Soul Singer Jac Ross Says "It's Ok To Be Black"

Jac Ross is a soul singer with the voice of change we need. In recent months, as we have experienced turmoil in our community, Jac has used his voice to sing about the change that must happen for our culture to thrive. Jac’s voice is truly soul-stirring, his voice is powerful and his songs are thought-provoking. He has the kind of songs that can potentially shift a culture, perhaps a generation. He embodies the iconic voice of some of his predecessors and someday will join some of the greatest consciousness songs such as Marvin Gaye's What’s Going On?, Otis Redding's Change Is Gonna Come, Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit and James Brown's Fight The Power. Jac sings uplifting lyrics that advocate for cultural, social, and political issues. Let's see what Jac had to say.

Tell us about Jac Ross the man, the entertainer and the Black man.

Jac Ross the man is very easy-going and aims to try to make a positive impact in as many lives as possible. The entertainer in me is a more amplified version of me as a man; I enjoy using the stage in order to spread my message of hope. Jac Ross the Black man is proud of his heritage and is hopeful that better days will come for all Black people across the globe.  With everything going on in today's society from the pandemic to racism, how do you stay motivated?  How do you motivate others?

With everything going on today, I stay motivated by being creative, writing songs and praying. This combination keeps me stable and also allows me to put energy into motivating others. I use my musical gifts such as singing and playing keys and try to inspire people through songs every Monday and Thursday on my YouTube live shows.  Your 3 latest singles, how do you feel they are relevant to today's society?

My latest 3 singles are relevant to today’s society because they are addressing everything from societal issues to systemic racism. It’s Ok To Be Black and Questions are songs that have taken on a new context in the wake of what’s going on in our country.  I had written It’s Ok To Be Black for my daughter months ago because I wanted her to feel confident in who she is, and not let society control and dictate how she should feel about herself and her skin color.  Organically, the song has now grown into a social justice anthem, whether it was those marching in the BLM protests or advocating for equality with videos on TikTok.  

The song Questions tackles tough issues that often times we struggle with finding the answers to. The song forces us to take a look at ourselves and see what changes we as individuals need to make.

Saved is a song that became especially relevant during the pandemic. I really hoped that the song uplifted people and let them know that we are going to get through this time. I like to say I perform ‘music of truth’ so I strive to create songs that make people think and feel.

What has 2020 taught you about yourself? How do you plan to express that in your work? 2020 has taught me to continue to trust what’s inside me.  It’s taught me to be bold and speak loudly about what I believe in, and to be the change I want to see in the world.  Lastly, it’s taught me that no matter how bad things get, I can still be a light in all the darkness. 

When it comes to being creative, what is the most exciting part for you? The most exciting part of my creativity is going on stage and giving the world every bit of my heart, mind, body, and soul. There isn’t a better feeling than seeing fans react so positively and graciously to the work that you’ve made from thin air.

Listen to It's OK To Be Black below.