Tag: Creatives Rebuild NY

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

News/Announcements: Shoutouts to Patreon Patrons, Creatives Rebuild NY and Asian Arts Initaitive

Last month I announced on Threads and Facebook that JOVM was going on a forced, indefinite hiatus. For a significant portion of this year, I just couldn’t financially manage all the various subscription fees to keep this site going as I had been — and as I would prefer.

In the two months prior to the hiatus, my business plan was pulled and the site was broken and essentially disappeared. Over a decade worth of music, arts and culture coverage were lost in the ether — seemingly forever or until I could figure out subscription fees.

With all the unexpected free time I had without JOVM-related work, I admittedly went through a bunch of different emotions. For the first handful of days, I felt extremely depressed. Getting out of bed, showering and putting on clothes was difficult.

By the third or fourth day, I realized that I needed to do something different or I’d fall into a very deep hole. I wound up going on several long walks with my Canon R6 Mark II in hand. It kept me busy. Hell, it kept my mind busy on something else. And initially at least, it didn’t matter if the photos would be shared anywhere or not. But I did wind up sharing them on Instagram — because that’s what you do, right?

Now, remember JOVM has been a daily part of my life for over 15 years. Work has gotten me through some of the most difficult periods of my life. Being able to return to this work — for you, dear reader — has been a great joy.

As always, there are some folks that I need to thank.

First, the Patreon Patrons, who have supported me through over the course of the past few years:

Sash

Alice Northover

Bella Fox

Jenny MacRostie

Janene Otten 

I must thank my pal and colleague Adam Bernard for chatting with me about JOVM and the site’s hiatus last month. You can check out the interview, in which I talk about how important it is to support independent journalists here: https://adambernard.blogspot.com/2025/09/saving-one-mans-movement-convo-with.html

I have to thank the helpful, hardworking and dedicated folks at Creatives Rebuild New York. I’m proud, gratified and humbled to have been included in their 18-month Guaranteed Income for Artists program. Understandably, being included was also deeply vindicating. Someone out there thought my work — this very work! — was worth supporting financially. Obviously, the funds from it have managed to keep this labor of love going during one of the most uncertain periods in recent human history, while lessening some of the normal financial pressures of being an American artist, creator and journalist. 

I also found out about Asian Arts Initiative’s Sound Type Workshop through Creatives Rebuild New York. So, I just can’t thank those folks enough. And I’ll forever be in their debt. 

I must thank the folks at the Asian Arts Initiative in Philadelphia for selecting me for the Sound Type Music Writer Workshop. Being a part of the inaugural cohort was an honor. 

I also have to thank my man John Morrison, Philly’s preeminent music journalist for the support and encouragement. 

Last but not least, I have to thank a friend, who will remain anonymous upon their request for their generosity and support. 

Now, I must remind y’all, that The Joy of Violent Movement is a completely independent and completely D.I.Y. media outlet. Over the course of this site’s 15+ year history, I’ve used my fiercely independent stance to cover music with an eclectic and global perspective that a lot of other publications just don’t have — and will likely never have. 

To that end, I could use your support to continue to keep bringing you my unique global perspective on music. There are a number of ways that you can support this work. 

I’ve been told that some people would prefer to make a one-time donation because it’s easy and less of an obligation. So, if you’re able to make a one-time donation, there’s a donation box below. 

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If you’re willing and able to support more regularly, please feel free to check out my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement. 

Anything you can give is very much appreciated. It can and does make a real difference, y’all. 

I know that a lot of folks are struggling to make ends meet in an uncertain and tumultuous economic climate. So there are other, non-financial ways in which you can support this work. 

You can follow me on the following social platforms:

X/Twitter: @yankee32879 and @joyofviolent 

Instagram: @william_ruben_helms

Threads: @william_ruben_helms

Bluesky: @williamrubenhelms.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement

As always, if there are posts that you dig, share them with your friends. The more eyeballs on my work, the better.

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

News/Announcements: Shoutouts to Patreon Patrons and Creatives Rebuild New York

2023 was one of more embittering, infuriating and maddening years in recent memory for me. And it probably doesn’t help that with this line of work. it’s all too easy to battle and endure feelings of loneliness, despair and failure; to feel and believe that you’re an imposter. I’ve personally found it to be a brutal, unforgiving and wildly interesting life and career path that can’t — and will never — compare to most other jobs I’ve ever had. And I’ve had quite a few of them in my life!

The Joy of Violent Movement turns 14 in June. 14 years of doing anything is a very long time. It’s a close to a quarter of my life. For the blogosphere that’s roughly between 10-139 lifetimes. It hasn’t always been easy. There have been moments, where it felt impossible to manage this thing, to keep it going. To be frank, as the kids say “the math ain’t mathing.” But what I can say is this: I’ve felt and believed that I needed to go out on my own because I didn’t believe — or feel — as though I’d get a fair shot to do this work anyplace else. 

I’ve long felt a strong desire — and need — to create something similar to the wildly eclectic, dynamic, global sort of environment I grew up immersed in as a young Black boy in Corona, Queens. Sadly, when I read my favorite music magazines and sites, I didn’t always see that covered or represented. From experience as a music journalist and working in book publishing, I’ve learned that you can demand fairness, diversity and inclusion, but the powers in control can ignore you. So, sometimes you have to grit your teeth and just do it your own damn self, you know?

Now, when I started JOVM back in 2010, I didn’t — and just couldn’t have — imagined the majority of the things I’ve experienced and covered throughout the site’s history to have happened. 

