Meet Lex J | Poet / Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lex J and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lex, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
I always say ‘without discipline and consistency, there isn’t much room for success.’ I believe in hard work and dedication and let me tell you, it’s not always easy. Sometimes you may even want to quit. Nothing in life comes easy, though, so I strongly believe that if you work hard enough at it then you will soon see the results you’re looking for. Once you get the hang of your routine, it becomes simple. There’s still hard work to be done, there’s still results to be seen, and there’s always more room to elevate; but as long as you have your set routine and a whole lot of drive, it’s gonna work and soon come to fruition!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always known my purpose in life was to create and encourage people through my art. Between my love for singing in the choir and being on the praise dance team at church; I could feel the calling on me at an early age. I knew my life would look a little something like this now; I just didn’t know to what depth or the journey I would be taken on to get here. Although I knew my heart belonged in the creative field I still considered a few different paths; such as sports, the medical field, and law, before finally ending up at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York to study acting. Once I completed the two year certificate program at AMDA, I continued my education at their Los Angeles campus; AMDA College of the Performing Arts, graduating with a BFA in Performing Arts in 2019.

Deciding to make LA my home after school has helped me find my voice as an artist and because of that I’ve been able to connect with my love of writing and performing poetry around the city. I would perform I’d say about twice, sometimes thrice a month. Although I loved performing and the thrill that came with it, I knew there were still so many people that my art hadn’t reached yet so I wanted to create more opportunities for that; for myself and for other artists. Plus, as I stated, my family is in Texas so they usually wouldn’t be able to see my performances unless they were recorded. In November 2022, I had the idea of starting a poetry podcast. It was a concept that I thought was rarely heard of so I wanted to put that into action and I didn’t want to procrastinate. I knew nothing about creating a podcast, though, lol but you’ll quickly learn that that’s the thing about me; even if I don’t know how to do something, I will learn. So, that’s what I did! With the help of a fellow podcaster, tips on which equipment was best for new podcasters, and my team of one, I went from there and we launched Season One of my poetry podcast: ‘Lex, Write About It.’ in January 2023. As with anything new, it started rocky and took a little time for me to get the hang of things, but with the practice of Season One, I was fully motivated and inspired by its potential to continue on to Season Two in July of 2023. This was a much better outcome than the first season but as someone who takes it very hard on myself, I still needed more in order to be pleased.

I used to be a perfectionist and if it wasn’t exactly right then I would fixate on it for some time. Worry and fear took away a lot of the opportunities I could’ve had so I had to get rid of them. Something I’ve learned being a creative is nothing will ever be completely perfect but as long as I keep improving, things will surely get close to it. Now once I find my groove in something I dive in full speed and correct the errors along the way; trying to leave very little space for procrastination because that kills motivation. Now this, this is where it becomes complex. I’m a lover of all things creative. I wrote a short film in college, I love to act when I’m not in the director’s chair, and of course I love poetry and music. I’m always dancing and I also have a keyboard that I play from time to time. So when I say I’m an artist, I literally mean everything.

I planned to end the year with a third season of the podcast but due to scheduling with the guest artists, it has been postponed. I still wanted to make my final contribution to 2023, though, I didn’t know how just yet. So here I was, again, about to dive completely into something I had no idea about – creating a poetry EP and releasing it on platforms. I knew I didn’t quite want to be a musical artist, though. I wanted a world where I merged my love of music and poetry in a way not heard too often. So from there, I decided to put original music with my poetry. By this, you still get the feeling that it’s something you can groove to but the literature still draws you in to listen to what’s being said. So that’s what I did. Because I didn’t have the exact equipment needed and funds were low at the time, I found a way to use my podcast equipment to host a live recording of the EP. This, of course, caused other complications as it wasn’t the correct equipment. But as I stated earlier, I worked through the errors as we went and proved to myself it at least could be done. That way I can’t talk myself out of my heart’s true desire because of fear. 26th Trip: A Poetry EP was released on October 26, 2023.

2023 taught me a lot about myself and as an artist. I don’t know if I fully believed in myself or my talent before then. I knew I could do certain things but imposter syndrome has been a part of me my whole life. With this new perspective that I can create things and they can be successful, I have had a whole new look on life and what the future looks like for me, career wise. I know there’s a lot I want to do so I have been taking a creative hiatus in 2024 to sift through and fully plan those ideas out. Although 2023 came with a lot of ups, I made mental notes of the lows that I could improve as I continued to progress and create. In the years to come, I am most excited about starting my brand Lex, Write About It. Here, you will be able to see the full scope of my creative abilities; from acting, to poetry, to writing films and any other new talents I discover within myself. So be on the look out for the announcement of LWABI!

