Today we’d like to introduce you to Mahogany Jones.
Hi Mahogany, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As a young girl, I always was fascinated with words. That fascination morphed into a love for writing and poetry. Alongside this brewing love affair would the one that I have for music. My Aunt, Noreen Woods was the first woman African-American Vice President for a major recording label, Atlantic Records, alongside Ahmet Ertegun. In addition to my grandmother, Joan Brooks, who was the executive assistant to Doug Morris at Atlantic, and my mother Joan Armond who was a radio promotions executive at Warner Brothers and Polygram, I was constantly around all kinds of music. I wasn’t a fan of the music of business, per se, but I know the way music soothed and connect with me and I wanted to create something that would do the same for my listeners. Once I discovered Hip Hop and saw I could merge my love for storytelling and music- it was over. I spent a great deal of time honing my craft as a Lyricist with freestyle guru Toni Blackman and got the opportunity to do a popular show at the time, 106 and Park’s Freestyle Friday- I was the first and only woman contestant to win 4x in a row and leave undefeated. Flash forward 20 years later and I have traveled the globe as a Hip Hop cultural ambassador on behalf of the U S for over 13 countries, been a Ted X speaker, released four albums, three mixtapes and shared stages with some of the most dynamic artists of our time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ummm… no. Filmmaker Rhada Black recently released a film on Netflix the “40 Year Old Version” about a struggling Playwrite who’s an Arts Educator by day and a Playwrite by passion who reconnects with her love for Emceeing – that’s been my life! Lol- I have had incredible opportunities and lived my passion, but not without the price of tremendous sacrifice. Degreed, I always figured- going to school, doing well, graduating college was going to be my path to a comfortable upper Middle-Classed life- not so much. Between being discriminated as a women in Hip Hop, grappling for some of the same opportunities as my male counterparts, feeling the pressure of my age- it hasn’t been a “crystal stair”, but it’s been a beautiful struggle none the less.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Hip Hop Soul Recording Artist who creates Adult Contemporary Hip Hop. I want to say that my specialty is merging inspiration, spirituality, and skilled lyricism into a transformative audible experience. I’m most proud of my husband and children. It was an honor to work on my last album “Floating” with my husband, Dre Marshall as executive producer. We also just released a music video dedicated to our daughter, “Elle” that we shot along with our friend and music producer Jimmy Ali, and our other friend and her husband Piper Carter and P Gruv who edited the footage for us. As an artist, I would have to say I’m most proud of being able to craft words and use that to craft a life for myself and trailblaze a path for other female Emcees, and to use my voice to advocate for those that society has attempted to silence. I’m known for my TEDx talk and my last releases “Sugar Water” and “Floating” and being a 106&Park Freestyle Champion.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see artist recordings being more like a calling card of sorts and artists embracing being multi-faceted in the ways they connect and engage their audiences. I can see a trend of more real live music and high musicianship being reintroduced to Hip Hop and Pop music in general. I see more virtual concerts and experiences being the wave.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.MahoganyJones.com
- Instagram: @mahoganyjonez
- Facebook: Mahoganyjonz
- Twitter: @mahoganyjones
- YouTube: MahoganyJonzTV; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJmdBm6-2Fs&feature=youtu.be
- SoundCloud: MahoganyJones
Image Credits
Genius World photos – the first photo of myself