What will year 14 hold for JOVM? Hell, I don’t really know. Plus, I turn 45 in March. So, it’s also a milestone year. My hope is always for bigger and better for the site and for y’all as readers. 

Of course, with your support I can keep this unique space going. Now, I’ve said this ad infinitum through site and on my social media feeds: All work — including creative work — is impossible without money. The old adage is true: Time is money. Effort is money. And it costs money for the thing(s) that you need to actually do the work. 

If you’ve been frequenting this site over the past handful of years, there are a handful of folks I want to thank once again for their support:  

  • Sash
  • Alice Northover
  • Bella Fox
  • Jenny MacRostie
  • Janene Otten 

All of those folks have been generous Patreon patrons. Every and any amount really helps keeps this sort of journalism, photojournalism, and criticism alive and ongoing. 

So if you’re able and willing, please feel free to check out the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement. Whatever you can give is appreciated and will help. Independent journalists and artists are small businesses. And supporting small businesses survive and become sustainable is desperately needed — especially if they’re Black businesses. 

Additionally, I have to thank the helpful, hardworking and dedicated folks at Creatives Rebuild New York. I’m proud, gratified and humbled to have been included in their 18-month Guaranteed Income for Artists program. Understandably, being included was also deeply vindicating. Someone out there thought my work — this very work! — was worth supporting financially. Obviously, the funds from it have managed to keep this labor of love going during one of the most uncertain periods in recent human history, while lessening some of the normal financial pressures of being an American artist, creator and journalist. 

Frankly, I haven’t been able to thank them enough. But I’ll be grateful for the program for the rest of my life. 

There are several other ways that you can support this site and my work. You can also support by checking the JOVM shop. I sell prints in various sizes. I also have bumper stickers. Check it out: https://www.joyofviolentmovement.com/shop 

You can also support my following me on the following platforms:

You can hire me for headshots, portraits and events. Seriously, I’m available for that, too. You can click here: https://www.photobooker.com/photographer/ny/new-york/william-h?duration=1?duration=1# or you can contact me directly.

I’m an Eargasm Earplugs Earinflunecer. Buy a pair, protect your hearing and save 10% by clicking on this code: https://lnkd.in/ewX8ezKZ. I do get a percentage of each sale from that discount code.

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

Almost 13 years ago, I started what has been for me, my life’s work — this site. And honestly, when I started this site, I couldn’t have imagined three-quarters of the things I’ve done and experienced over JOVM’s history to ever happen. 

  • I’ve covered roughly 1,100-1,200 shows in NYC, with a handful of shows in Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia. 
  • I’ve covered about a dozen or more festivals, including traveling to Montreal for M for Montreal back in 2019. (I’ll be returning to Montreal to cover this year’s M for Montreal, marking my first international trip in three years.)
  • I’ve been a panelist at Mondo.NYC Festival and at New Colossus Festival, speaking about PR, promotion and press for indie artists, giving my perspective as a indie blogger. 
  • A few years ago, I made a cameo in a JOVM mainstay’s music video. It’s a very noticeable spot towards the end of the video. It was a fun experience, but so far no one has called me about acting or dancing gigs. Maybe I need to stick to the writing and photography? 
  • I couldn’t have imagined photographing George Clinton, Patti LaBelle, Snoop Dogg, Blondie, Nile Rodgers, Roky Erickson, Philip Bailey, Blind Boys of Alabama and so many others, as well as this site’s countless mainstays.
  • I wouldn’t have met the countless colleagues and musicians, who have become supporters and friends.  

Now you’ll remember that during the very worst of the pandemic, things seemed — understandably — bleak. And although we’ve slowly managed to claw our way back to even greater degree of normalcy, being a working and touring musician has remained extremely bleak. Financially touring has always been a financial risk but rising inflation and COVID-19 has made touring much more daunting and complicated.

We’re all trying to figure out how to maneuver in a new, confusing and uncertain landscape that may well be with us for an indefinite period of time. But with these past 12+ years under my belt, I have no intentions of going anywhere. 

I strongly believe that I’ve managed to carve out a unique spot in the blogosphere, a place that I feel is desperately necessary because both the music and media worlds are often so incredibly homogenous. Someone out there has to do something different. And representation in every aspect matters. So JOVM and my work with it has to continue. 

As I do every month, I want to thank the following folks and organizations. Without them this past few years — and especially this year — wouldn’t have been remotely possible: 

Sash

Alice Northover

Bella Fox

Jenny MacRostie

Janene Otten 

All of those folks have been generous Patreon patrons. Of course, feel free to check out the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement. And if you’re able to support, your support will be greatly appreciated and continuously shouted out. Any amount really helps. 

I have to thank the folks at Creatives Rebuild New York. I’m relieved, proud and humbled to be included in their Guaranteed Income for Artists program. The money I’ll receive over the next 13 months or so will be put to good use — keeping this little dream of mine going. I don’t think there’s enough words to thank them — or to show how grateful I am. (I’ll keep trying, of course!) 

There are other ways you can support. 

You can also support by checking the JOVM shop: https://www.joyofviolentmovement.com/shop 

You can also support my following me on the following platforms:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/william_ruben_helms 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/yankee32879 and https://www.twitter.com/joyofviolent 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement

And you can hire me for headshots, portraits and events. Seriously, I’m available for that, too. You can click here: https://www.photobooker.com/photographer/ny/new-york/william-h?duration=1?duration=1# or you can contact me directly.