He earned industry cred alongside Ariana Grande; now Jo Blaq wants to share the music with emerging KC artists

Joseph Macklin forged a successful music career through trial and error, he said, but that doesn’t mean the next generation should be forced to endure those same challenges just to feel like they earned credibility.

The multi-platinum, Grammy award-nominated music producer, songwriter, engineer, and vocal arranger — known as Jo Blaq — is on a mission to make it easier for Kansas City creatives to hit the right note as they break into a highly competitive and daunting industry, he said.

West Coast artists shouldn’t be the only ones with an advantage, Macklin explained.

The DistrKCt Multimedia studio in Kansas City’s Crossroads; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

“Kids who are growing up in Wyandotte County and the Kansas City metro area often don’t even get an opportunity to explore an occupation in the arts field — in music or in acting or whatever it is,” he said. “We need to give them opportunities to be a part of the same conversation as the thousands of kids in Los Angeles who could go to any acting school or any recording studio and learn.”

After moving back from Los Angeles to Kansas City in 2016, the KCK native opened his own recording studio — DistrKCt Multimedia — where he teaches an audio engineering program for high school students through his nonprofit — DistrKCt IS Foundation — on top of supporting local artists.

His parents taught him the importance of not forgetting the community that raised him, said Macklin, who has worked with such artists as Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, and Diana Ross.

Click here to learn more about the DistrKCt IS Foundation.

“That has always been my thing — wanting to give back Kansas City because I’m a product of here,” he continued. “The resources weren’t there for me. I hear people complain about the resources. So I’m like, ‘I’m not going to complain about it, I’m going to add to this and bring resources here for the younger kids.’”

Students learn the ins and outs of working in a recording studio at DistrKCt Multimedia, Macklin said, noting their work involves everything from setting up microphones to mixing and mastering vocals. They also can earn a certification in Pro-Tools recording software, as well as college credits, plus learn about content creation, video editing, photography, and gaming. 

“We’re just opening up the doors,” Macklin said. “We understand that not everyone’s gonna be able to go to college, not everybody’s gonna want to be a nurse, not everybody’s gonna go to welding school. But there are a lot of kids that we know are passionate about the arts, whether that be painting or whether that be music production.”

Joseph Macklin, DistrKCt IS Foundation, at the DistrKCt Multimedia studio in Kansas City’s Crossroads; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Macklin plans to serve about 60 students this year, up from 25 in 2023, he said. He previously worked with students from DeLaSalle High School — through its Block37 initiative — and the North Kansas City and Liberty School Districts. In the three years that he’s partnered with DeLaSalle, they’ve seen attendance rates improve among the students in the audio engineering program.

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“We’ve seen a shift,” Macklin said. “Just giving them something that they’re passionate about really keeps them engaged — not just for the time that they’re in my class — but it gives them an incentive to say, ‘Hey, listen, I can’t come here unless I do this work.’”

The DistrKCt recording studio is the basement of the former Kansas City Star printing press building; now that the Kansas City Royals seemingly have moved on from the East Crossroads in their stadium site search, Macklin said, he is working on a studio expansion to provide more programming space for the students.

“That was a big hurdle,” he added of the possibility of losing his studio space to the proposed Royals stadium.

The DistrKCt Multimedia studio in Kansas City’s Crossroads; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Capitalizing on connections

Growing up in Kansas City, Kansas, and attending Washington High School, music was always a part of Macklin’s life, he said.

“I was a preacher’s kid,” Macklin explained. “My mom plays the piano and sings and my dad sings and everybody in my family does.”

But basketball was his first career choice, he said. After playing overseas for a few years, his friends encouraged him to pursue a career in the music industry.

“You’re really good at it,” Macklin recalled his friends telling him.

In 2008, he signed his first publishing deal with BMG and moved to Los Angeles in 2010. Things really took off in 2012 when a mutual friend brought him to a recording session with Ariana Grande, which led to him working as a producer on her first two albums. 

“It opened up a lot of doors,” he noted. “From there, I worked with Justin Bieber, Jill Scott, Chris Brown, Selena Gomez, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West. I was able to capitalize from that success for Ariana to open up a lot of doors for where I’m at now.”

In 2015, he was nominated for a Best Pop Vocal Grammy for his vocal production work on Grande’s “My Everything” album and he was nominated for two Grammys in 2016 for the vocal production on Scott’s “Woman” album and Tim Bowman’s “Listen” album.

Sharpening his craft

When his father’s health started to decline that same year, Macklin shared, he knew he wanted to spend more time at home in Kansas City. He returned in 2016, launching the DistrKCt to inspire local musicians and the next generation of audio engineers.

“That’s where my heart is,” Macklin said.

His record label now features six local artists — YGKC, DWalk, Sweets, Flutienastiness, Kim Keyz, and Love, Mae C. — and Macklin said they all deserve the opportunity to shine like Ariana Grande or Justin Bieber.

“They’re just as talented,” he continued. So just to open up that door and just use the resources that I have to do that, it’s been my life mission anyway.”

Macklin also hosts open mic nights on Thursdays at Parlor KC for aspiring artists and himself.

“For me, it’s practice,” he explained. “I’ve been getting into the hosting, but I need to sharpen my craft, too. I show the artists that this is your opportunity to sharpen up your craft, get in front of some people, perform your songs, and help manage your nervousness.”

Macklin loves how diverse and collaborative the music scene is in Kansas City, he said.

“Kansas City is one of the most amazing places and beautiful places in the world and I think we get looked over at times,” Macklin added. “We have some of the most amazing talent in the world. I think it’s our time, especially right now, to see these artists thrive and shine and see them on the big stage.”