Jorma Starratt grew up in Athens, GA, spending his early years immersed in the vibrant music scene at the legendary 40 Watt Club by the age of 10. His father, Ken Starratt, was a member of the iconic band The Squalls. It was through these experiences Jorma was on the cusp of something truly groundbreaking. Athens was producing bands such as R.E.M, The B'52's, Pylon, Elf Power, Of Montreal, Five Eight, Wide Spread Panic, Drive by Truckers and so many more. Once he finished high school, it was inevitable he would take his upbringing straight into the music scene He put together the band Prozak, which became very popular and reached impressive heights. Unfortunately, some of the band members chose different paths, and the band eventually dissolved.
As the old adage says, when one door closes, one door opens. Into that door comes an exciting new direction for Jorma. Flag pole writes, "In the early aughts, outsiders viewed the Classic City as the home of redneck rap, thanks to Bubba Sparxxx scoring a 2001 MTV hit with “Ugly.” In 2003, Herb and Skills set the record straight. Under the direction of producers Jorma Starratt and Hano Leathers, rappers Bird, Ishues, Jawz of Life, Fort Knox and more laid down stone-cold classics with a Wu-Tang sword style. For proof, look no further than Ishues’ razor-sharp verses on “The Saga Continues.” It’s forgotten history now, but press play on Spotify and the lyrical depth, full-bodied production and cinematic samples weave together a disarmingly profound time capsule from a sophisticated era of Southern hip hop.
Jorma talks to me about these exciting days, going out to L.A. and how he wishes he could go back to some of those times again. Who knows......maybe he will. Here is my conversation with Jorma Starratt.
Show AthCastMusic (©): The Music of Athens Georgia, Now and Then.
A Child of the Squall: Jorma Starratt
Length: 45:28
PUBLISHED: March 6, 2025
The Singles series is spontaneously published.
Engineer: Kayla Dover
UGA School of Music Business Program
Recorded at Tweed Recording Audio Production School
info@tweedrecording,com
CONTACT FOR ATHCASTMUSIC:
instagram: AthCastMusic
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550294283019
Prozak YouTube Channel: @prozak96
Ishues YouTube Channel: @ishues
Herbs and Skills YouTube Channel: @herbsandskills
