Uplifting Community and Culture with Conversation:

Multimedia creator Graffiti Johnson wears all the hats — but he’s ready to maximize his podcast, The COnnect, to “100% [of] its full potential.”

Leonard “Graffiti” Johnson loves to create. From broadcasting to designing to producing, his rich mind and love of conversation make him a mastermind of all media — but this creative says he’s ready to hone in on his podcasting platform. 

Forms and Fluctuations

Graffiti’s nickname holds true to its roots each time he steps before a microphone. “I genuinely love conversations,” the multimedia visionary says, admitting that none of his friends or family were surprised to see him step into the podcasting space. 

“Everybody kind of knew what I should be doing,” he says. “I've always been an artist … The community championed me to move in that direction.”

What began as visual art — designing flyers and mixtape covers — quickly transitioned into auditory forms as Graffiti began his online radio journey in 2009. “Growing up, my biggest goal was to be a radio jockey,” he says. “I already had a pretty strong presence socially, in the community and on social media, so [radio] was just a natural progression for me, as far as listeners and audience go.”

As COVID-19 arrived and much of America subsequently shifted to online communication, Graffiti had to make similar adjustments. “After Davey and I had gone on hiatus with the Life Is Dope podcast, I was kind of trying to figure out what to do from there,” he says. Following a collaboration with his producer, Julius, the two created The Plug Podcast Agency. 

According to the website, The Plug utilizes a team of experienced podcast producers to “help people start up, build and produce their podcast.” This assistance might focus on podcast development, management, marketing, monetization or post-production aspects, all of which are extremely important in gaining traction within an ever-shifting

media landscape.

While the agency was successful in generating sufficient revenue during COVID-19, it wasn’t enough to satiate Graffiti’s appetite for creativity. “I still had that urgent itch to do the hosting thing,” he says. “It came natural to me.”

From that itch arose The COnnect, Graffiti’s one-on-one podcast. Founded in October of 2020, the show operates under his full an

d complete control — something that, for this versatile creative, is both a blessing and a curse.

A Narrowing Focus

“I wanted to flex the fact that I'm an actual journalist. I know a lot of people podcast, and they do these shows, and they’re “[internet] personalities” and things like that. Whereas I wanted to, like, genuinely do journalism-based conversations. That's why I started the COnnect.”

Between star-studded conversations with producers like David Banner and DJs like Kid Capri, Graffiti is both in front of the curtain and behind the scenes. While he acknowledges that the sedentary nature of COVID allowed him to reach bigger-name guests via Zoom and other virtual interviewing platforms  — “I'm actually looking to pivot back into that because of the accessibility,” he says — it also required Graffiti to manage nearly all aspects of the podcast, a problem he’s juggled for all five years of its run time.

“Full transparency, my biggest struggle right now is trying to manage my skills,” he says. “I know how to do multiple things, so I've kind of just been trying to weigh what I actually want to do. What do I love? What's my passion, the why behind it? … It’s a weird thing to complain about, having multiple skills, but it's also very hard to dial in on what I should be doing … It’s because I wear so many hats. So I'm kind of trying to work through that at the moment.”

To Graffiti, managing such a multitude of responsibilities is the reason why he hasn’t “quite reached where [he] needs to be.” 

“Professionally, I would like to land in a space where I can just do my podcast, show — whatever this platform is or will be — I want to just dial in on doing that 100% to its full potential from the talent side of it,” he says when asked about where

his creative destination lies.  “Like I said, I've worn every hat from designer to producer to booking. I want to just be the face and have a conversation on my platform and get paid for that.”

"As a host, I want to just show people that it's okay to not only be vulnerable, but [to] just be honest." -Graffiti

Creating Change in Conversations

Regardless of whether he’s working on the podcast development or production side, The COnnect is undeniably loved and supported within Denver’s vibrant creative scene — a landscape that Graffiti says is “shifting toward the right direction.”

“I think now, because I come from so many different areas of what the city looks like, especially being in the music and urban scene, I've seen so many transitions,” he says. “And I think we're finally in a space where people are just living authentically in their authentic truths.”

He acknowledges community visionaries like “Community Keis” Muhammad, DJ KTone and Dane Washington with Kids Above Everything as standout inspirations. “Just seeing them progress … and starting organizations, giving back to the community — I love it,” he says.

Graffiti strives to give back to his own community through transparent, honest conversation. “I think, as a host, I want to just show people that it's okay to not only be vulnerable, but [to] just be honest. Be who you are,” he says. “I'm not really a personality or influencer or nothing — I hate what social media does to us psychologically — but I [want] people [to] see, from a whole standpoint, that I'm just genuinely having a conversation with another human being.”

This genuine human connection is what sets The COnnect apart from other podcasts, Graffiti says. “I'll always start with the question: ‘How's your mental?’ And that'll set the tone.”

Mental health and mindfulness are frequent topics on the podcast, echoed in various episode titles like “Lead With Love,” “Claim Your Power” or “The Art of Living.” Despite it being what Graffiti calls a “buzz topic,” he strives to focus on self-progression. “No matter what conversation I have, it always kind of has that connecting theme of mental health and awareness,” he says.

Themes that, for Graffiti, have irrevocably shaped him into a trusted figure, father and creative within Denver. 

“I unintentionally built myself into this space for people. I'm a trusted voice — and I love that, but it's also a pressure that I have to maintain,” he says. “People do really kind of look at me as, like, that curator, tastemaker type. And I try to ride that line and just keep it transparent.”

When asked what he’d like to tell both his followers and followers of Rooted Change, Graffiti stresses the importance of supporting up-and-coming platforms of all kinds.

“People have to really support community platforms, support cultural platforms … it's genuine, it's authentic and it has a purpose,” he says. “And that’s really what all of this is about.” 

Find Graffiti on Instagram at @thatsgraffiti and @theconnectwgraffiti, on Spotify at The COnnect w/Graffiti and online at thatsgraffiti.com.

Graffiti Johnson is a part of Rooted Change's Community Spotlight Series. This initiative reflects the strength, complexity and beauty of the people we serve, centering voices often spoken about—but rarely spoken to. If you’re eager to share your story, contact emma@rootedchange.co.