Joe Hotham

Jo is an American author/writer, farmer, film actor, film producer, stuntman and philanthropist from Michigan. Since his youth he's had a natural addiction and passion for the arts and has pursued them. After becoming a published poet as a teen, still in high school, his early twenties saw him break into the local music industry where he became one of Detroit's acid rap pioneers (along side with Esham, Insane Clown Posse and Kid Rock), start his own independent record label and the Southside Asylum network. He then began crossing over into film productions as he was hired to play roles, help design and build film sets, and with his music talents and connections, do score work, soundtrack arrangements and coordination on Detroit TV shows for Comcast Xfinity (Maclean Hunter at the time) and Detroit TV62. Over time Jo began to use his established industry connections and neighborhood reputation to work on projects and fund organizations that helped troubled southwest and downriver Detroit, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio youth dealing with broken homes, drug and alcohol issues, street violence and young parenthood. After 9/11, he got involved in the U.S. Army National Guard and MIDF- received Honorable Discharge in 2019. During COVID 19's spread to America in February, with local churches and organizations doors closed, Jo formed a team that went into the streets of Toledo, OH, Monroe, MI and Detroit, MI every weekend in 2020 to pass out free bibles, bottled water, toilet paper, food and pray for and with people on the streets as needed in which he organized and funded. Jo also lost his mother to COVID in April of 2020 and through the emotional time, he and his team stayed in the trenches on the street to help others. To this day while working and operating his farm, Jo maintains a balance of working in the arts, doing speaking engagements and serving others.