As a teenager, he started an auto-detailing company[2] and played in a jazz band at Montgomery Blair High School.

[3] Johnson grew up listening to a wide variety of music, but found his calling in jazz, where he incorporates the rhythms of rap with R&B.

[4] Johnson independently released his first jazz album, Lessons in Love, while studying at Georgetown University.

[2] Also while studying at Georgetown, Johnson established Marimelj Entertainment Group, Inc., a production company and music publishing firm.

The mixture of contemporary jazz, alternative, and R&B creates what the company calls “the Urban Groove”.

The record label also features and produced music for national jazz artists: Michael Lington, Jaared Arosemena, Bobby Lyle, Nick Colionne, R&B singer, Alyson Williams, neo-soul songstress, Zahzarah; and smooth jazz Saxophonists Phillip Martin and Brian Lenair.