get half off sushi, thank me later), Yard House, Negril, Fireside Jamaican restaurant, Vegetarian Paradise, Rum Punch Brunch, Andretti’s, Trap museum, Krog street market, VODS for some turn up and Smith’s Olde Bar for their Saturday night comedy shows and Joystick. There is so much more that I am discovering and probably forgot to mention but Georgia has a lot to offer with a wide variety of things to do. Having apps like Eventbrite helps in finding out about different events throughout the city. And if time permits, we’d take a little drive out to lake Lanier or Tybee Island but we’d definitely be having a good time.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many beautiful souls I’d like to shoutout that have been nothing short of supportive. Shoutout to God first and foremost and Winnie- my mother who passed February 2017. I dedicate this article and my growth and healing to her. Shoutout to Raychiel, who not only nominated me for this article, but she has been there since day one when it came to capturing my vision for my projects. She is also the one responsible for both covers for Temporary Forevers and 3o Days. Don Felix and Uncle Pdro, who are features on my last project 30 Days. Shoutout the producers who mixed and mastered the projects; Xclu (Temporary Forevers) & Millz (30 Days). Shoutout to Gutta, who provided majority of the beats on Temporary Forevers. And Rakeem for the artwork on the overalls for 30 Days. Other dope souls that kept me going throughout my journey; Paris, Drea, Bianca, Ahmad, Tristan, Mickea and Shekinah- thank you for believing in me, for supporting me and for simply being there throughout my ups and downs. I’d also like to shoutout everyone else that made some sort of contribution to Winnie’s Productions and the completion of the short film I have out- from cast members to crew- It was in those moments of filming that allowed me to recognize the full potential of my gifts. Thank you. To anyone who has purchased my music, shared or simply streamed a track- thank you. Every little bit is a contribution to my growth and I appreciate every soul that takes the time out to check out the things I have put out.

Website: thelinesunwritten.com
Instagram: @linesunwritten
Other: My podcast For The Worthy will be available on all platforms in February.

Image Credits
Saudia Raye