We were lucky to catch up with Jamel Mcduffie recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jamel , thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Sometime around 14-15 years old, after being immersed in sports my whole life I originally only seen myself having an athletic career. I was pretty good at basketball & football in particular however I understood that my physical stature put me at great disadvantages for that. I knew was strong academically maintaining a 4.3GPA throughout high school. However the thought of going to a university to not play sports or to study a major outside my natural interest didn’t satisfy me. A young discouraged kid felt the need to evaluate his other strengths and talents as I recognized that a career in athletics may not be fruitful long-term. I then strongly gravitated to motion picture films, tv shows, music & music videos & all things art. The world of art felt like home in the midst of my teenage experiences and emotions. The exact moment I knew I wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally was during a conversation with my mom where 15 year-old me asked her the occupationally name for people who writes and brings together stories for shows and movies. I then did some researching and after gaining more clarity I then envisioned myself being a director & artist throughout my adult life.

Jamel , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Jamel McDuffie and I am a film & creative director who also has a niche for designing clothing. I started by picking up at camera 16 years old under my artistic name Kid Rage & today at 20, my small production company is beginning to catch the eyes of many people locally & nationally. I currently focus on directing & editing short films, music videos & creative projects. As well as designing & selling clothing as both self-expression & marketing for my business. Clothing wise I sell t-shirts, hoodies, cargo pants & beanies. Being multi-talented, I possess a strong work ethic to manage all my creative endeavors as I’m respected by my peers for more than one specific thing. Being a student of art and one who finds himself studying films and artwork non-stop, I bring a balance of charisma & authenticity to projects for clients as well as my own works. Besides being a creative, I’m a selfless person who often feels inspired to educate & bring a smile and/or laugh to someone through my videos. At the moment, it’s quite difficult to pinpoint what I’m most proud of, I love all of my creations for different reasons and I know I haven’t made my strongest showing yet. I’m still learning. However, as far as filmmaking my short films, “Professional Sunseekers” & “Be A Tree” are my most mature and true to me. In the clothing department, my “Creative Juggernaut” t-shirt I designed recently needed a restock after being sold out along with other sought after pieces on my website (Kidrage.us).

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

From my perspective, I often wish for society to have open-minded thoughts and conversations on art & entertainment. In many cases, I feel that narrative shaping and the craving for negative/shock-value media has diminished true artist. It now feels like a saturated market of ideas with little effort funded or supported by those with no true passion or insight on art or the process of an artist. More free-thinkers and less gatekeepers in the industry.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Something I feel non-creatives my not understand is the mind of a creative. Creatives often see life from a difference lens which allows them to bring ideas to life that people deem creative. Artist have to experience life, analyze illumination and go through filters of verification and self-fulfillment to execute great ideas. Let creatives breath and be open minded to their lives as a human being as well as a creative.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/kid.rage
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kid.rage/
• Youtube: https://studio.youtube.com/@kidragedtu
• Other: Shop: https://www.kidrage.us

Image Credits

Ade Miller (@we4llshine)
Cole Stephan (@balloutvizuals)
Zion Jack (@shot2.perfection)
Gregory Alston (@shottbyg)