We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kid Jay a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kid, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

The first dollar I ever made was when I entered a talent show. I was 15 years old and I won $30 coming in first place.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Jason O’Banner also known as “Kid Jay”. I’ve been making music since I was 14 years old and I’m now 23 years old. I make clean rap music, so I can teach everybody especially the youth that you don’t have to be like everybody else and it’s good to be different. The main reason I got into the industry was because I always knew I wanted music to be apart of my life. Even at the age of 10 I used to freestyle with my friends in the lunchroom and I always stood out, that’s what made me different. I knew I wanted to do music for the rest of my life even back then. I’m mostly proud of my appearance on Americas Got Talent, because I got a standing ovation from all of the judges including Simon Cowell. I was so nervous during my audition but I had to rise to the occasion and I definitely did, thank god. I just wanna tell my fans I appreciate all the love and support, I wouldn’t be able to chase my dreams if it wasn’t for y’all and I’m forever grateful.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

One day I wanna build an all autistic high school named after my deceased grandmother Shirley Copeland. I have a little brother his name is Keris and he’s on the spectrum. I never understood kids with autism until my brother was born and I love him so much I call him my “Big Guy”, but I wanna build a high school where my brother can go to school and just be himself without worrying about anything else.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to learn that making money from shows doesn’t come easy. When I first started making music I thought I was gonna get paid for every show and that was not the case. I had to pay for shows in order to perform, and it was like that for years. I didn’t get my first paid show until I was 18 years old and that’s when I opened up for Jermaine Dupri and the rap game cast at the fox theatre in Detroit.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Officialkidjay/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialkidjay1?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamaalobanner?s=21&t=e52hS9KQ6-SL7FY-EO8SgQ
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@kidjay3428