“Joslyn is a budding creative talent who has the special skill of breathing freshness and truth into any project she takes on. Her dedication and style are the foundation of her ability to work on project after project, yet maintain an agility and depth to her craft.”
— Brian Wright, Director of Talent Acquisitions, Fox Studios
Joslyn Rose Lyons has directed and produced a diverse range of content for more than a decade in film and television, including work with HBO, MTV, BET, Vh1 Soul, PBS, Discovery, NBC, ABC, Oprah Winfrey Network, Uninterrupted/Warner Bros., and Apple Music Beats 1. In her creative treatment for the video campaign Beautiful, Joslyn directed an in-studio performance with RCA recording artist Mali Music, that featured appearances from ‘The Game’’s Wendy Raquel Robinson, ‘Being Mary Jane’s’ Brely Evans, and casting director Robi Reed, who were enlisted to represent such a positive message, as noted in Rolling Stone Magazine, the video defined ‘What it means to be beautiful’.
Joslyn’s first documentary documentary feature Soundz of Spirit (Saul Williams, Common, Andre 3000, Cee-Lo Green) explored the creative process and spiritual connection in hip hop. The film premiered at the HBO Urbanworld Film Festival, London Raindance, Black International Cinema Berlin, Los Angeles International, and won Best Music Documentary at the New York International Film Festival, before being distributed world wide with an original soundtrack by Jeff Clanagan’s (Code Black) Urban Works Ent.
Joslyn was given a directors seat at Simmons Lathan Media Group, where she went on to direct HBO Def Poetry. Her music content includes a behind the scenes special documenting Erykah Badu’s making of her New Amerykah Part II album on her Vortex Tour bus, featuring Karriem Riggins, Shafiq Husayn, and Thundercat.
Joslyn directed five videos for Talib Kweli including ‘Cold Rain’, which was named #1 video on MTV.com. Joslyn made her music video directorial debut with ‘The Majors’, for prince ALI (Mahershala Ali), the video featured Hieroglyphics crew, Planet Asia, Keith Murray, and Casual, and premiered on BET. A collaboration with MYX TV then followed, where she directed ‘The Path/Honor Code’ for prince ALI, featuring Dilated Peoples Rakaa Iriscience, and Souls of Mischief. Joslyn has directed music videos for artists including Chad Hugo of N.E.R.D., Mali Music, Too $hort, E-40, and Quadron, among others. In her black and white visuals for E-40’s ‘Fast Lane, and she brought a “1930’s slow motion, Harlem Nights feel” to the visuals for ‘N The Traffic’, as noted by Mass Appeal. In Joslyn’s eclectic directorial approach for ‘Frozen Hearts’ a Chad Hugo (N.E.R.D.) produced single for ‘The Quarry’ in which Hugo samples Angelina Jolie’s Governors Awards Speech, she creates a cinematic series of intimate narrative vignettes featuring actors such as Rafael Casal (‘BlindSpotting’) “where things aren’t quite as they seem” as noted by The Fader Magazine.
Joslyn’s work with BET began at Rap City, and extends to directing and producing the First Music Matters Grammy Showcase at the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Los Angeles with an array of musical talent including Mack Wilds, and Mali Music, as well as work on ‘The Message’ BET’s four part documentary on the history of hip hop with artists including RZA and NAS, producing the BET Awards Celebrity Basketball Game with Nick Cannon, Chris Brown, and Angela Yee, and shows including Celebration of Gospel and Joyful Noise.
She has produced digital specials on Vince Staples for Apple Music’s Beats 1, and as the co-founder of the digital content platform Museum of Light with RESPECT Magazine, she produced segments with The Grammy Museum, Motown Music, Capitol Record, Yahoo! Music, and The Public Theater NYC. The platform featured artists including Michelle Williams, Robert Glasper, Angie Stone, JOI, Mali Music, Mila J, Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs.
Joslyn created and produced ‘Same Energy’ for LeBron James digital platform Uninterrupted (Springhill/Warner Bros.). The show is hosted by NBA Champion Matt Barnes, with guests Marshawn Lynch and 2Chainz.
Joslyn’s first short film starred Academy Award Winning Actor Mahershala Ali, and won at the Link TV: One Nation, Many Voices Muslim American Film Competition. She has directed shorts starring Academy Award Winning actor/rapper Common, on his Imagine Justice organization, and with Executive Producer and Brand Architect by Jason Geter, and his longtime business partner Grammy Award Winning T.I., Joslyn was enlisted to direct a series of branded content and short films for their fashion and lifestyle brand Strivers Row, including ‘Faith’, that touches on themes of gentrification, community activism, inspired by excerpts from the Langston Hughes poem, ‘Dreams Deferred.’
She has produced documentary features including ‘Tale of the Tape’ (Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean), ‘Waging Change’ (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin), (R)Evolution (Matt Barnes, Ice Cube), and ‘Stay Woke’ (Barbara Lee, Van Jones, Alice Walker, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez).
“When Joslyn Rose brought the idea to me, I was honestly impressed. It meant so much since time means so much to me. Personally I am always reminded by this chapter from the Quran which states “ By time, Indeed man is in loss, Except those have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience (Chapter 103).” It holds so much power for me when it comes to time and the oxymoron of being patient. So her vision went hand in hand with how the essence of time is just so impactful to me my music and art.”
— JALLAL
‘Looking Glass’ a short film by Joslyn Rose Lyons, starring Los Angeles based artist JALLAL, embraces the struggle to overcome complacency, and embodies the spirit of Oakland’s creative community.
“I met Jallal while attending an art opening at the MOMA, while hanging with Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) we all connected on art, music, and the spiritual journey, the seeds were planted for us to create something together. When we got a chance to film Looking Glass at Bardo, a 1930’s inspired supper club in Oakland, and we invited many Oakland based artists and friends to appear in the short film. It’s a cinematic journey through a portal to the past. At the time of conceptualizing this piece, I had just finished reading a book called ‘The Big Leap’ which explores the concept of taking that courageous leap from your ‘excellence zone’ to your ‘genius zone’ something that JALLAL naturally exudes as an artist.”
— Joslyn Rose Lyons, Director/Producer
“The diverse cast and crew that came together to make this Oakland based short film, shows how one project can lead a community to come together. It was a blessing and miracle to see the hopeful energy that made this unique short film come to life.”
— Boson Wang, Cinematographer
As part of the tight-knit Oakland film community, Joslyn Rose Lyons is a rare female figure amongst talented men in film who have recently emerged from the region, including her peers Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs, Boots Riley, Mahershala Ali, and Ryan Coogler. She deftly balances social justice work with commercial projects.
With roots in hip hop (directing music videos for Talib Kweli, Too $hort, E-40, N.E.R.D., and more), Joslyn Rose Lyons has developed a career where art and commerce can co-exist and thrive. Joslyn Rose is part of the collective Cr8 Light Agency and one of the founders and curators at The Museum of Light.
The Museum of Light is a digital content platform that spotlights creativity, ignites thought, and sparks inspiration. With impactful installations that highlight art, music, and humanity, curated by a team of taste-making entertainment executives and industry insiders, MoL dedicated to illuminating the intersection where creatives and visionaries spark a movement within the culture.
Museum of Light curated by Billy Johnson Jr., Joslyn Rose Lyons, Rafael Casal, Adell Henderson, Matt Smith, and Malik Buie.
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