JUDO-GT is an emerging artist and a visionary voice from Atlanta’s Fourth Ward who has a greater purpose beyond music. He was born at the Grady Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at birth, but the doctors drilled holes in his head while they sought to bring him back to life. That miraculous start set the stage for a life of challenge, change, and purpose.
Growing up in one of Atlanta’s most crime-ridden neighborhoods, JUDO-GT ended up on the streets upon losing his dad, but inside, he knew he was meant to do greater things. He was inspired at a young age by the music of 2Pac, Eazy-E, and Nipsey Hussle and spent 8 years training in Judo, a form of Japanese mixed martial arts. During that time, he also fell in love with Ford’s version of a supercar, the Ford GT, both of which influenced the eventual name JUDO-GT. “The people in the streets, they always said, ‘You ain’t supposed to be on the streets—you’re meant for greater.’ I did not know that at the time, but I do now.”
His wake-up moment came in the middle of a bout of COVID. Sick of the stagnation and hollowness, he remembered that he possessed talent for words and entertainment, much less drive. That spark prompted JUDO-GT to create and now own a record label called S.L.I.D.E. Records LLC., with more than 200K hits on YouTube and a productive catalog of music that is infused with affirmations and messages for the blue-collar worker, independent artists, and at-risk youth of Atlanta.
A dad of five, JUDO-GT has a definition of success that is both personal but also generational. “My biggest achievement is learning how to put myself first so that I can properly provide for my children,” he offers. His next ventures, 4 Tha Goatz, Optimus Grind, and S.L.I.D.E. ON EM are inspired by an intense passion to pay homage to legends like Kobe Bryant and to give voice to blue-collar laborers who are never given their due respect.
Looking ahead, JUDO-GT sees himself giving back to the world, teaching the next generation, and showing the world that mindset is the key. “If I can, you can too. Just be you, manage your world your way, and never let anyone block your shine.”
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Check out JUDO-GT’s catalog on Spotify:
