bio

music without prejudice…

Fly Hendrix, formally known as Cross Colours - is a DJ & Producer based between South Africa, California and Brooklyn, New York. Well known as the founder of Cape Town party ‘Vinyl Digz’ (@vinyldigz) and music production space, the Soul City Lab - her vinyl sets have heavily contributed to the pulse of underground music culture across the globe.

Fly Hendrix is a Producer, DJ and community organizer based between South Africa, California and Brooklyn, New York. She emerged into the profession in 2011 with a degree in Ethnomusicology. Her record collection is heavily rooted in the music of the African Diaspora, featuring both classic innovators, emerging artists, current sensations and long lost rarities from every genre. She has a talent for finding the commonalities in all music; weaving together songs with an overall feeling, a sensation of soul. From decade to decade, genre to genre - Fly digs for records that not only move her, but have struck a chord in the community. Fly Hendrix is a storyteller who utilizes the power of music and vinyl to transport listeners into an open state of comfort.

Influences: Jimi Hendrix, Erykah Badu, Moodyman, Theo Parrish, Omar S, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Larry Levan, Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, Sade, Alicia Keys, Mos Def, Outkast, Big L, Tupac & Biggie, KRS ONE, Kanye West, Kaytranada, Jamiroquai, Prince, Rahaan, Little Dragon, DJ spinna, DJ Harvey, Rich Medina, TLC, Aaliyah, Amy Winehouse, Miles Davis, John & Alice Coltrane, Earth Wind & Fire, Nile Rogers, Quincy Jones, N.E.R.D., Chaka Khan, The Roots, Pharcyde, Mac Dre, Grace Jones, Sizzla, Gil Gilberto, Gal Costa, Cecilia Cruz, Hector Lavoe, The Clark Sisters, St. Germain, Marcos Valle, TKZee, Trompies, Lee Scratch Perry..

THE DETAILS:

Fly emerged into the profession with a degree in Ethnomusicology and deep musical roots in the evolution of Soul: Jazz, Blues, Funk, Boogie, Groove, Neo-Soul, R&B, and Hip Hop, later moving into Deep House, Electronic Soul and Detroit/Chicago House Techno- Her travels exposed her to the diaspora of soul: Reggae, Latin, Brazilian, Highlife, Afro Beat, Kwaito - living in South Africa since 2009-Present.

Fly Hendrix aka Jess Cross, is founder of Vinyl Digz [2012], Analog Sound [2020], and NGO SoulCity Movement [2010] which focuses on artist development and youth education through cross cultural connection. She received her BA in 2010 from Occidental College and is a practicing photographer and filmmaker, showing multiple exhibitions since 2010. Cross is a dedicated activist working to engage artists and youth in education, collaborating with countless organizations such as Caldera Arts (PDX) and EduWeavers (SF) both as a teaching artist, director and producer.

Her exploration has her connected to the soul of many cities: San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Washington DC, New York City, Detroit, Chicago, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Kingston, Rio and Mexico City. Fly has collaborated with countless brands, companies, venues, promoters, production houses and artists alike along the way.

Fly currently specializes in African Music and is working on producing re-edits from a rare collection of African records she discovered in the Ivory Coast in 2019.

Fly Hendrix is here to honor the music.