Today we’d like to introduce you to Ricky Ames.
Hi Ricky, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2019 I was 18 years old. It was an important time for me because I would have to choose how I was going to start out my adult life. Social and financial pressures told me to go one way. My heart told me to start a band. So I did. The band was formed online. And out of hundreds of people, we narrowed it down to three. And added one or two along the way. The result was Broadband, an Indie/alternative hip-hop boy band full of youth and inspired by countless artists who influenced us individually. Eventually, we all got an Airbnb and met up. We solidified our bond and passion for making art together. Within a year we had a house together in the Midwest in my hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. My idea that I had at the age of 18 had fully manifested its way into my life and shaped my life path entirely. Now, fast forward six years later and I am on the precipice of releasing my first album as a duo with HIJINX, who I met at one of our underground house shows several years back. Although I started the previous group, this new chapter of music feels more like me than anything else I’ve ever been a part of or released before. Without relying on so many other individuals provide ideas for these songs, I’m left doing a lot of heavy lifting, and that means I am sticking my neck out more as an artist and really having to figure out what I’m trying to say and how I want to say it. That’s what jazz cat is, and our new album ‘scat’, releasing July 25th, 2026 is my first real attempt at that.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
After living together in a house for several years, the band decided to move forward with a different name. MJJC. As we got older, and the reality of responsibilities crept in more and more, it became difficult to maintain what we had started together. Pressures took over and soured the situation. The honeymoon was over and hard decisions were made. We played our last ever show opening up for an artist we had collectively all loved and bonded over. It’s been two years since, and I am getting ready to play my first live show since then except for this time as a duo with my newfound creative partner/collaborator Jinx aka HIJINX
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a creative, I’ve had an interesting path. I started out on the drums at 12 years old. Three years later, I was starting to get into producing. Chords, beats and melodies. Trying to really make my own music for the first time. It was all so bad, but I loved it and was proud of it. When I started the band, my intention was to be a producer. But in better producers came along, I pivoted to vocals to justify my work in the group. The only thing was, I had no experience writing lyrics or recording vocals. I had an interest, but never seriously gave it a shot. The next 2 to 3 years were a crash course in how to be a more fully fledged artist. I learned so much from my brothers in Broadband and MJJC. Without them, I would not be capable of pretty much anything that I’m doing now today that I am proud of.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters to me most is being myself. There is pressure from so many angles that wants to tell me to try and fit in. Not make a lot of noise. Go unnoticed. But the heart wants me to be loud and proud and be exactly who I am. And that’s what I’ve chosen to do consistently throughout the years. And although it’s not without its troubles, for me, it has paid off. And I imagine if I keep doing this, it will continue to pay off in new ways. I cannot even see yet.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/rickywiththeglicky
