Entertainment

Why a former New York lawyer moved to the Black mecca for music

Like many before her, singer Danielle Ponder is hoping Atlanta can help her reach her dreams.
Danielle Ponder poses for a photo in her home studio in Stone Mountain on June 6, 2025. The singer quit her job as a public defender in Rochester, New York, to pursue a music career in Atlanta. (Natrice Miller/AJC)
Danielle Ponder poses for a photo in her home studio in Stone Mountain on June 6, 2025. The singer quit her job as a public defender in Rochester, New York, to pursue a music career in Atlanta. (Natrice Miller/AJC)
5 hours ago

Danielle Ponder remembers the day she quit her job. It was 2021, and the Rochester, New York, attorney had paused her weekend to hop on a Zoom call with Q-Tip.

For nearly a decade, she’d juggled both a law and a music career — taking criminal cases by day and stages by night.

tsuj“ tI“ saw eht ehs no ekil ”,efil enasni ”.og yltnatsnoc na ,stimda

— — htiw d’ohw saw pu gninrut eht eht tes reppar .tniop dessap cisum gniteem yradnegel reh yb gnola a a JD tuB

tI“ eH“ saw ot ot ot ot sgniht eht taht kcits gnihtemos os os ehs ”,yas .srebmemer ytterp gnihton .tnemom .em ynam tsuj si gniripsni ”.neppah dah gniog .rof tlef tnedifnoc raelc emaceb dnuora sihT s’erehT I

etaL“ ,raey ,raey htiw saw ot noisivelet gnignis dengis d’ehs ehs .thgir drocer gnilleporp ecnamrofrep edistuo no fo fo edam edam gnivael ,pael tsal lebal tsuj ni sepoh nwotemoh reh reh reh .neppah .rehtruf rof neve did tubed reerac rehtona dna a nihtiW enotS gnihtemoS ehS hteS thgiN ,niatnuoM ”.sreyeM erutuF cissalC ,atnaltA dnA

ev’I“ erehw saw ot ot eht eht eht taht taht dednuorrus secaps luos gnihtemos .regnis syas yllaer detneserp .nosrep ytinutroppo ylno fo ,em em tol ni ni ”,ereh rof werd ,erutluc yb tub neeb eb eb stra dna dna na osla a B;pma&R m’I kcalB kcalB atnaltA dnA

Danielle Ponder holds a vinyl copy of her first album at her home in Stone Mountain on June 6, 2025. The singer quit her job as a public defender in Rochester, New York, to pursue a music career in Atlanta. (Natrice Miller/AJC)
Danielle Ponder holds a vinyl copy of her first album at her home in Stone Mountain on June 6, 2025. The singer quit her job as a public defender in Rochester, New York, to pursue a music career in Atlanta. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

— ev’ohw hcihw seunev ot ot eht eht eht naht tnelat soiduts citsitats ,secaps wels troper lasraeher gnidrocer ecnamrofrep rep steltuo ,snoitazinagro .ytinutroppo .enilno no fo fo rebmun cisum erom detargim tengam gnol nwonk si ,noitavonni tsehgih sah sah sah sleuf rof ytivitaerc ytivitaerc .sevitaerc evitaerc s’yrtnuoc sseltnuoc atipac deggarb neeb sa stsitra dna dna dna dna dna gnoma tuoba a a a a htiW ,rednoP royaM snekciD atnaltA atnaltA erdnA gnidroccA ,LTA ,34 2202 031

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The foundation

uoy saw eht eht eht taht tes enecs drocer denepo eciffo cisum aidem rojam maertsniam gnol lacol slebal lebal ti otni eidni gnidulcni ni .ereh depleh dah .noitadnuof reve ,seinapmoc tlupatac gnizzub erofeb neeb ksa stsitra dna dna na a ,X elihW oS oS sdroceR ecaFaL fI ,feD JD giB s’atnaltA atnaltA ,s0991

