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Double Shift: The Rapper and Poet Impacting Young Lives Through His Day Job

While this newsletter often speaks to visual artists, I know many of you are also musicians, poets, and performers of various kinds. So, in this edition of Double Shift — the conversation series with artists who balance their studio practice alongside other forms of work — I’m spotlighting an artist whose practice spans music, poetry, and spoken word. For those of you that are new here, Double Shift aims to shine a light on the not-so-linear reality of navigating life and earning a living as a professional creative beyond the studio. There is no single way to make money as an artist. Whether your studio practice is full-time, part-time, seasonal or collaborative, every version holds value.

For the second edition of Double Shift, I had the pleasure of chatting with one of my favourite collaborators — Jourdan Blair, better known by his artistic moniker, Jah Digga. Based in Nottingham (UK), Jah Digga is a rapper, poet, and mentor with over 15 years’ experience in the music industry. His work is deeply personal and rooted in real-life experiences, delivered in a voice that is raw, reflective, and powerfully relatable. Whether he’s tackling the cost of living greed crisis in his track Expensive, reminiscing about time spent at Grandma’s Place, or offering unflinching honesty about his struggles in Addictions, Jah Digga’s music speaks to real life. The music video for Addictions alone has drawn over 2 million views on Instagram since its release last month, which is a clear sign of how widely his message resonates through his art.

Over the years, Jah Digga has collaborated with a wide range of artists — from fellow hometown talents like Jake Bugg and Bru-C to grime pioneer Ghetts and rapper Big Narstie. Firmly rooted in his local community, he has dedicated much of his life to mentoring and inspiring young people through music education and creative expression. He’s also the founder of Poets Off the Endz, a poetry and spoken word collective that hosts events and activations both in person and online.

In addition to his own creative practice, Jah Digga works as a mentor and life coach across various community settings — including mainstream schools, alternative provision institutions, prisons, and youth clubs. He currently holds a salaried position as a youth worker at Community Recording Studios (CRS), a Nottingham-based youth club and charity proudly supported by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

In our conversation, he reflected on his journey into music, his evolution into spoken word, and how mentoring young people has become central to his mission. We also discussed the pressures artists face around income and legitimacy, the instability of freelance creative work, and the importance of holding onto the “why” behind the art. He also shared how his working week is structured, and how gym sessions fuel his energy and focus. He shares his dreams of international touring and expanding his artistic reach, but with the caveat that community must always remain a part of his work.

Many thanks to Jourdan for taking the time to chat! Listen to the conversation below. I would love to hear your feedback on the conversation so do comment or get in touch by email to let me know your thoughts!

Jah Digga on Instagram

Jah Digga on Youtube  

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