Today we’d like to introduce you to Lil J Lé Flame .
Lil J, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Even as a kid, I’ve always been the creative, witty type. Always thinking of phrases or responses in hopes of getting a reaction that made people laugh or at the very least put a smile on their face.
I originally had a passion for Theater and Dramatic Acting so I pursued an education in the Performing Arts as early as High School (Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Arts). I found myself still swerving in the lane of comedic content, but I was afraid. I didn’t know how to create content that could showcase my comedy. After a little research and graduating High School, I decided to switch lanes and create comedic content in the form of Comedy Sketches/Skits, something I had BEEN watching since middle school (The Chappelle Show, Key and Peele, even comics from the early YouTube Era like TimDeLeGhetto and Ray William Johnson). Eventually my first couple sketches were posted on Youtube, and that was the very start of everything. After not getting much traction off of YouTube I decided to bring shorter comedic skits and overall funny videos to Instagram and then Twitter. The summer of 2018 was when my first video went viral; a parody of Lil Uzi Vert’s “New Patek” Instagram video. I have an uncanny resemblance to him so I decided why not poke fun at it. The feeling of gratitude I got inspired me and kept me pushing to pursue comedy even more seriously. In order to advance my comedic repertoire further, I put my foot in the realm of Stand Up Comedy. Just to get over the fear I kind of just put myself out there, with the most preperation being an outline for topics. Those sets that I did do were received pretty well, but I’ve taken a hiatus to reevaluate and actually learn the art of Stand-up and plan on returning soon. Most recently I’ve gotten into Event Hosting which I definitely have a niche for and enjoy alot. (book me for your event *cough *cough*) I do plan on touching back on the acting side of me, but that’s a little later on in my career where I can invest more resources in writing, directing, and even acting in my own films. Think of Jordan Peele. For right now though, my main focus is comedy.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I want to encourage people to crack a smile or laugh with my art. (No sh*t, huh?) It’s so many things to stress and worry about in life, but when someone is tuned in to Lil J Lé Flame (whether that be my Stand-Up, Hosting, or my content on Social Media) I want them to let go and enjoy themselves, and share a laugh with me and everyone around them.
On the more serious side of things, I want to bring awareness to a plethora of Social Issues and injustices that are pertinent within specifically the African American Community but that can also mesh in with other relevant issues that don’t necessarily correlate directly with that demographic. I do so in hopes of relaying a message any and everybody can relate to and take away from. I feel I have a platform that people will listen to. With that platform, I aim to bring attention to many relevant issues people in our society go through on a daily, but of course just making a joke about it. Maybe bringing it up in a comical manner will help people digest better what is being thrown at them.
Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
Roles of artists have stayed the same in my opinion only because there is always something going on that needs to be addressed or talked about. Current events affect my work indirectly I would say. It gives me content/material to talk about. But overall, current events definitely affect art as a whole. Art, without a message to me, is incomplete. Doesn’t have to be a woke ass introspective look at something but just convey something, anything through your art. It’s the most accessible way to express how you feel about anything, and artists should definitely use that to their advantage.
As I stated earlier, I’m focused on my Stand Up Comedy material. I’m also in the process of writing a script for a web series me and two of my closer friends from High School have come together on. Other than that, I attend Georgia State University aiming to graduate with a degree in Film and a minor in African American Studies.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Just follow me on Instagram @liljleflame. I have a Twitter by the same username, but I find myself gravitating towards Instagram as far as having a central hub where people can see my content. On my page, you can also see when and where I’ll be doing stand up as well as hosting different events. So just follow me!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liljleflame/
Image Credit:
@life0fjavi (the o in of is a zero; the introduction picture as well as the 3rd picture)
@j1kphoto (2nd and 5th photo, on the lyft scooter and yelling into the mic blue hair)
@milabucks (1st picture with orange hoodie)
@qualitylenz (4th black and white picture)
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.
