J. Ivy discusses his role as president of Chicago Recording Academy

What is the current state of the Black creative?

The Black creative has always been instrumental in telling our stories, defining our history and moving us forward as a community, culture, country. Presently, there are so many amazing Black creators from film to music. I think now more than ever, the spotlight has been shown, on the work that we create.
What projects do you have coming in the near future? 

I am releasing my album of poetry and music in April called Catching Dreams. I’m really excited for people to witness the experience. I’m working on other music with Donald Lawrence. Josh Lars has a play coming to Chicago in May, and I’ll be doing some work narrating and writing. I’m doing a project with a group called Live Footage, a band out of Brooklyn. I’m always doing work with the late artists and poet laureate Ernie Barnes’ foundation. My incredible incredible wife, Tarrey Torae has a project coming out next month that I co-wrote and helped do some production on. I’m always doing work with Coodie & Chike, my brothers. We always have something cooking up.