Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerrica Jae Franklin.
Jerrica “Jae” Franklin is a spoken word poet from Alexandria, Louisiana. She started her craft at the age of eight, however, she was never certain of the form of writing she was creating. As a young child, she suffered from a mild speech impediment called cluttering -which made her extremely uncomfortable reading aloud and verbally communicating with others. After the death of her mother at ten years old, she found poetry to be a vital coping mechanism. Instantly, due to her various school teachers, her poems and short stories were entered in various contests for young writers. Being that Jae’s first love was music, it was no surprise when she transitioned into songwriting. She didn’t seriously pursue sharing her work until 2016. Since then, she’s developed her brand as an artist by creating a social media platform called “Janguage Artz”.
After her unfortunate personal circumstances, she prides herself in being a voice for the many young people society strays from due to their background, financial status, sexual orientation, beliefs, mental illness and all things that are created to hinder fighting the odds. In 2018, she created a t-shirt line called “The L.O.S.T. Girls” – an acronym meaning “Levitating Over Society’s Traditions”. Her mission in poetry is “to be FRANK at all times”. She also created “Queen Walk” – a workout program meant to uplift women through fitness and words of affirmation. Jae Franklin believes “pain brings your closer to your purpose, but your purpose should lead others to power and positivity”. She is working and awaiting her next creative ventures every day.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Ha! It has most definitely been beyond challenging. Emotionally, people don’t always grasp the mental places artists must go to in order to create the work they love most. I’ll be honest, to truly pursue a career in poetry is truly a struggle because you constantly must be focused on mastering your craft, perfecting the quality of your performance and knowing your full intentions before jumping in this. It’s not what everyone thinks it is. My struggle is no different than any other artist, but it’s certainly rewarding when I realize my words have awakened something in my listeners.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I wouldn’t consider Janguage Artz a business, however, it is my social media following that contains a collective of all the work I release. Janguage Artz is Jerrica Jae Franklin. It embodies everything I am and all that I do. My favorite subject in school was language arts. In 2016, I went through a period of depression because I was in desperate search of my purpose and what was going to lead me back to a happier me. That’s when it hit me! I needed something that ultimately belonged to me. The pages in my notebook are the most sacred parts of me. It’s my poems, lyrics, stories, screenplays -that’s Janguage Artz.
What were you like growing up?
I had a very complexed childhood. I’m the daughter of a hard-working, loving single mother. When my mother passed at age ten, my life took a significant turn. So, I wasn’t the happiest child as expected. My mother was a hairdresser and worked at a daycare. I took up a love for hair and makeup that I still have today. Writing and music was my escape from everything. I grew up in a Baptist church that my grandparents kept in heavily tied into and in a family who loved music. My mother and uncles exposed me to music early on. They all had a profound effect on how I view music now. I was a boring child, but I was always creative. Haha.
Contact Info:
- Email: janguageartz@gmail.com
- Instagram: @janguageartz
- Facebook: Jerrica Jae Franklin
- Twitter: @janguageartz
- Other: YouTube: Janguage Artz Poetry
Image Credit:
J. Rich Photography
Spade
Keldric Nash
Angelo Hill
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