Today we’d like to introduce you to Mjay Morris.
Hi Mjay, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Mjay Morris and I was born on August 28th (Virgo) in Chicago, Illinois. I was raised by my grandmother Corine Morris who died when I was 13 years old. After the passing of my grandmother, I had no other option than to turn to the streets. I became known as Ms. WNBA who held on to marijuana for local drug dealers. I was the decoy, who would expect the girl dribbling the ball to be holding product? My dream as a child was always to be an actress and play basketball, but coming from poverty, the only dream was to make it alive. Growing up in Chicago was not easy at all, it was a constant struggle to stay alive on the Westside. I was living life with no hopes, dreams, or ambitions I found myself lost. In the 3rd Grade, I fell in love with the game of basketball and it saved my life. I approached each game as if it were my last and left all of my stress and frustrations on the court. Nonetheless, I was still at constant war with myself, street life or college.
In 2012 I was accepted into Presentation College, in South Dakota, with a full basketball scholarship. I was a long way from home and the streets of Chicago and the police reminded me of that every chance they got. I went to Brown County jail twice and the judge told me if he saw my face again, I was going under the jail. I went back to my dorm room and spun the globe and my finger landed on Atlanta, GA. I moved to Atlanta with no place to stay or a job. While living out of my car in the Planet Fitness parking lot, I researched web series and came across a casting call for Pandora’s Box where I made my debut as “Creepy Cris.” However, that wasn’t paying the bills or helping me get out of my car. I saw an indeed ad for a preschool teacher at a prestigious Christian preschool in Dunwoody, GA. It was a longshot being that I was noticeably apart of the LGBT community but, my passion for children gave me the confidence to show up to the interview. I expected a stuck up, old, Christian lady to be conducting my interview. However, I was wrong. The director was a young chocolate thang that quickly became my love interest. We flirted back and forth for a while before she jokingly moved my car without me knowing.
In Chicago people get shot for that but, after I found out it was her, we laughed and began to spend multiple hours on the phone getting to know each other. We moved in with each other after three months of dating and three years later she is still the love of my life. She helped me learn self discipline and prioritizing my life goals. We currently own two businesses including my AAU basketball program, the Shecago Bulls. During the first year of our relationship, I considered myself to be a Gospel artist known as Lady Jay. Although I love God, It was not my true calling. I felt lost in my music and wasn’t sure if I even wanted to continue with music until Pandora Monrose asked me to do a feature on her song “Pandora’s Box.” I struggled with this verse as I didn’t want to be contradictory to my Gospel roots. I prayed and asked God for clarity and thus rebranded myself as Young Keud. Keud stands for Kill Everything U Do. I am a strong believer that time waits for no one and that anything you do you have to fully commit and kill it! There is no half stepping. My debut song “Like Jackson” is streaming on all major platforms. I had fun with this project and won’t be stopping till I am “Moonwalking to da bank!”
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road for me. I navigated through life with no guidance. My mother and father were strung out on drugs so I was legally adopted by my grandmother. She passed when I was 13. After that, my father died, my sister died and my best friend, Taajae, died. My entire life I took plenty of losses and I am still here. I was always struggling and living in poverty with no money I had to fight to get to where I am at today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Until my music and artistry is able to feed my family, I am a Pre K teacher. I have a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education. I enjoy teaching the youth and stimulating young minds. I am most proud that I am able to assist in laying the foundation in a child’s educational journey. I enjoy seeing them grow and watching them smile as they master new abilities. What sets me apart is that I kill everything I do. I supersede the expectations no matter what and I teach my Pre-K children the same thing while implementing love and discipline.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I just wanna tell the world kill everything u do.
Contact Info:
- Email: keudmusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/youngkeud773
- Facebook: Facebook.com/youngkeud773
- Twitter: twitter.com/youngkeud773
- Youtube: youngkeudtv
- SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/youngkeud
Image Credits
Zabian photography slingshot ATL
