Meet Chris Courtney Martin | Multidisciplinary Artist (Writer/Musician/Producer)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Courtney Martin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris Courtney, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Integrity is something that I cannot compromise on. Nothing matters to me more than being who I say that I am. It’s the biggest obstacle that I’ve faced– to remain unwilling to change up my principles based on an opportunity. Coming from a Hollywood track, that’s the entire strategy. I thought my integrity would be my superpower. That would be the reason people sought to get behind me. And maybe it is. But it is also the reason why I’ve had such a long and twisty journey. I’ve stopped pitching projects with industry heavyweights because key people were going to be left behind unfairly. I’ve turned down opportunities with super powerful people because they demonstrated an opposition to what I am about, which is what my work is about. I’ve taken on the burden of calling out, on my own, unethical behavior from the one person in the industry who was supposed to know better– because their entire platform was built on knowing better. It’s funny to think that integrity could be an Achilles’ Heel. But isn’t that exactly why two Guilds are on strike right now?

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been switching gears as a writer to focus on poetry/prose. That’s after years of pursuing screenwriting, with some limited success. Nothing too flashy. But I still work in the capacity of an industry expert blogger and mentor. I was a Course Advisor for Sundance Co//ab a couple of years ago and I’ve given talks off-and-on about my journey as a screenwriter. There will be more of that to come, as well.

I’m most proud of my ability to bounce back from the very things that were meant to stop me in my tracks. People love to play power games in the creative industries. I mean, is there an industry where people don’t? That really is the whole point of Capitalism. But here, it’s especially jarring because of the ethos behind the idea of art. It seems antithetical to how people choose to behave with their peers and collaborators. But if you can eat those punches, absorb their kinetic energy, and reflect it back in a meaningful way? You’ve figured out the game and how to win it. That’s what I’ve learned to do.

I don’t want to get stuck there, though. Because I have learned some lessons on the beautiful side of things, not just the painful. Words have a way of cleansing things, like those little black carbon pebbles in a water filter. If you can process events through words, they become yours in a way that nobody can take away from you. They turn those events into something you can stand upon, instead of a weight that crushes…one you have to wiggle out from under.

I’ve spoken at length about the chronology of my journey in other interviews. So, I think focusing on the spirit of it makes sense here. There are times when I feel like a revenant because I have died so many deaths. I don’t know whether I’m the Phoenix or a perpetually crushed Sisyphus sometimes. But I do know that I’m still here.

That’s why I founded Cryptid Content Media. It’s not really a brand– even though it is the official umbrella for my art, including my music publishing– as much as it’s me. A cryptid is something that usually goes unseen. And a lot of what I experience from day to day, no one who knows me could fully comprehend. I guess that’s part of being ~open~ in the psychic sense. Most people you know think you’re out of your mind, and others just choose to love you anyway. You might find a couple of true commiserators in between.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Almost everything worthwhile to me is south of Wilshire, where nobody ventures but folks who are comfortable in “the ‘hood.” The occasional excursion to Randy’s Donuts is usually the exception. Leimert Park is unbeatable. But folks don’t exactly need to flock there until this gentrification thing is checked…

– My 2 Cents is a must. Shoutout to Chef Alisa…Save me some grit fries!

– The Baldwin Crenshaw Cinemark is my happy place. All they need is the caramel corn they used to sell at the ArcLight Hollywood, and there are no notes.

– Gorilla Rx is a candy store for my CannaCuties. The first Black Women-Owned dispensary in the area, if not the world? Sign me up in permanent marker.

– Nobody will tell you this but me… D’s Original Takeout grill has ribs that could beat up Bludso’s ribs. Especially if it’s street rules.

– The Hive is such a fun and quirky little art gallery downtown. The Aziz Gallery in Leimert Park deserves a huge shoutout, too.

– La Brea Ramen Bar. Black ramen bowl, double seasoned eggs. Thank me later.

– Is Spare Tire still around? You can’t beat Drunk Connect Four.

– The La Cienega Target has a better plus-size clothing selection than all the stores on Rodeo combined. Treat yourself.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to send a shoutout to West Philly. It’s a rough place, but it knows who it is. It’s the home of MOVE (may their deceased members rest in peace.) It’s the home of 52nd Street, which holds the line singlehandedly against the gentrification caused by the local universities. And yes, I am an alum of one of those. Which is why I have to speak on it.

My family isn’t particularly proud to be from West Philly. There are places we’ve lived for much shorter stretches of time, that they prefer to claim. But I sharpened myself on that concrete. And I am so thankful that I did. Because if there’s one place that can prepare you for the scariest sides of L.A.– it’s Philadelphia.

Website: https://linktr.ee/chriscourtneymartin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriscourtneymartin/

Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/chriscourtneymartin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaRealChrisCo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KweanOontz/

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4EbgTZPJVbNhwtaucUaj89?si=uIublqxkSda2rBGbDMi0mA Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/kwean-oontz/1692854225

Image Credits
All images credited to Chris Courtney Martin (original graphic design work included).