Take a moment to imagine the last time you felt free; like you’re on top of the world with people like you with no worries in mind. The better you can imagine that place, the closer you’d be to understanding what it’s like at one of Modd’s events. Mega Modd (a.k.a. ModEst) is a NYC native artist with a plethora of artistic practices and skills under his belt. He’s had his hand in everything from writing to music producing to painting and drawing; even clothing design and sound engineering have found their way into is life. The great thing about Modd’s versatility, and what I believe lives at the center of who he is as an artist, is that it’s ever expansive. He has this genuine, undeniable craving for learning new art styles and letting himself be inspired by them, partly motivated by the fear of stagnation which almost all artists struggle with on a daily basis. He utilizes his repertoire of skills to spread joy and positivity to his community, showing his audience love and strength through vulnerability and transparency. Getting to know Modd, both through studying his works and this interview (that I wish was longer), has been a really eye-opening experience that’s reminded me of the power of being yourself and creating solely because you want to create and not because of the expectations of others. Modd has been pushing himself further and further as an artist, breaking through his own creative limits to see how far he can get with the talent he’s cultivated over an extensive career.

​

                Modd’s creative life began before he could even take his first breath. His mother, a retired professional singer, would instill the curiosity in young Modd to try his hand at music. It was something that made him feel happy, something that strengthened the bond between him and his mother. Soon, he would pick up learning the guitar, spending endless hours perfecting each chord and riff until his fingertips burned and blistered. However, the catalyst that started the journey was writing his first song: a love song to a girl he liked. It’s a classic story, but the simplicity of it is important. Modd poured himself into this song and, once it was done, something changed for him. He had the assurance that this was possible; that this dream of living through art and music could be a reality for him. He then spent years writing music, going from one genre to the next. He spent some time making rock singles, despite the lack of acceptance from both the white community who predominantly listened to rock in the early 2000’s and the black community who had forgotten where rock’s roots existed. He then dipped his hands into other genres such as soul, R&B, and alternative rap, perfecting his personal style along the way. To him, it was about the happiness that the art brought him. He created for his own sake and not for the gratification of others and that’s a quality I’ve come to respect about him and his journey. Modd now spends his days rediscovering his visual arts side through drawing and canvas painting while putting out song after dope song on his streaming platforms.

​

                I asked Modd what he had to say to other artists, and he said that we should “be open to criticism”. A lot of creatives, myself included, tend to forget the value that constructive opinions can have while we drown in our own thoughts. It’s important to take the time to listen to what the world around us can offer so that we don’t miss out on the growth we seek. He also brought up an important note on introspection regarding criticism. When you’re hearing out the advice of the crowd, look into yourself and decide if this advice/criticism is valuable to you. Is this the path you want to take? Will this get you where you want to go or where they want you to go? At the end of the day “there’ll always be someone who doesn’t like what you’re doing” and it’s better to “have strong feelings than no feelings” (according to the artist himself)! Check out Mega Modd on all streaming platforms, follow his IG below, and keep an eye out for the many videos, singles, and events he has on the way. I promise you won’t want to miss a second.

​

​

​

​

​

​

photo by Cameron Keon Sykes