Today we’d like to introduce you to Gray Jackson.
Hi Gray, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always wanted to do music but didn’t really start taking it seriously till a few years ago. I had always released tracks on SoundCloud but never tried to perform or network. Like many artists, I felt if I was good enough the people would just find it. I got my first real opportunity to get in front of people in 2016 after doing the 30/16 challenge.
A challenge where a bunch of different artists uploads a video of themselves rapping a 16 bar verse every day for 30 days. After that, I had performed for the first time at the 30/16 award show at Scruffy City Hall. Then from there J.Bu$h (fellow artist and creator of the 30/16) asked me to perform at a show at the birdhouse later that year and it snowballed from there.
Through doing shows I met so many different people and learned so much about pursuing music as a career that once it made sense I knew this is what I’d be doing. I released an album called “Bleach Tape” in 2017 when I was going by a different name. I changed it the following year and started to really care more about my craft. In 2018 I went on tour and traveled with music for the first time and about a month after I came home my wife gave birth to our son and I began the whole dad thing. Being a parent really lit a fire up under me surprisingly.
After my son was born I started working on music way more. I eventually put out another album titled “Think Like A Wolf” and an EP titled “Moody Boy”. After that in August of 2020, I decided to take a break from music to deal with my mental health. I had preached working on your mental health and getting help and all that for so long but wasn’t really doing it myself and that made me realize I needed to take a step back. In 2021, I started making music again and now I’m in the process of working out plans and reaching my goals.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s about as smooth as everything else. It’s all hard. We all have to receive our fair share of bumps and bruises along the way. It’s just deciding if it’s worth it or not. The biggest struggle, though, is keeping perspective through it all.
There’s a lot of talk of a “glass ceiling” here in Knoxville. Which it exists, but it doesn’t have to. That’s the struggle. Knowing what things could be and accepting where they are and still holding on to the perspective that it’ll get better.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a hip-hop/rap artist. I like to make music to get people to feel something. Some people would say I’m known for being overly passionate about what I do. From performances to recording to writing and all that.
At the end of the day, I really just want somebody to listen to my music and be inspired to do something. Whether that’s something as small as getting up and going outside or something as big as going after their goals. I just want to be what my favorite artists were to me growing up.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
People can support me by streaming and sharing my music. You can find me on all streaming platforms. Just search “Gray Jackson”. I’m also currently in the process of rebuilding my website so I’ll have merch soon, and hopefully, I’ll be performing live again this year as well.
Contact Info:
- Email: uknogray@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uknogray/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uknogray
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/uknogray
- Other: linktr.ee/Grayjackson
Image Credits
Avery Adzima, Omari Spears, and Erin Blake
