 Joe Ryan III's music took root in Flint, when the then-8 year old first raised the roof and spirits playing gospel on the organ, drums and piano at his father's north side Baptist church.
"It was very lively," said Ryan's grandmother, Odessa Houston, 81, of Flint. "It was a God-given gift. He never had music lessons."
Ryan has come a long way since then. Now 23 and performing under the stage name J RillA, the rap and hip-hop artist recently beat out 500 entrants in a radio station contest for a chance to perform at Milwaukee's Summerfest, the world's largest music festival, which runs for 11 days with live acts on 11 stages.
J RillA will be the first musician to win a spot on a Summerfest stage through an "American Idol"-style popularity contest.
"It's not easy to score a gig at Summerfest," said Brett Andrews, a disc jockey at 103.7 KISS FM, Milwaukee's No. 1 music station and sponsor of the contest. "I know performers who have been trying for years to score a spot."
The 2009 Summerfest, which runs from June 25 to July 5, features many successful mainstream artists, including Bon Jovi, Keith Urban and The Fray. Ryan hopes his appearance will help him join their ranks.
"It definitely has boosted my career," said Ryan, who won the radio competition with his original song, "She Fly." The song survived three rounds of competition that drew up to 3,000 listener votes per round. He then went head-to-head with five finalists to win the contest.
"She Fly" can be heard on Ryan's my space page (www.myspace.com/iamjrilla) along with his even more popular track, "No Longer Mine," which has had more than 5,685 hits.
"It's my fave," one of his fans wrote.
Ryan's older sister and manager, Pasha Chaney, 28, of Swartz Creek said the mournful "No Longer Mine," sprang from the recent breakup of Ryan's marriage.
"He's not afraid to put his emotions out there," said Chaney, whose own interest in music has been a lifelong influence on Ryan.
Ryan is now working on his first major album and also hopes to perform in Flint some time this year.
"That's where it all started," he said in a telephone interview from Sheboygan, Wisc., where he now lives. "A huge part of my family still lives in Flint. I still remember where I came from."
As a fifth-grader, Ryan won a lyrical competition at Atwood Stadium, beating out about 60 contestants. He laughed recalling the song, which he described as a bit of a nursery rhyme with poor grammar: "We've got to devour the power of education so you and your homies don't wind up on probation."
Ryan, who avoids the vulgar and violent lyrics of many rap artists, said he has always used his music to send positive messages.
"My music is very clean. I don't swear or use anything negative," he said. "In Flint, I felt like the youth needed something positive."
Growing up in a predominantly black neighborhood in Flint, he and his family moved to an affluent white suburb of Detroit when he was a teen. It broadened his view of the world, he said.
"It was culture shock," he said. "But I got the best of both worlds. It really opened up new opportunities."
The talent that took root in a tough environment started to blossom in a world of privilege. After his family moved to Madison Heights when Ryan was a high school freshman, he heard the CD of a student at his high school. Ryan, who had shifted his focus toward basketball after showing promise in the sport, started writing songs again, then asked the student to record him. They produced a CD that sold 211 copies at $10 each.
Ryan continued playing basketball and in 2003 won a spot on the Junior National Olympic All-State/All-American Basketball team from Michigan. He eventually landed a partial scholarship to play at Tiffin University, but left at the end of his first semester to spend more time on his music.
"I dropped out of college to follow my heart," he said. "But I still stress the importance of education."
Ryan regularly speaks at high schools and teaches music to underprivileged youths on a volunteer basis to get that message out.
After leaving college, Ryan launched BedRoc Records with his sister. All of his music is written, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by the self-taught musician. Ryan also has his own independent record label, BedRoc Productions, which he sid will release his first major album, "Past Due Notice," by June.
The album, he said, reflects the inside story of his struggles and triumphs in life, which include his painful divorce and custody battle.
After his wife left him last year, Ryan said he quit his job to take care of his twin sons, now 2. When she came back, then moved with the twins to Wisconsin, Ryan sold his home and most of his belongings in order to relocate near his children. He even went door-to-door selling his CDs for $1 apiece.
"Nothing was going to stop me from seeing my kids," he said. "I didn't come from a broken home. Family structure is very important to me."
Unable to find a job, he lived in his car for several months, often went without food and eventually got help from the Salvation Army in Sheboygan, where he now holds two jobs and devotes his weekends to his music.
"Last year was very rough," he said. "This year, things turned around."
Relying on faith and focusing on what's good in life is at the heart of his message to youths who are still struggling in Flint.
"By keeping my music positive, I'm giving Flint a viewpoint that you can make something out of nothing," he said.
Chaney, who regularly interviews and writes about big names in the music industry for her online "Lounge Report," believes big things are in store for her brother.
"I don't see him going anywere but up," she said. "He has amazing talent. He writes. He produces. He mixes. He masters. Most people can only do one of those things. He's a quadruple threat."
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