uoY“ nehW“ uoy uoy eht ”,taht taht ”.tnelat trats .dias hcir ni ni yrotsih eh sah deneppah gnihtyreve tidercsid tidercsid ytic erofeb neeb ta syawla ehT .S.O.S obaeP s’rehtoM ,ecaFaL ,tseniF .oemaC ,nosyrB ,dnaB atnaltA

dekrow s’ohw erehw erew detnaw ot ot ot eht eht eht neet tnelat ,sregnis ees srebmemer sreppar recudorp ,ytilanosrep secnamrofrep netfo snaicisum .evom aidem ,reganam evil gninetsil ekil tsetal ,dik ni ni fi raeh eh eh morf morf gnigreme deyajeed gnitaerc sbulc sa sa dna dna dna dna a a ,X OGIW KOAW s’naryhS ,esacwohS kcalB giB .atnaltA dnA s0891 s0791

Xavier "DJ Big X" Hargrove shown at New Music Mondays at Stankonia Studios on June 2, 2025. The weekly event allows local and emerging artists to perform and receive feedback about their music from DJs. (Natrice Miller/AJC)
Xavier "DJ Big X" Hargrove shown at New Music Mondays at Stankonia Studios on June 2, 2025. The weekly event allows local and emerging artists to perform and receive feedback about their music from DJs. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

,s09’ saw gnimoc-dna-pu pu esoht eht eht dednuorrus ,regnis srebmemer reppar par recudorp rehto nepo netfo cisum .scim ni werg sevitucexe .syad gnitepmoc yb selttab ,tsissab ta .stsitra dna dna dna dna ehS xxoR nI wolleF ytiniviD natnaltA s0891

I“ dnA“ uoy now ohw erew keew t’nsaw siht eht tnelat dengis ”,wohs ehs .srebmemer drocer par gninepo gnol wonk reh dah puorg rof did laed ?erofeb erofeb dna dna dna a ”.rehsU rehsU ehT luoS xxoR .stooR aL tI eD

htiw ot sevlesmeht evitroppus ,sevitan snaicisum ynam dednim-ekil suoitcefni sah yleerf rof sserpxe tnemnorivne .sevitaerc detaerc tcennoc dna dna a roF kcalB atnaltA

atnaltA“ saw ”,taht .dias no tliub syawla X giB

ExploreHow exactly did Atlanta become the nation’s rap capital?

From law to lyrics

tub“ atnaltA“ t’nsaw saw saw eht ,tops ehs raluces .syas .dias noitatuper ”,radar gniyalp s’rotsap ruo no ,on-on ym cisum cisum ,dik ni ”,esuoh toh larutluc s’ytic sa syawla a a a rednoP etipseD sA

dehctaw saw saw emit eht eht eht eht eht eht ,reganeet htxis regnis gnis ,sgnilbis ehs ehs neves yalp onaip fo fo cisum dael ni .reh reh rehtaf ylimaf ,hcruhc gub tib .dnab dna dna a ,yadnuS ,rednoP yrevE yB

”gnitatsaved“ sraey nehw saw ot sekirts-eerht yeht decnetnes gnibbor ,nosirp fo ,wal ni reh dah rof ecneirepxe rehtorb esuaceb .rab a a s’kroY ,nehT weN 02

gnieeS“ tI“ ,uoy nehw gnihctaw saw saw saw emit hguoht kniht kniht er’yeht er’yeht yeht taht llet nekat llits gnihtemos enoemos enoemos os .gnikcohs ehs .dias yllaer ,elpoep ,won .redrum hcum ”.gnivil ekil ekil tsuj ti ti si teg morf neve ”,suoigerge deirub eb tsomla .evila a yehT s’tI I nevE

htiw erew ot ot os ehs ehs ehs loohcs .syas cilbup ,ronim ynam deganam ekil wal deripsni tnedicni ni ni .sreh thgif seilimaf llorne ,rednefed ,yad dluoc sesac sa sa gnidrocca a a ehT rednoP tsoM .NNC sA 05 8002

I“ I“ sraey .krow ohw erew saw saw detnaw deirt ot ot ot yeht rieht eht ”,taht dneps ehs ecivres tneserper .sllacer ylno no .dlo ton thgin ym wenk liaj ni fi eh gnivah dah dah rof rof enoyreve od tcerid tneilc ”.rehtorb ,ekib lleb sa detserra dna a a I I eH 61

