Eugene Willis Jr  was born and raised on the east side of Athens. After graduating from Cedar Shoals High School, he went on to study business, marketing and accounting at Athens Tech. In 2022, he founded CreativeSpace, a community art space on West Broad street, along with fellow Athens rapper Lo Down. Eugene is a multimedia artist, and has been performing and producing rap and hip-hop under the name BlackNerdNinja for over 15 years. He released his first CD in the tenth grade. He is currently working on an album with his band, Marvelous Rejections featuring We’re Weird, which will highlight some of their previously recorded, unreleased songs.

 

Eugene currently works as an Application Analyst Specialist at UGA, as well as in IT support. He lives in Oglethorpe with his wife, Jessica, and children, Natalie Ann, age 7, Aden, age 10, and Mya, age 15. 

 

What do you love most about the work you do?

 

The diversity of it. It all requires critical thinking. Each thing requires a different thought process, that requires different troubleshooting skills; some lean more on the creative side, some more on the technical side, but I enjoy all of it. I don’t get burnt out from it because it doesn’t feel like work. 

 

When you’re not working, what are some things you like to do in and around Athens?

 

I get out every now and again. I’ll be preparing for the AthHalf in November, and if I’m not running I’m going to bookstores with the kids. I used to just get lost in the city and wander around Athens, and I like trying new restaurants. 

 

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

 

Anywhere and everywhere. There’s so much to discover. I think we ask a lot of individuals who receive information via social media or second hand, rather than traveling on our own and having our own experiences. There’s so much that can be tainted. I tell my kids about an experience I’ve had, and they’ll have a totally different one. I want to go anywhere and everywhere to have my own experiences, not just what other people might say about a location.

 

If you could see any musician, anywhere, any time, who would you see and where?

 

Prince. Probably in his hometown, in Minneapolis. 

 

Do you have a favorite book, or one you often re-read, reference or gift?

 

My favorite book is The Myth of Race by Robert Sussman. I like it because it breaks down a lot of the confusion.

 

Do you have a favorite movie?

 

A Thousand Words with Eddie Murphy. It’s about being mindful with your words.

 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

 

Save money. Everything comes down to money. You start climbing the ladder and noticing that everything – talent, gifts, all that stuff sounds good – but it all comes down to money. You gotta have the resources to produce your vision.

 

If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and where?

 

Prince. At the old Five Star Day Cafe.

 

If you could put any message on a billboard, what would it say?

 

Never give up.

 

What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word home?

 

Life, peace, and “you are who you are when no one’s around.”