We were lucky to catch up with Jay Lyn Gatz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jay Lyn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’ve known at a very young age that I enjoyed artistic expression. A lot of my inspiration comes from animated cartoons, video games, and novels. When I was in pre-school we took a field trip to visit a storyteller. There, she told us stories in such a creative and dramatic way that I came home and told my mother that I wanted to be a storyteller when I grow up. That sounds kinda wild saying right now, but the sentiment was innocent.

I knew that I wanted to professionally pursue music after my father passed away in 2008. I had been making music for a while before then, but his death had a substantial impact on my life. I was always doing my best in the classroom and my father told me whether I chose academics or music I was going to be great. This is something that has stuck with me since then and I’ve strived to be as great as I can be.

Jay Lyn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Jay Lyn Gatz and I got into music by accident, honestly. It’s not the grand entrance that is commonly portrayed in the music industry, but I started rapping after being requested to do so by my cousin. I was reluctant for a while; feeling too shy to give it a try. I always loved artistic expression, but rapping didn’t feel like the right avenue for me.

One day, after weeks of hesitation, I finally had enough courage to rap for the first time. It was so fun and hilarious that I haven’t stopped since. After my father passed away I officially started my professional career by getting out of the house and into the city where I’d perform and cypher with CD’s in hand.

My music is full of passion and keeps listeners looking forward to what I’ll say next. My voice, charisma, and the way I put words together breathes originality. I do my best to be as original as possible in my music and it can be heard immediately whenever my songs are played.

What I’m most proud of is charting number 4 on the US iTunes Charts and number 8 in the UK with my project “Black Syllabus”. As an independent artist, it was a huge feat that I’ll forever hold dear to my heart because it’s something that is unheard of. Shout out to Raffinae for her contributions. Thank you to everybody that supported and made it possible. My goal is to hit number 1 with my new album “Low Value Man”.

I’m also proud that I went back to school and picked up some crucial skills that help me bring my ideas to life. I built my skillset in Photography, Videography, and Audio Engineering. With my new skills I’ve shot and edited my album cover, directed, shot, and edited my own music video, recorded, arranged, and engineered all my newest songs. I’m most proud that I got my certificate in Pro Tools; making me a certified Audio Engineer!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In 2013, I suffered an injury in my abdomen that changed my life. The injury left me unable to speak or rap for almost two years.

I felt a snap in my abdominal area while I was in a recording session. I wrapped up and went to bed for the night. When I woke up it was difficult to breathe and keep my balance when I got out of bed. I walked into the living room where I laid down and lost consciousness. An ambulance was called and from there, I was forced to put recording and performing down for a while.

I never gave up my passion for making music throughout my healing process. I couldn’t speak without getting dizzy and lightheaded, but I promised myself I would rap again someday. I couldn’t leave my bed so I spent most of my time writing. Through hard work, prayer, and a positive mindset I recovered and was on stages once more.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

My advice for managing a team and maintaining high morale is working toward each team member’s strengths. A true leader learns the capabilities of everyone involved in their group. By highlighting what each individual does best your team will simultaneously reach projected goals as well as be personally fulfilled. It’s a win-win since they’ll be inspired for doing what comes natural to them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jaylyngatz.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaylyngatz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JayLynGatz1
• Twitter: https://x.com/JayLynGatz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jaylyngatz
• Other: https://fanlink.tv/JayLynGatz

Image Credits

Jay Lyn Gatz
Chris Black
Jordan Saint-Pierre
Jovan Landry