Jooselord is channeling his pain into purpose with the inaugural All Onyx World Music Festival, a free celebration coming to Durham on October 30 that’ll bring together 33 North Carolina artists across seven venues to support families battling childhood illness.
According to ABC11, seven months after his 5-year-old son Onyx lost his battle with brain cancer, the Durham rapper created the festival as a tribute to his memory while raising awareness for Onyx Is Hope, the nonprofit he founded to help families navigating serious medical journeys.
“It’s been worse the past month,” Jooselord said of the grief that’s followed his son’s death. “It’s just been my constant realization that he’s not here. I just can’t move some days; it’s so heavy.”
The community rallied around Onyx and his family when the young boy was first diagnosed, and that outpouring of support became the blueprint for what Jooselord wanted to build.
“A lot of the stuff that happened to me happened because people stepped up and people came to help me,” he explained. “All I want to do is deliver what was delivered to me, a way to get through.”
Venue owners across Durham embraced the concept immediately, each asking how they could help make the festival happen.
The lineup includes Pierce Freelon, Rueben Vincent, Cyanca, and G Yamazama, with Jooselord also performing.
For Jooselord, performing is where he finds relief from the weight he’s carrying.
Jooselord’s vision extends beyond a single event. He wants All Onyx World to become an annual festival that grows each year while continuing to support families confronting childhood illness.
“Everything that I do with music will have his name on it, because that’s my legacy,” Jooselord said. “All I have left is this. We’re going to give you hope in this time.”
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