GRAMMY AWARD winner Dr. Jody Watley, often referred to by her fans as “The Queen of Cool” is a singer/songwriter/producer/businesswoman/motivational speaker – one of the architects of 21st Century Pop and Contemporary Street Style mixed with high fashion. 

From her groundbreaking marriage of Rap/R&B/Pop with 1989’s “Friends” featuring Hip Hip/Rap legends Eric B & Rakim. “Friends” is first pairing of Pop/R&B/Rap/Dance to crossover into the Billboard Top 10 on multiple charts Watley’s vision- trendsetting forward thinking marriage of high fashion, street fashion and music in the ‘80s (long before it became  the norm), to her fusion of jazz and underground club culture with keen pop instincts, and the ease with which she crossed and still crosses genre: Jody Watley forged the template that is now everybody’s playbook. In June 2022, the music icon was celebrated and honored with Jody Watley Day at the Georgia State Capitol also receiving the prestigious Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in community service.

Watley received her first Honorary Doctorate in March 2022. The honor was bestowed upon the iconic singer-songwriter-business woman before she addressed the graduating class of 2022 in Stone Mountain, Georgia. She received an Honorary Doctorate Degree Doctor of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship and Business Administration from the T.I.U.A. School of Business. Jody Watley was also presented the Women of Distinction Award from the United Nations Global Women Foundation during the academic ceremony. 

In June the prestigious Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award was received by Jody Watley at the Georgia State Capitol on a day dedicated to honor one of music’s most impactful. 

A previous recipient of the BMI Medal of Honor for (Don’t You Want Me, Looking For A New Love, Real Love amongst others) Jody Watley was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall Of Fame with other inductees that include Marilyn Bergman, Gloria Estefan, Indigo Girls, Siedah Garrett, Loretta Lynn in 2022 at the intimate ceremony held in Washington  D.C. Jody Watley is listed in Billboard Magazine as one of the Top 25 Dance Artists of All Time and in the Top 60 Hot 100 Artists of All Time as of 2018. The National Museum of African American Music named Watley as their first Ambassador in 2021 featuring her on two of their outdoor digital jumbotrons. Winner of the Best New Artist Grammy in 1988, Chris Campbell from NPR’s Progressive Underground notes “Jody Watley enjoys longevity through constant evolution.”

Her entire career is always about looking forward, unafraid to change and grow. The Chicago native’s eclectic repertoire – R&B, hip-hop, House, jazz, pop, drum & bass, ambient, spoken-word – is built on a positive vision and a strong taste for artistic and aesthetic risk.