Of course it hasn’t been easy and I’ve faced many difficulties along the way but the thing I’m most proud about is my will to keep going. Choosing this career path has always been the easiest decision for me. I’m connected to it in a way that even I can’t fully explain; it just grounds me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I think this question is a huge reflection on how much I miss my family and being home sometimes. I used to do so much with them and now when I get bored all I have is a phone call to feel their warmth. Growing up around my family has taught me that age doesn’t really exist when you’re having fun. I grew up with adults playing with the kids and it genuinely being something everyone enjoyed! I would find joy in the simplest/most childish things and even though I am now an adult, I try to carry that light-heartedness everywhere with me! Although my first love is the creative path, I would say my hobby is anything fitness related. I have always loved the idea of hiking but my journey didn’t start until I moved to LA and would hike with my close friend, Jared. There’s something about the excitement that I get from knowing my body is morphing into a fitness body!! The gym is also a place that I love and would visit daily. There’s just no greater feeling than being fit and doing it yourself!

Honestly, I usually have a hard time picking new things to do. I’m not a party person but I love being around people and depending on where it is, I love being the life of the party. I am a pescatarian who LOVES food, I love hiking at Griffith Park, working out, going exploring, roller skating, going to karaoke and in my downtime, I enjoy watching reality tv and going to the beach. Venice is one of my favorite. I haven’t always been a reality tv girl but I’ve been brought to the dark side lol. I’m also very competitive and LOVE having game nights and doing karaoke. I’m sure my neighbors are tired of the countless times we have karaoke nights. Sorry!!! Poetry shows, comedy shows, dance recitals, plays, open mic nights, concerts and music festivals are all my groove. Going to see Beyoncé and going to the Sol Blume music festival in 2023 were some of my highlight musical moments for sure! Da Poetry Lounge, UNPLUGD LA, and Trap Poetry Jam are some of my favorite poetry events around the city.

I don’t have many friends in LA but the few that I do have, we all have very busy lives so it’s rare that we hang out but when we do it’s always a good time. My brother, Cortez, is my best friend though. Even though he still lives in Texas, we talk almost every day and we used to have a plan to live together out here one day. We both have settled in our adulthood so that might not happen but he still comes and visit often and whenever we’re together it’s always lit!

Whenever he is in LA, he usually already has a plan and it’s like he’s the one who lives here and I’m visiting. We are both heavily into fashion so I know we would shop maybe once every day while he’s here. Shoes used to be our favorite thing to connect over (and it still is) but now we’re really in our fashion bags. We always have to go to his favorite food spots. He loooooves Dave’s Hot Chicken and as a pescatarian, this is always my struggle because the boy loves his chicken. I will say, though, I can get him to try almost any food so the next time he’s here, we’ll definitely try some of my favorite spots: Fixins, World Empanadas, Two Hands Corndogs, Vegan Playground, Her Thai, Penguin Fish and Chips, Bulan, Bottega Louie, and Mighty Bowl to name a few. I’d even throw in Dave’s Hot Chicken for him ONE TIME *eye roll*

I’m not really a sweets person but there are a couple places that I absolutely love!!! We would definitely have to go to New Orleans Snoballs. We’re from Texas and we used to get sno cones every summer. I miss those days. I also love macarons from Bottega Louie. Honorable mention of the beignets *chefs kiss*. Bacio di Latte also smells delicious when you walk in! I’ve never tried it so that’d be another place I’m willing to try.

Other than that, I don’t think he’s ever seen me perform my poetry live so I’d try to make sure I have a performance while he’s here so he can see big sis in action. He’s also one of my hugest supporters!

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?
First I would like to thank God. I had a really strong up-bringing in the church. Between my dad being a pastor, my mom being heavily involved in church, and my Nannie taking me to church with her every Sunday, getting me into my very first beauty pageant and encouraging my creative endeavors at a very young age; I was always taught to give God honor and glory through all of my successes and even my not so good moments. I took what I was taught as a child and built my own relationship with Him. I knew what God had personally done for me and I know for a fact that without Him I would not have been able to have a vision, make sure I stuck to it and traveled across the world to fulfill my dreams. Being born in a state like Texas, you don’t necessarily get discouraged when you wanna follow your dreams but some people raise their eyebrows in shock when you decide to move away. Trusting and believing in God has never given me fear about leaving home, though. I knew very young that I wanted to travel and pursue my dreams somewhere outside of Texas; my heart just always felt too big to keep in one spot. I actually know that a lot of times if it wasn’t for my relationship with God, I probably would’ve been back home by now but it’s the way I feel so grounded when I’m connected with Him that takes away all my doubts and fears. I have always felt like I have a strong connection with God, we tight like that!

Next, I would like to thank my parents, my siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents and other supporting family. Without their support, it would be tough for me to be where I am today. I didn’t know that not many families share the dynamic my family and I have until I left home for college. Growing up, we did everything together as a family! It wasn’t just sometimes. It was like: someone just took their first steps so we were throwing meat on the grill and having a family function. By the end of the event no one even knew why we were there, you were just happy to be surrounded by family. We all lived within 30 minutes of each other so we could do that. We did things like family reunions regularly, ate together on Sundays after church; really any day of the week. It was just fun! That’s been our dynamic since day one: we show up and support each other, always. Just my family providing love and support has gotten me a long way. I’ve always been courageous and knew I would travel the world and explore different things (I don’t think it was ever my plan to live in Texas my entire life) but I would be lying if I said I did it all alone. It has definitely been challenging being away from family for so long but I refuse to live a life other than the one I want to create for myself. Although this means less family time, we all have our own lives to live and I would be doing myself a huge disservice not following my dreams. But I wouldn’t trade a thing about my upbringing and how I was taught to love. I will always cherish our moments together. I know it probably wasn’t the easiest thing for them to see me go off for college, but I really appreciate the support to move across the world… twice! From Texas, to New York, to Los Angeles, they have always believed in me and that will always be unforgettable. They have grounded me in love and for that I am forever grateful. I love y’all.