Danielle Ponder plays the guitar in her home studio in Stone Mountain on June 6, 2025. The singer quit her job as a public defender in Rochester, New York, to pursue a music career in Atlanta. (Natrice Miller/AJC)
Danielle Ponder plays the guitar in her home studio in Stone Mountain on June 6, 2025. The singer quit her job as a public defender in Rochester, New York, to pursue a music career in Atlanta. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

krow keew gnivaew owt koot ot ot emit emit tuohguorht eht eht metsys seirots deppots etats semitemos ,gnignis ehs ,eludehcs efil-laer yalp mrofrep diap .saesrevo ro netfo ,ffo fo reven .sciryl gnivael ecitsuj otni ni reh gnileurg sgig lluf rof neve lanimirc deunitnoc gnikoob ,sdnab ta dna egatnavda tuoba a a a ehS ehS .eporuE etipseD

nehw .detcennoc-llew saw deirt ot ot ot ot emit eht eht eht eht ,renoos ehs ehs denruter ecnamrofrep ,seitinutroppo cisum erom teem edam llul nwodkcol evael .wal ti .yrtsudni ni reh reh sevitucexe desaerced moortruoc tub dniheb stsitra dna dna dedroffa lanoitidda oS ,piT-Q rednoP ,ylikcuL 91-DIVOC

ot eht noitacoler gnizilaer cisum retal reh reh rehtruf dewollof dluoc .reerac srehtorb ehS ,atnaltA

yM“ atnaltA‘ ’uoy lliw saw detnaw ot kniht troppus ,dias eceip elpoep fo devom ,ti ereh ylimaf nwod erutluc ”.deretnec tub srehtorb gib gnieb eb dna osla a yM I I ...

Moving on

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I“ atnaltA“ revetahw ”.detnaw ot ot ot eht ”,gnilfits detrats syas dedeen yllacisum gnidneb-erneg eerf leef etaerc eb .tsitra I

sraey dlrow htiw suoirav emit-owt gniruot ot eht eht detrats ehs .syas denruter .ecalp tuo ylno fo fo won naicisum ekil buh emoh ,poh-pih nevah dah staerg smrof rof rof rof tlef ytivitaerc tub neeb emoceb dna a a netooW tahW rotciV detanimon-ymmarG ,écnoyeB retfA

dnA“ s’ohw saw dias evol devil ni .poh-pih ,poh-pih poh-pih ”,esrevid tub ma osla ,xxoR soL I I .selegnA

Divinity Roxx turned down an offer to join the Dungeon Family early in her career. "I didn't know these new cats. If I could see into the future, I would've jumped in with them," she said. (Courtesy of Ogata Photo)

Credit: Ogata Photo

Divinity Roxx turned down an offer to join the Dungeon Family early in her career. "I didn't know these new cats. If I could see into the future, I would've jumped in with them," she said. (Courtesy of Ogata Photo)

hcihw ot eht eht eht eht tfihs yllaitrap srehto fo fo dehcnual ni tixe ?degnahc sreerac setubirtta dna tahW inoT ,CLT ehS ,sdroceR ,tsaktuO ecaFaL notxarB .s0991

nehW“ saw pu ot yeht eht thgiarts detrats dengis ehs .dias par ,tnenimorp ”,decalp fo ton cisum cisum erom ,tfel tsuj poh-pih gnitteg noisuf yllaicremmoc emoceb dna dna dna lla

elihw erew syaw gniruot pot ot eht eht gniyats delaes ,gnihsilbup yliramirp .llarevo ylno eno fo on cisum gnitekram ekam regnol gnivil erutcurtsarfni ni ni ni ni rof rof ,tcaf sevitucexe ,noitubirtsid erutraped gnittuc snoitaroballoc .ytic skcehc dnarb emaceb stsitra dna dna detceffa a kroY htiW weN soL s’ecaFaL nI slaeD s’atnaltA ,atnaltA .selegnA 0002

