Meet Terry Jefferson | Producer, Engineer, & CHH Artist.

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

Hi Terry, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
I want to open my own non-profit production/recording studio that gives classes on how to create, produce, mix, master etc. I love doing music and I’ve been blessed enough to have the materials to learn & grow with. I’ve realized that opportunity isn’t available for everybody so if I can find a way to provide it for those less fortunate, I feel that the world would see more creatives flourishing in their natural environment.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I absolutely love making beats, but recording, mixing, & mastering is quickly catching up. I started out rapping until I had a chance to make a beat. My best friend at the time Erik had a sampler and I was able to make a beat out of that. He, another friend named Kenny, & myself decided to rap to that beat and the passion developed from there.

I was in Germany at the time living with my mother (military) and went back to live with my dad for a while. The passion never went away but it became much harder to do what I want musically because my dad was a super strict pastor who didn’t like hip hop at the time.

Being in church almost everyday really put a damper on things but whenever I had the chance, I was in somebody’s studio, or wherever I could go to freely write, produce etc.

One day my dad surprised me with a keyboard that I wanted and it was perfect timing because I was close to giving up on it because life was getting harder & harder for me. Being a preacher’s kid AND a military brat wasn’t (or at least for me) a great experience.

Fast forward to my time in the Marines, a few fellow Marines were good at rapping and I was good at making beats AND rapping so we naturally got together and started making something happen.

I was still using that same keyboard my pops taught me until another fellow Marine Binh Le (RIP) taught me how to use Fruity Loops.

From there I graduated to multiple DAW’s and eventually fell in love with Logic Pro and never gave up since then.

I’ve worked with a few celebs, big time producers, & learned so much but also learned how hard it is to get in and maintain in an ever evolving industry.

I was hard headed and learned the hard way about bad contracts, had music stolen, the whole nine yards. I went through depression, for years.. between my past, my traumatic military experiences, and mental health issues stemming from them, the only stability I had was music.

Fast forward to now, I turned 37 this year and JUST started doing this full time. I feel that I was fighting against God who was trying to protect me from the wolves in industry.

My marriage struggled, personal relationships/friendships struggled, I wasn’t there for my kids as I should have been and at the end of the day, I failed as a husband and father trying to get into an industry I wasn’t meant to be in.

Once I finally gave my life to God, everything turned around for me. My motives changed, my thought process changed, my heart changed, and now I feel like I have a purpose with the talent that was given to me.

I still dabble in secular hip hop/R&B from time to time but my main focus is Christian Hip Hop (CHH)

I’m not even focused on trying to get into that industry anymore, I’m more focused on trying to create a platform for those less fortunate to shine & create a safe place for CHH artists to do their thing without worrying about the snakes the industry.

I’m currently producing a project for an artist named M.O.V. (Man of Valor) which will be my first CHH project fully produced, recorded, & mixed by me.

I’m very excited about this because I finally feel like I’m on the right path! Not only do I get to do music with a message & cause behind it, I get to help those who don’t have the opportunity to pursue their dreams due to lack of resources.

It wasn’t easy getting to where I am now, it was only through the Grace of God I was able to make it here.

Oh, I also want to give a shout-out to my bro Ron Green. He came up with the name Lac Grizzly for me. My name used to be Cadillac so that’s where the Lac came from, I’m a big guy so that’s where the Grizzly came from lol.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well.. I’m a hermit so I’d struggle in that department! 😆 I would definitely take him around to some of the local restaurants, check out some of the art downtown, and probably every recording studio in Columbus lol.. then go to ATL because it’s more to do and see up there lol. The Wynnton Pit, Chester’s BBQ, Ed’s Soul Food, etc are some of the places I’d eat.

I would show him Ma Rainey’s house and some of the history of Columbus as well. Columbus has a deep history that doesn’t get recognized as much.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many to shout out! My fellow Producers/Engineers Rico Mitchell, Brandon Dunn, TeeJay SuPlx, Josiah Briscoe, Ray Baker, Gr8 Trakz, and Muti award winning Gerald “Geo” Hall aka Uncle Geo.

My parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, & siblings who’ve always been in my corner.

My photographer Delontaye Taylor.

My bros Syke Pachino (RIP), Young Bleed, & Chucky Workclothes.

My brother & fellow Marine Greg Hollis for always being there!

And most importantly, my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!

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Image Credits
Photos by Delontaye Taylor of Studio X Columbus