by Shawn Nowlin
Grammy award-winning musician Lalah Hathaway once said there are two kinds of people in the world – those who intentionally try to make the world a better place for all and those who care about things only if it impacts them directly.
Theodore Jefferson can speak to what it is like to have a rough childhood and grow up in the foster care system because he lived it.
Known professionally as Ah_Jinx, Jefferson moved through dozens of foster homes growing up throughout the Roanoke Valley. Music, he explained, helped him express himself and find purpose.
“I vividly remember what it was like growing up as a foster child,” he said. “When adversity came in life, I chose to turn to Christ, not depression. Today, I am signed to a national record label, have a TV show and fans of all ages all over the country.”
Jefferson signed a recording contract with Sony Music. Contemporaries of his also signed to the label include SZA, Harry Styles, Doja Cat, Bruce Springsteen, Tyler, the Creator and Brittany Spears.
“What we’re here for is to magnify. But you have to start with something beautiful. If you enlarge something that isn’t good, it’s like enlarging a picture that’s blurred,” Sony Music CEO Rob Stringer said in a press release.
“I want Sony to be futuristic, well-run and if people are taught the right way, we’ll always attract quality artists like all of our signees. If I can add to what we’ve built up, we’re going to be absolutely fine,” he added.
Nina Johnson says she’s a fan of various music genres. To her, Ah_Jinx is a combination of Leon Thomas and Goapele. “My parents raised me to appreciate all kinds of art,” Johnson said. “When it comes to music, I don’t just listen to it on a surface level. I explore complete discographies. Ah_Jinx is an artist that I often recommend to people.”
Best known for the songs “Project Faith” and “Put The Flame Out,” rather than buying expensive jewelry and other things that do not appreciate in value, the Christian Hip Hop artist instead decided to invest in a music studio for local youth.
“God spoke to me and said to focus on inner growth. Since doing that, I’ve been blessed a million times over,” he said. “I want people to know that the studio will be free and open to everyone.”