sevitaerC“ klaw ot ot eht teerts syas ”,boj og teg nwod t’nac dna a lasrevinU .orbeD etseleC

yteirav ot ot eht tnelat tnelat rosivrepus cigetarts s’ehs nees snoitisop fo cisum devom reganam ni nworgemoh dleh .og morf ylrae ,tnatlusnoc emoc ta dna dna a a relyT ,soidutS yrreP ellivhsaN morF ,orbeD atnaltA .s0102

fI“ ssorcA“ uoy uoy ohw ot ot ot ll’yeht yeht yeht ereht rieht eht taht llet klat ”.yats ehs .dias sevom evol ”,tfel ,ereh evah ,htaed tuc t’ndluoc spohc tub ,draob neeb stsitra era ydobyna dna ,.A.L atnaltA

eurt rof ylniatrec s’tahT .xxoR

m’I“ I“ dluow erehw su ot sevirht ”.sevlesmeht eht ehs elpoep gnitarepo fo fo ton ym naicisum tsekeem tsewol slevel .shgual ni ni ni evah tnemnrevog morf ecneirepxe ecnellecxe etavele ,noitacude ytisrevid egnahc tub sa gnihtyna dna dna gnoma lla ssecca tuoba a ”,doireP kcalB kcalB .atnaltA atnaltA ...

ExploreGrammy-nominated Atlanta musician finds success making music for children

‘Change the narrative’

htiw ylkeew lausunu .yldetcepxenu ot ot eht esirprus pots srats emos esacwohs eviecer emit-laer gninepo fo ton tsom edam s’ti si lanoitnetni laitneulfni tnednepedni s’poh-pih evah morf rof rof kcabdeef srood yrtnuoc yb tseggib ta stsitra .secnaraeppa dna lla ssorca tuoba a X dadinirT ,yadoT soidutS ainoknatS ,ssoR kciR weN cisuM ,syadnoM semaJ .sJD ioB giB giB s’atnaltA dnA

eW“ ehT“ uoy uoy tnaw ot ot ot ot ot ot eht ll’taht taht gnos .dias kcip elpoep eno txen ekil ekil ekil ekil ”.level .ti .ti .ti ”,ti hakooh pleh tog tog tog tog slrig lrig teg rednetrab X ehT ehT ehT giB

dluow htiw rediw .ytilibisiv daolpu ,oot ot rieht taht hcet lles sdrocer enilno fo gnidnimretsam ekam ti ,saedi sepoh rof rof neve reisae gnidliub ppa dna na stca s’eH

,erutnev rieht taht secaps sgnos .stcejorp rehto erom aidem tnemeganam esnecil tsetal si si spleh rof rof ,mlif gnitaerc ynapmoc stneilc golatac .stsitra dna osla stnemesitrevda a ,VAW ,VT reH HSRF orbeD atnaltA

I“ uoy tahw tew ”,tnaw tnaw oot ot eht eht eht .etals ehs .dias .tniap .ytinutroppo .evitarran hcum yllaretil si ni egnahc nac dliub knalb a uoY s’tI s’tI s’tI tI melraH .s0291

ecrofkrow .oot ot eht troppus etats edivorp sesoporp etomorp ,noitcudorp .seitinutroppo fo detaler-cisum cisum ,devlovni tnemtsevni decudortni gnitteg tnempoleved noitaerc yb tcartta era dna dna a aynoS etaneS .neS eciffO cisuM srekamwaL ,nreplaH aigroeG ,atnaltA-D lliB ,281

dleiy hcihw pot ot eht eht eht taht tnelat etats ralimis .stluser drocer lasoporp ecneserp tciderp fo cisum ,srerutcafunam edam slebal si gnisaercni sah gnimlif .noitanitsed dluoc elbarapmoc ,sessenisub dna seicnega a ehT srekamyciloP ,eciffO aigroeG mliF

ehT“ aigroeG“ ew ot rieht eht eht eht eht taht ,tnelat eettimmocbus setats dias rehto cisum ,mutnemom :enil si gnitsevni ”.seirtsudni ni yrotsih .gniraeh sah llaf cimonoce gnirud ”,tnempoleved tonnac mottob dniheb era dna dna ydaerla droffa cisuM nreplaH

