My name is Justin Kickett. I grew up with two sisters in a middle class family. We hung out a lot because there weren't a lot of other kids in the area. We lived in a working class neighborhood in an older house. My parents were both working all the time, but advanced themselves through education. They sent us to the private school because in there opinion the public schools were to rough. Not sure if that was good or bad.
My parents provided supervision, but in my determination, I escaped a lot of it and hung out in many of the "wrong" places. I think I grew up fast for my age. Early on, I didn’t have many close friends, so I focused on my own success. I did well in school, at the beginning, but turning in homework and studying were difficult. Intellectually, I was very strong in the arts but disinterested in math and science. I let my ADHD sink my grades. Looking back, I’m sure I was quite stubborn, although I didn’t realize it at the time. Unfortunately, self-awareness wasn’t something I learned until many years later.
In high school, I chose to work part-time and spend very little time on the high school scene. I really had no desire to excel because I just wanted this chapter in my life to be over. Even though I graduated in the bottom half of my high school class, I scored so high on the ACT, (which was shocking due to my lack of motivation throughout high school) and did well enough at wrestling that I was awarded a four-year college scholarship. Living on campus, I was a small fish in a big pond like I felt in high school before, but this time I adapted well---for a while.
Because I was "so bright", I had skipped 4th grade and so I was only 17 when I went away to college. Being that young, the tempting social scene and my lack of motivation enticed me to spend a lot of my time playing video games, sleeping, and sneaking women up to the dorm room after hours. All of that caught up with me. After the first year, I was put on academic probation. I decided not to return and went to the community college instead. I also began working for a franchise restaurant and continued the trend of just getting by with dreams of making it big in the music business. I eventually completed more than enough college credits to earn an associate degree except I couldn't seem to complete the math requirement.
So, I gave up school for a while and focused on work and music. With the help of an associate at the restaurant, Ant Streets, I began my musical journey. He made beats and showed me how to record. I started my first studio in the bedroom in 2007 with one mic and one computer. I began to record myself and others. Despite a close and active family life as a kid, I was never one who saw myself with a family. I thought I did not want to be tied down by the constraints of a family but then I had my daughter in 2010 and agreed with her mom to split custody. I was still in the food service industry but after eight years of loyal service, the company filed bankruptcy and I was let go because I was one of the higher paid employees. Not long after that, my father passed away and I was left to take on the new challenge of grieving his loss. His death hit me hard. After the birth of my daughter, I was forced to move the studio from her bedroom into the larger basement.
In May of 2014, I launched MyCityMyMusic Internet Radio and the MyCityMyMusic.com website. I started with 1 radio show, and in 2016, now there are 7 radio shows each day of the week. I’m proud to say this new business along with full time father role suits me. I’m driven, not to do great things just for myself, but for my daughter as well. I am learning how to relate to her and encourage her to be the best she can be in whatever field she chooses. I know how to distinguish between wants and needs--- no matter how hard it is. Saying "no" to set limits for her is the best during her young years. I still feel like a kid, but I know when to buckle down and get to work when the time is right.
Despite never giving up on my own true potential, I’ve always held on to support from my family and a group of close friends who appreciate my music career. The world is before me, so it is up to me to make a difference and build my dream in life. I have always been writing and listening to music, but I am looking to go further. This is something I have always wanted to do. I just never knew how. The moment my daughter entered the world, I knew I had to work OverTime to make this dream come true.
