And the easiest way for me to do that was to simply pick up a camera and do it. I came into this game basically as raw talent, just wanting to capture these moments that I lived and loved as an eight- or nine-year-old kid growing up on the South Side of Chicago. I saw the industry so deeply entrenched in this level of detachment from what was happening in front of my eyes, right? And I didn’t think that there was a pathway in which I went to school for film or had some grand internship at a film studio.

When did you start to combine your abundant creativity and verbal art into film-making? But they also, I think, were able to see themselves within those creations. My community saw that and supported that. Whether that was writing poetry or just filming random stuff within our community or rapping, it was just being creative. We knew that that’s just how Rodney spoke. We didn’t know what that was, but it was creativity. They saw this touch of lavender – they saw this glow. I think my friends and my family and guys within our community: Growing up, being inspired by the environment around you, can you pinpoint a time when you were first motivated or compelled to create? How did that manifest and what mediums did you explore? I think the deeper that I get into film-making, the closer I get to my family and the closer I get to the South Side of Chicago. When I step into a coffee shop and I can even afford the small things and provide for my family, that’s what I’m proud of. Like, growing up, we were economically poor, but wealthy in spirit and ambitions, so most of my day creatively and also just as a man operating in this world is to reclaim moments that were disallowed or tainted due to systemic oppression in America.

And most importantly, I am of service to the Black community. So, Rodney, first I’d love to just hear a little bit about you – where you’re at currently, where you’ve been, who you are, what you do.

Little homies creatives