ExploreMetro Atlanta native Ebonie Ward builds creative hub in city’s music scene

On her own terms

m’I“ htiw rehtehw tcidrev ot ot llits os s’ehs ehs ”,yas tuo raey-eno no ,wen cisum tol s’ti si reh sah drah .etarbelec .reerac detsoob gnihcaorppa yrasrevinna .stimda a ehT s’rednoP tuB atnaltA

emoS“ ”.tnuhnaM“ gnikrow hcihw eciov ot emeht eht eht eht eht eht gnos sgnis s’ehs ehs seires ,enecs dedrocer yltrap no fo si gnidulcni ni enohPi reh rof pu-wollof lavitsef tubed detalucric ,ngiapmac gnieb dna dna ,mubla sU +VT s’ehS s’ehS fO ENO ,tsefcisuM ”,evarB s’atnaltA .atnaltA erA s’elppA elppA 61

htiw renniw nehw saw ruot ot ot ot eht eht eht eht desirprus pots ehs ehs ehs tsicar fo devom nrael ni yrotsih reh dessefnoc ecneidua ta .aera tuoba enotS s’niatnuoM ,hcraM .rJ ymmarG yraG nretsaE gniruD kralC atnaltA

tahT“ tuB“ orez tahw t’nsaw ot siht eht emos ehs .dias yllaer ,tniop ”,tuo won evol ti ,si si dnuorg taerg rof dnif etipsed ”.ytinummoc gnieb ta a KKK I kcalB

I“ I“ ”.sraey skrow ohw erehw nehw saw gnitisiv yrev ot ereht eht taht .detrats gnihtemos llams ehs .dias tuo ylno ,eciffo eciffo reven ”,doohrobhgien ym ym ym evol si ni ni decneirepxe ydobyreve neve s’tsitned gnimoc yenrotta sa sa oS ev’I I ,kcalB kcalB kcalB gnihtemos-04

htrow taht sekam .ti ,reh roF atnaltA

Danielle Ponder signs a physical copy of her first album, "Some Of Us Are Brave," at her home studio in Stone Mountain on June 6, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)
Danielle Ponder signs a physical copy of her first album, "Some Of Us Are Brave," at her home studio in Stone Mountain on June 6, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

elihW​​ dluow ,sseccus s’ehs ehs ehs .dias noitingocer rehto ro evol emit-gib ydaerla ,sedalocca a ymmarG

elpoeP“ I“ uoY‘ uoy erehw yrev esoht esoht ,siht ,sgniht ,sgniht neht ’.taht .emos ,yas .dias yap fo fo reven ”,deen ym cisum si fi ,emit-lluf od tnetnoc nac nac nac nac sllib eb eb eb yna dna dna dna dna ”.ma lla lla tahT rednoP m’I m’I I I I I

ABOUT THIS SERIES

:atnaltA“ htiw lliw ohw seciov stnalpsnart hguorht lufthguoht siht eht eht taht taht taht seirots seires gnitroper noitseuq sezitiroirp ,repap lanigiro fo htnom slacol si ni .emoh morf serolpxe hcae ,nevird-atad tnetnoc ytic llac raeppa dna dna na moc.LTAU LTAU esehT ”?acceM yraunaJ kcalB s’aciremA moc.CJA .6202

ruoy tnaw su pu .moc.cja@ltau ot ot ?llet yrots raeh .secneirepxe ta tuoba a eW acceM tiH toG kcalB


siht seirots ruo rehto fo rettelswen erom pihsrebmem rebmem ekil ni eerf rof .stifeneb dna a LTAU emoceB

no no dna ,X LTAU koTkiT .margatsnI wolloF ,koobecaF

About the Author

Najja Parker is a video and news correspondent for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Black culture team. She is an engaging on-air talent, who has served as a host for the newsroom’s special projects and events, such as the movie premiere of “The South Got Something To Say,” a documentary chronicling the rise of Atlanta hip-hop.