Shaolin Jazz co-founder DJ 2-Tone Jones—one half of the duo behind the genre-bending brand—returns to reflect on growth, alignment, and his continued love for blending film and music through Can I Kick It?

• Finding purpose through Shaolin Jazz: how re-scoring films with hip-hop and jazz gave his DJ career renewed meaning
• Can I Kick It?: building a national, live-scoring experience that fuses cult classic cinema with original DJ sets
• Mastering live scoring: learning to let films “breathe” and why restraint can elevate storytelling
• Creative partnerships that last: why the right venue, audience, and mission fit matter more than numbers
• Lessons from 160+ screenings: evolving from DIY setups to long-term residencies and curatorial refinement
• Niche as power: how a focused creative identity built deeper impact, loyalty, and community across cities

Check out Shaolin Jazz's and DJ 2-Tone Jones’ first appearance on the podcast — recorded in 2020 — here.

Join DJ 2-Tone Jones this Saturday at Creative Alliance for Can I Kick It?, featuring Monkey Man—an adrenaline-fueled Indian revenge thriller re-scored live with hip-hop, soul, and cinematic beats. 🎧🎥
Doors at 7PM, film starts at 7:30. Grab your tickets now: creativealliance.org/event/can-i-kick-it-monkey-man

This episode was recorded during a season dedicated to creative growth, transformation, and honoring the foundations that helped build Baltimore’s culture.

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:

• Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
• Edited by Daniel Alexis
• Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor

Photos:

• Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
• Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.

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