“I really knew that I could do something with it when I started making money with it,” Jason Phillips shares in this rich Detroit is Different conversation, opening up about how artistry became both his balance and his pathway to opportunity. Rooted in four generations of Detroit family history and shaped by the West Side around Myers and Joy Road, Jason reflects on childhood memories of bike rides, neighborhood parks, Dairy Queen runs, and the kind of community life that formed his imagination. He talks about growing up in a home where creativity was always present, then realizing his gift was different when his talent in art began earning him recognition and cash in high school competitions. That same passion has now expanded across painting, mixed media, murals, tattoos, and the building of Detroit Ink Spot on West McNichols as a living gallery of his vision. With lines like “I’ve been here just about my whole life” and “I could push the envelope,” Jason’s story connects the legacy of old Detroit neighborhoods to the future of Black creative enterprise, showing how art can be both personal healing and community-building power.

Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher.

Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com

Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“Detroit has definitely created its own ecosystem for the film world,” and in this Detroit is Different conversation, Return Mark “MJ the Don” Jackson brings that truth to life with the sharp vision, humor, and hard-earned wisdom of a creator growing into his next chapter. Revisiting the podcast to build beyond earlier talks centered on music, MJ opens up about writing scripts with Comedian CP, developing new tools for film writers, and navigating Detroit’s rising independent film scene with both caution and confidence. “You want what’s in your brain to magically pop up on the screen,” he says, capturing the challenge every visionary faces when turning ideas into real work. From stories of pitching projects, learning the business, and seeing CP’s journey unfold, to reflecting on patience, growth, and the responsibilities of raising daughters, MJ offers more than creative insight—he shares a deeper testimony of maturation. This episode connects Detroit’s long tradition of self-made artistry to a future where Black creatives build their own systems, platforms, and legacy. It matters for community because MJ’s story speaks to how wisdom, collaboration, and faith in your gifts can shape not just content, but culture itself.

Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher.

Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com

Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

“Detroit has always been a magical city, always been a place of love and a place that welcomes,” says returning guest Ber-Henda Williams, and that spirit carries this powerful Detroit is Different conversation into the heart of the upcoming Modern Day High Priestess Book Signing Detroit, happening Monday, April 27, 2026, from 6pm–8pm at Teen HYPE. Ber-Henda shares how she is one of the lead organizers, authors, and artists connected to the internationally bestselling anthology The Modern Day High Priestess, a truth-telling project rooted in women moving through “their own dark nights of the soul” and finding healing, purpose, and power on the other side. With voices and presence connected to Carina Jackson, Tiara Boyd, Jennifer Seafrit, Trish Meekins, and Lauren Dickinson, this episode explores the leadership of Black Women, caregiving, mother wounds, community healing, and why Black women remain central to cultural transformation. When Ber-Henda says, “we’re chronicling our stories,” she speaks to both Detroit’s legacy and its future: women brave enough to tell the truth, break generational cycles, honor spirit, and build intentional community in real time at Teen HYPE, one of Detroit’s sacred spaces for youth, love, and possibility.

Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher.

Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com

Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co