To my person, I love you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Your support, love, dedication to my craft and your overall presence makes life so much easier. I never really craved love. I knew about it and my peers made it their mission to talk about love, future marriage plans, and their passion for a perfect love story. I did it because that’s what I was surrounded by but all I wanted was a career, stability, and to make my dreams come true. I didn’t really feel like I had a place for love until I met her. We actually met on a project for school: Two Trains Running play reading. Fun fact – we were double cast as the role of Risa. I had seen her face around campus and I knew of her because of the people she would hang around but I had no name to place with a face. So my time seeing her around campus consisted of me looking but not saying anything. It wasn’t until we got paired for the play that we connected and had an undeniable bond. We were supposed to be doing character development but our personal lives were so similar that we would get caught up talking about life for hours before actually doing any character work. It was nice, refreshing even, to connect on so many levels with a complete stranger; the stranger I had already been noticing around the school before meeting. It was crazy but I liked the feeling. I don’t know what life or the future holds but I know this bond that we’ve formed will last a lifetime. I have found my person, my best friend. I would also like to thank her for being such a huge support for my vision ‘Lex, Write About It.’ Podcast. Her appointed role was Executive Producer but if I’m being honest she was helping behind the camera, in front of the camera and filling in any spots I needed her to. She pushes me to be my best self creatively and I can’t thank her enough.

To my few friends who have become family, I appreciate y’all for always being by my side and encouraging me to follow my dreams. I have met so many people in my life and over my adult years I have watched dynamics change and adapt but one thing I can say is thank you to those friends that just automatically became and stayed family. When I first moved to LA, I didn’t know anyone except for the people who came from the New York campus as well. Even still, this was quite the place to adjust to. As I was learning more about myself and wanting to live in my most authentic version of me, I was entering this world where everyone was already living in their truth. I still struggled with the fear of being accepted, but meeting friends at school and post graduation taught me that ‘hate only lives in those who refuse to believe people can have an opinion different from theirs and they wouldn’t be able to control it.’ Once I started fully living in my truth, not much changed about my social life, not many friends left and people still saw me for who I was; unless they didn’t then … well that’s their problem! So to those that love me unconditionally and made me comfortable to live in my truth, thank you; just for loving and accepting me for me! To my friends that became family in high school, I will always love y’all #Troupe2161!!! My NIMBC and OCBF church fam, I will love y’all forever and ever! To my one friend still in New York – girl you know you’re more like a sister to me! You have been here for me through it all and our bond has never been shaken!

Lastly, I would like to thank my high school theatre teacher, Latresa Clark, who helped me hone in and focus on my passion and path as a creative. I knew I always wanted to create but besides me acting out scenes in my living room or just being the entertainment for my family, I never really envisioned acting. It was always about singing and dancing for me, since age three. After trying sports even, I finally met a teacher that saw my capabilities from a mile away. She pushed me and worked me because she knew I wanted it before I fully knew I wanted it. My love for acting, directing, character development, and storytelling is a huge thank you to her!! Without even knowing, she helped me fall in love with the major part of me. She helped me see that I was good but I could only soar as far as my wings would expand. From that day on, I decided I would spread them until I couldn’t anymore! Initially when I auditioned for AMDA, I was accepted in the MT program. Mrs. Clark told me that I wouldn’t like it because it was much different than the MT we had been doing in high school. I remember telling her I would like it and I was gonna stay in the program. I vividly remember the next time I saw her I was telling her that I’d switched over to the Acting program. Lol she was right and one thing about her, she was a teacher that cared and went above and beyond for her students that showed a true passion for the arts. Love you, Mrs. Clark!!!

I would also like to take a second to honor three of my grandparents; Tommie Lee Jenkins Jr., Alton James Small and Nancy Williams. They are no longer here but I know they would be proud of all that I have accomplished and I love them forever.

This is my village and without them I am nothing <3

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyrically.lex?igsh=YTQwZjQ0NmI0OA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr && https://www.instagram.com/lwabi.podcast?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Twitter: https://x.com/_lyricallylex

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088694227251&mibextid=JRoKGi

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lexwriteaboutit.?si=id0lLNjjkufYvM7s

Other: – I haven’t fully launched my website yet, but please be on the lookout for lexwriteaboutit.com coming soon!

– Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/26th-trip-ep/1713924995
– Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lex-write-about-it/id1663597282

Image Credits
Graphic logo and t-shirt designer: Arielle Thomas