Today we’d like to introduce you to Gregory Harris.
Gregory, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m originally from Northwest Houston, specifically near the 1960 area that intersected the areas between Greenspoint and Klein. Growing up in Houston, you’re introduced to the regular avenues of excelling in sports, academics, or finding your way in the streets but I always felt like I was meant for something more than the typical routes that people normally attended to. While I was still growing into myself, I fell in love with writing which led to me doing music.
Around the time, I was in 9th grade at Westfield High School, I was selling mixtapes and releasing music online but given the fact, my friends and I were starting out I felt like it was a necessity that we had a website to release our material. This was during the golden age of the blog era where 2dopeboyz, Illroots, Hypebeast, Nahright and many others reigned supreme, and this eventually led to the birth of Modern Life. Later on, I stopped rapping and fully put my foot forward into Modern Life by focusing on content that other sites weren’t talking about as I was also getting ready to go college.
Throughout this time, I was just getting hip and reaching out to a lot of acts pretty early and interviewing them. These artists would include the likes of Kali Uchis, Robb Bank$, The Neighbourhood, OG Ron C, and many more. Doing this at 18 was pretty impressive but it just laid a good platform for me to use when I moved to New York City for college. After I graduated, I left North Houston and attended St. John’s University in New York City.
Making that transition was a great feat but it only inspired me to go after for what I really wanted, and that was really to set the tone for music journalists that were coming out of Houston. During my years in college, I ended interning and freelancing for the likes of VIBE Magazine, Complex, Free Press Houston, and The Chamber Group PR Firm. Throughout this time, I was still in college full time and still managing Modern Life Mag at a high level because the brand was only getting bigger with interviews, reviews, and recaps we covered in Texas, New York City, the Northeast, and Florida.
After I graduated from St. John’s University, I was going through a transitional phase where I couldn’t find any professional job at the time which ultimately led to me depending on Modern Life making income for me while working different odd jobs. But given the fact I had the time to write, I reached out and covered some of the most influential artists, A&Rs, executives, and influencers in the industry and this really gave Modern Life Mag credibility in many different ways. So much to the point that it gave me a unique opportunity to intern at the emerging Alamo Records shortly after their signing of Smokepurpp and Wifisfuneral.
This opportunity was nothing short of a blessing because it led to me doing Marketing and A&R work with the label but more specifically it gave me a chance to shine as a publicist for the lower tier artists on the label. Given the fact it wasn’t really anyone focusing on the lower acts as far as outreach and representation, it gave me the opportunity to work closely with the likes of Comethazine, Ghoulaveliii, Richy Samo, Kenny B, Yung Mal & Lil Quill of Gucci Mane’s 1017 Eskimo label, and more. My work with them started to give myself a name in the industry and allowed to extend my Public Relations portfolio on my own through Modern Life. Doing this gave light to not only the magazine but it gave the brand a new avenue to attack which was diving into it being an agency for creatives to have public relations and management opportunities.
After being at Alamo Records for almost about a year, I fully put my time and effort into Modern Life being a creative company that not only covers some of the freshest creatives but also gives them a home in regards of someone being in their corner for the advancement of their career. Doing this has allowed us to break records such as Krimelife Ca$$ and ABG Neal’s “Forrest Gump”, Comethazine’s “Piped Up”, Burger Man’s “Pocket Knife”, Emotional Xan’s “Pressure” and many more.
Modern Life is at a place where it’s a multi-source platform for creatives and I’m more than glad we’ve gotten to a point where we can do so much and help folks in multiple ways. From given college kids a chance to write and document content to artists really growing with us and having the ability to break really brings a smile to my face because I would’ve never thought it would get to this point honestly. The website was a blessing in disguise and really laid out a platform that extended beyond the boundaries of just getting into college with this. I just thank those who been in my corner throughout this whole time and really had a chance to grow with me in the process. For those who are just getting hip, let’s all grow with one another and make this world “Fye” one post at a time because at the end of the day “You Are What You Read.” – Gregory Harris
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would never say it was smooth because it’s still operating in the world of Journalism. If you’re a journalist in today’s time, if you’re not on staff at a big company, it’s certainly a hustle just to get paid properly while freelancing. So, it’s not really just about getting the job or making sure you get paid but it’s more so about how consistently can you get paid while still putting in a large effort into what you love to do, which for me was writing.
I felt like my early journeys of interning and freelancing certainly taught me a lot of dos and don’ts on how I treat people who work with me at Modern Life. Just want to establish a platform for them that I didn’t fully get with some of the moments of my professional career.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Modern Life Mag – what should we know?
To shorten the long-winded answer that was given prior to, I think Modern Life separates itself apart from other publications because we still give light not only to local talent in different areas but we also shed light on the same thing from a national/international scope.
This kind of thinking allows us to prosper in a unique way because it gives us leverage on who we think is up next and we’re normally right when it comes to that. I think it’s the fact that we like taking chances on individuals and allowing them to speak their piece. Giving folks a platform is mad important and I don’t want to limit that in any way because not everyone has the ability, awareness, or outlet to speak out on their ideas and beliefs. Giving someone the floor and the pulpit brings power and it inspires others to do the same.
I just want Modern Life to be a continuation of that for years to come.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The willingness to be open and be intrigued by different things. I think it’s not a lot of people who are willing to allow themselves to be themselves if that makes sense. It’s too many expectations in this world that we have to be instead of naturally being yourself.
In this time of instant gratification and likeliness, it’s a certain image that folks have to uphold in whatever lane they’re in and I honestly feel like that is too much of a job within itself. I understand you have to have your own image to separate yourself but that also comes along with being who you are. It’s only one version of yourself, so why not fully represent that in every possible way?
It’s having that 1 of 1 mentality and to fully embody that you have to be open to learn and know who you really are. I think having that mindset plays a lot into the ethos of Modern Life and whatever other venture I do, you have to be open in order to figure out your niche.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.themodernlifemag.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bygregharris
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ByGregHarris
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