JACONNA J
Occupation: Creative Director for Everything Boisterous (www.eboisterous.com); Senior Staff Writer for Vashtie Kola at Vashtie.com
Tell me about your work as an artist?
Jaconna: I started my blog back in early 2015 during my first year of college and then I remade it from scratch that summer and just literally grinded for interviews of people who were the rising and also the mainstream artists. Along with that, I posted things that were just of MY interests such as tips, outfits of certain individuals (who I call "trending topics"), and sneakers that sparked my eye around the city. A major part of the blog are my interviews I would have to say. My
first interviews included mainly rappers like JK The Reaper, a rapper from Durham named $wank, Well$, then I interviewed Knarly DB (who's a stylist you may often see now with Kanye West), "Jinx" from Complex News, and then it jumped to people like Kodie Shane, ICYTWAT, Keith Powers, and Sonny Digital further down the line. My whole point of starting my blog was to reflect the creativity of unique individuals. It honestly started out as a hobby and then it developed into a passion sort of speak. While managing the blog, I went from interning for Respect Magazine to interning for Vashtie and then I got promoted to a writer position when I came back from covering the Agenda Festival in LA. Along with that, I was also really fortunate to creative direct for ROOLE'S 48 bag collection visual over the summer and got to collab as a creative director with Social Status a couple months ago to have a 2000s themed hurricane relief party. Pretty much, whatever I think can be creatively dope and/or influential or just sparks my eye, I go for it.
What are you trying to FEED the world? (What do you want viewers to get from your work?)
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Jaconna: What I'm trying to feed to the world is that everyone who's creative in any way has a story. You don't have to have a million followers to influence people or to make a difference. Everyone can have similar volumes (titles), but what makes us all different is how we channel our volume in our creativity. What I mean by that is that artists may have similar titles (rappers, actors, stylists, creative directors, or just a really fly ass guy or girl, etc), but their experiences, how they think, what THEY view as inspiring and actually important, and their journey is ultimately what makes them unique and gives their artistry a value.
What do you EAT? (What influences you as an artist)
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Jaconna: What influences me as an artist is the work ethic of everyone around me, how I grew up music wise (Missy Elliot, Outkast, and Pharrell to Bootsy Collins and Crystal Waters ), documentaries like The Radiant Child, fashion, Soul Train and Rap City throwbacks, everyday life (the lessons and the blessings lol), and overall just.. culture and just wanting to make a statement that's way bigger than me.
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When did you decide, you wanted to be an artist?
Jaconna: I think in a sense...I've always been an artist. I DIY'd my first piece of clothing at 8 and I wrote on a tag and labeled it "Living Color" and called myself a designer. I've always wrote poetry, I always felt like I had a good eye for what's dope. I just don’t think it became a thing for display or a strategic matter until I was 18 because that's when you're on that "why not go for it? " type shit.
Can you tell us what you are working on currently?
Jaconna: Nah, I can't give up the sauce. You just got to stay tune.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Jaconna: Possibly running shit as a creative director at Puma and in a couple corporate offices for various brands. I'll be in a comfortable space to hand out a lot of opportunities. I think I can comfortably put that on my mama.
What should we do as artists to make sure that our craft is taken seriously?
Jaconna: We should stop convincing other people why they should take our craft seriously. It’s corny. If we take what we do seriously, it'll resonate with people it's meant to touch or inspire. As long as you have confidence in it, you don't need a stamp of approval for doing what you love.