Raised in South Central, Los Angeles, Calmatic is a self-taught filmmaker who discovered his passion for telling stories at a young age. As a director, he seeks to stretch the limits of viewers’ reality while highlighting the beauty in the mundane. His creative curiosity has allowed him to solidify a place for himself in a constantly evolving industry.
Calmatic’s video collaborations span some of music’s most influential artists. Perhaps his most well-known project is Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, which won the Grand Prix Entertainment Lions for Music at the 2020/2021 Cannes Lions as well as a VMA for Best Director. The video currently has over 1.3 Billion views. He has also collaborated with Donald Glover, Kendrick Lamar, The Rolling Stones, Tyler, The Creator, Zayn Malik, Lizzo, Anderson .Paak, and more.
In 2020, Ad Age named Calmatic “Director of the Year.” The year prior, he was recognized in a national ad for AT&T’s “Codes of The Culture” campaign as one of the leading filmmakers in the new Black Hollywood.
He has successfully transitioned into directing commercials for global brands including Apple, Target, NBA, Sprite, Chase, Geico, Ad Council, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, McDonald’s, and TurboTax. Throughout his career, he has directed five Super Bowl spots: Turbo Tax in 2020, Michelob Ultra in 2021, Crypto in 2022, and both Popeyes and Silk in 2024.
Calmatic made his feature directorial debut in January 2023 with the remake of the 90s cult classic House Party. His sophomore film, the remake of White Men Can’t Jump, was released in Spring 2023.
