Meet Joshua Patterson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Patterson.

Joshua, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised into a large family in Inglewood, CA. My parents are both pastors who had an established church by the time I came along, and I don’t remember a time where I wasn’t surrounded by faith and music. My older brother Cjon was a musical phenom, and his God-given talent felt otherworldly to me as a young kid. He put life and breath into his music that elevated those blessed enough to witness his gift. Cjon passed away when I was in my early 20s, and I easily could have turned away from music if my brother wasn’t by my side guiding me. The opposite happened; I pursued music even more as a way to feel closer to Cjon. Making music has been a constant, daily gift that has kept him with me in spirit. What started off as just a hobby turned into actual traction once I found my footing in the music scene. I started doing shows around town, performing with a live band made up of family and friends.

The live music was a crucial part of our shows and reminiscent of the music I grew up with in church. We played music with a pulse and grew a faithful following. Performing led to other opportunities for me, such as ghostwriting for other talented artists. Writing allowed me to travel all around the US and to different counties, deepening my voice and words along the way. I am currently the music coordinator for two group homes in Los Angeles, working with at-risk youth. Knowing that music helped me cope with the loss of my brother empowers me to instill that same hope into kids who have experienced so much loss and trauma. I know how transformative and healing music can be. Whether I’m teaching them about the tenets of hip hop, rapping, production, lyric writing or DJing, I see their confidence and self-esteem flood our studio. I see how the program widens their trust, their love, their purpose.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Developing as a performer came with a fair share of growing pains. I didn’t start making music until age 21 and felt like a late bloomer in relation to my peers. I equated success to making it big and it wasn’t until years later that the intrinsic reward of making music that I’m proud of became my greatest success. Initially, my parents disapproved of the secular music I was putting out, which led me to struggle with wanting to honor and respect their morals and values while simultaneously finding my voice as an artist. The work I do in my music group has shown me what a never ending process finding my voice is and what a beautiful journey that continues to be for me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
For north of 12 years, I have been a hip-hop artist/writer for myself and other artists. I think the brand of music I’m most known for is a fusion of 70’s soul with hip hop and gospel. I consider my brand of music a “soulful gumbo” in a way. I perform all of my music with a band full of some of the greatest musicians in the city. We boast that we have the best horn section in the industry and I have yet to see a brass section that can rival ours. I am proud to have been a part of developing and writing for other artists over the years and I believe the tools learned in this process prepared me for the work I do now with the kids that I am mentoring. There is nothing that makes me more proud of the work I do now with them.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I always tell my kids to let the dream lead you. When you truly follow your dreams and give it your all, you will find the circle that you are supposed to be in. There is no “formula” to the relationships that I have forged over the years. I believe that when you walk in purpose, there is a gravitational pull that aligns you with the people who are supposed to help you on your journey. So for aspiring artists, I tell them to never turn down a session because it is an ideal networking opportunity. Never ignore people that reach out on social media etc. always be open to all opportunities when beginning the journey.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/goldie_cbs?igshid=bvne375oku3f
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.patterson.313
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCRWPIk0Dge_2LwQ66iKVsdw
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/goldieslim

Image Credits:
Ella Hovsepian