UATL

05/28/2026

Quality Lenz, an Atlanta-based photographer, captures Black culture the slow, thoughtful way on film.

Every frame is intentional, every subject treated like history in the making. Whether you’re an artist or business owner, recent grad or expectant mother, everyone is treated like a celebrity.

This story is part of UATL’s   series, a yearlong project dedicated to telling the stories of Atlanta’s Black community with a particular focus on voices under 40. The series highlights the next generation helping to define the city through the people who call it home. Learn more at the link in ’s bio.

🖋️: Brooke Leigh Howard / AJC
🎥: Keith Lovely Jr. / AJC | Youtube.com/badboy
📸: Abbey Cutrer / AJC | Quality Lenz | Getty Images | Bad Boy Entertainment

 

05/28/2026

Has “Big Mama” taken on a whole new meaning for Latto? The internet — and hosts — are buzzing after the Atlanta rapper seemingly confirmed the birth of her child amid longtime speculation surrounding her rumored relationship with 21 Savage.

Subscribe to “It’s UATL” at the link in bio.

05/27/2026

Art scholar Cheryl Finley, the inaugural director of the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective and a Spelman College professor, has been selected as the High Museum of Art’s 2026 David C. Driskell Prize recipient.

Each year, the High Museum in Atlanta recognizes individuals who advance Black American culture within the art industry.

As an art historian and critic, Finley has helped establish a training ground for art professionals through her position within the AUC. She said winning the award aligns with her work and that of fellow historians, curators, scholars, artists and future generations.

Read the full story at the link in our comments.

🖋️: Brooke Leigh Howard / AJC
📸: Courtesy of Gideyon Kife

05/27/2026

How many times have we convinced ourselves to stay in an unhealthy relationship? Licensed psychologist breaks down why so many women second guess themselves even when the warning signs are clear.

Listen to the full conversation at the link in bio.

05/24/2026

Hot 107.9 launched in 1995 as Atlanta’s first hip-hop station. Birthday Bash began as the station’s annual birthday celebration, a way to spotlight Atlanta artists and the acts the station played.

The first show was held at Variety Playhouse, with Outkast, The Notorious B.I.G. and Diddy among the performers. Since then, Birthday Bash has grown into one of Atlanta rap’s signature stages, hosting names including Kanye West, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Drake, Jeezy, Cardi B and Latto.

This year, the 30th anniversary lineup reflects what producer and artist liaison Beyonce Alowishus called “old Atlanta.” Headlined by T.I., the show will include Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, Pastor Troy, Kilo Ali, Soulja Boy and newcomer YK Niece.

Read the full story at the link in the comments.

🖋️: DeAsia Paige / AJC
📸: Arvin Temkar / AJC

05/23/2026

05/22/2026

Atlanta artist shares how an unexpected call from J. Cole—set up by his father, T.I.—led to a writers camp that changed how he approached music and sparked his musical evolution.

Are you planning to see him at this weekend? Take a listen to his It’s UATL episode wherever you podcast.

05/21/2026

Buddy Red’s musical journey has been all about discovery. That’s why he hopes his art will encourage others to ask questions, be curious and try new things.

Have you listened to the new episode of It’s UATL with yet? Find it wherever you podcast.

05/20/2026

“Bohemian Rhapsody” isn’t just another musical biopic for Atlanta artist Buddy Red. It’s a film that deepened his appreciation for rock and roll and inspired his own artistic path.

Find the new episode of It's UATL wherever you podcast.

05/20/2026

“Bohemian Rhapsody” isn’t just another musical biopic for Atlanta artist Buddy Red. It’s a film that deepened his appreciation for rock and roll and inspired his own artistic path.

Find the new episode of It’s UATL wherever you podcast.

05/20/2026

While AI-generated images flood the feed and phone cameras shoot until storage runs out, a 27-year-old Atlanta photographer is doing the opposite: loading film and refusing to rush.

Quality Lenz, born Jaylon Cooper, photographs Black life with the patience of someone who believes it deserves more than a quick capture. On film, every frame is limited. That limit forces him to slow down, study the moment and think before he shoots.

That commitment to film is part of a larger analog instinct. An avid collector of vinyl, video cassettes and cassette tapes, he believes physical media carries memory differently. For Quality Lenz, preserving history in its purest form is part of the job.

His eye was shaped by family photos, Black history and the photographers who came before him, from Gordon Parks to Carrie Mae Weems. He also looks to images of the Freedom Riders and civil rights protests as reminders of what photography can preserve.

Those influences shape how he sees the work: not just as taking pictures, but as documenting moments that may matter later. “I like to treat myself as a marauder,” he said, referring to the need to take risks to push culture forward.

“Capturing Black life is very heavy to me,” he said. “It’s important that people learn where they come from and also understand (our Black predecessors) crawled so we could walk.”

Full story at the link in the comments.

🖋️ : Brooke Leigh Howard / AJC
📸 : Abbey Cutrer / AJC | Courtesy of Quality Lenz