Today we’d like to introduce you to Ugly Josh.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started the whole video aspect in middle school, I started doing a lot of short 15-second skits on Instagram and posting them as often as I could but I didn’t appear as “Funny”. When I got to high school in a 9th-grade year, I attended Morrow High school and I was the quiet kid that was balled up in his shell and didn’t really speak much until I was spoken too. A year to two years later, I got transferred to another school called Mt.Zion High school. I didn’t know as much people as I did at the other school but I just refused to be in my shell again because I know I wasn’t a shy person and I know I can converse with people easily. So I rekindled with some friends that I was really cool with in middle school and they showed me around at the new school & Being around them opened me up more because they caused me to come out my shell that I have always been in since I have been at that school. This opening up that Im speaking on was a whole another level…
I began to be less shy and started to be me MORE OF ME! During the days at school, I would have step battles with the friends that I rekindled within the middle of the hallway causing all traffic to stop and see what I was doing. A lot of people would be late to class because I was in the hallway dancing and having step competitions with the students causing everyone to record because the big crowds around and the loud screaming in the hallway due to excitement because a lot of people stopped. I never gotten disciplined for the actions I did because the teachers even recorded and enjoyed what I did because they found it interesting how I got a lot of people to interact with me with no problems. SOOO. My social media had a lil buzz so I kept doing because it seem like a lot of people found it funny and I seemed like it was a spark to something…
My 11th-grade year is when I dived in into doing videos. I always wanted to have an Audio/Visual Class so I can have a gateway on what I wanted to do but I couldn’t change courses because I Had another career pathway that I didn’t want to pursue which was Business management, which isn’t bad … but that isn’t what I didn’t want to do. I literally begged the teacher for the Audio/visual class to let me take her pathway but she didn’t really pay it no mind because she thought I was just another student that wanted to play and goof around with her expensive equipment but I emphasized that, “this is what I want to do!” As time went on, It was so long that I couldn’t change my career pathway so I was stuck on with what they gave me. As I began doing videos I wanted to dig deeper than what they was actually teaching everybody in that course.
I began looking at youtube tutorials and I was back to making videos causing me to learn how to edit. I didn’t have the money to get fancy laptop, so during the days in school, I would sometimes skip 2 to 3 classes a day just to sneak in the Audio/Visual Class because she had every software that I needed. I got kicked out every single time. I didn’t speak to nobody in the class because I was on a mission lol. I was taking all the footage I shot at home on my phone and uploading it to the school computer in her class. In the first year of learning how to edit. My videos had a lil pop to it than everyone else. That same year I got called to host my High School pep Rally and I wasn’t shy to speak in front of 800+ kids but I worried about saying the wrong thing also … So I borrowed one the teacher’s cameras so I can have it recorded. I recorded the pep rally on an expensive 4k camera she had and it was a success
My senior year of HS I had my head over my shoulders super heavy. I won class president that year and I was kind of the “face of the school” as I have seen it as. I began to present my leadership skills that I knew I always had in me by marketing and branding everything I did in school and also out. My shell began to slowly peel off my skin… So I got offered to host another school pep rally but I decided I wanted to go “all out” because I don’t believe in something small when it comes to events or even when you about to do something in the public where a bunch of people is watching… One wrong word… one wrong look… can trigger anybody’s emotions. I wasn’t trying to be “perfect” or anything, like any celebrity you see on TV but I want to give off an impression as if I’ve been doing this before. I say this because if you try anything new you have to learn the ins & outs to get the best of it so you can know what you going to go through while attempting it. Capiche?
So I desired to connect with these people to make the pep rally more exciting to watch… I went out of my way to connect with local artists such as Dc Young Fly, Desi Banks & singers like Summer Walker and etc. I had everyone’s contact name, information and address & all. Maybe not the address part but I had everybody’s information to get them booked. I had a few days to pitch it to my teacher and she simply replied “We don’t have the money”. Which is cool but representation is key. The pep rally day came and I had a friend Vlog the whole day with me… Long story short the pep rally had many disruptions but I kept pushing even though the major disruptions cause my attitude to change but I have seen the finish line. The Vlog was uploaded on youtube and eventually end up doing 1.5k views on youtube, being one the first videos for me to be more uploaded.
Since then, I’ve started going to Fort Valley University in Macon Ga, majoring in Mass Communications and Film Studies. I ended up dropping out within the first semester cause I didn’t have enough money or financial aid to continue doing school. I started building up clientele all around by working all around Atlanta. Working with Rick Ross, VH1 and not to mention my first producer beat I produced had 100k views on youtube and still counting today. I recently worked at American Got Talent in this pass few months while their while filming for the show, and I got to connect with some cool people out in LA & CHI. I’m working on a TV show as we speak, I want to drop as much episodes as I can & pitch it to Adult Swim & Comedy Central to see if they enjoy awkwardness on there. I plan on doing 4-5 short films this year to show that I’m a great film director and I have great visual when it comes to any digital art or digital visual that you see on big screens. Until we meet til next time…
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road you gone have is going to have some potholes and some bumps in it. If it doesn’t, then I’ll be worried… You have to be uncomfortable to get comfortable in what you are doing. If you 50% uncomfortable with life right now then your winning
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I shoot music videos and direct short films that’s soon to be on the big screen. I’m also a music producer that makes music production and engineer also. I’m mostly known for having a great sense of leadership and having a great ass spirit to be around. One big thing that sets me apart of others is my work ethic and my humbleness. I don’t get my head filled up easily, everything I do I try my best to keep a tunnel vision, despite the blurry visions I try to stay focused.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Work ethic & consistency is going to take me far because regardless of the results, I still I’m going to put my whole 100%.
Pricing:
- Music Video – $100 per scene
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/UglyJosh
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uglyjoshtv/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr6506QYIzGeFGI9KaIidXA
