Today we’d like to introduce you to Jojit Roy.
Hi Jojit, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Back in 2015, I bought the new Xbox, which had a new feature where you could broadcast live, record, and clip your gameplay. It was really just a bonus to be able to play all the new games coming out at the time. It gave me an opportunity to post my “cool” gameplay clips of hitting a really cool shot or an intelligent play. When I found that you can broadcast live and interact with an audience, I began my streaming journey. When I built my first Gaming computer, I dove deep into all the YouTube tips and tricks on how to grow and become the “best” streamer. Out of all the tips and tricks I had taken note of, one stood out in particular, “Build a Community”, something that resonated very deeply with me. It resonated with me because all my mentors growing up would always remind me to thank those who have helped me through my journey and pave my way through life. Being a Southeast San Diegan I feel like it’s very prominent to everyone to always rep your city, community and put your people on as we continue to grow. More importantly, simply give back to the community that raised you. So, my biggest intention with starting my channel was to build my community which would then turn into a multi-network of other streamers who can connect with other streamers and communities endlessly. I had collected my closest friends on twitch (the streaming platform we all met on) and started “The Ville”. The Ville was based off the saying “It takes a village to raise a child” to where I would be “the child” and the community I built would be the ones helping me grow. It was also loosely inspired by J.Cole’s rap label “Dreamville” where he and his friends simply put out good music together. As we continued to grow and gain more and more traction, what started as 10 core members, now sits at 35 members who range from FPS, RPG, Speedrunning, fighting games, graphic artists, DJs, musicians, photographers, and videographers all contribute to keeping the networks flowing and being able to refer anyone to a common community. We have been able to create and release multiple apparel and accessory items for the community to represent and share and now hold just a little over 1000 server members. Through my time as a streamer, I have been able to sign to an official e-sports organization “Elevate” with full control of my creative ability. I help design apparel, assist in partnerships, direct videos, and implement marketing ideas and in-game content. The organization has always been a household name in the industry and continues to grow every day. The biggest accomplishment out of my streaming career is to be able to say that I have not only been able to help create a self-sustaining twitch community to where a multiverse of networks continue to open each and every day but that I have been able to raise over $15,000 in just under 2 years for organizations like Stop AAPI Hate, Black Lives Matter, The NAACP, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Hope for the Day, Games for Love and really be an advocate not just for my community but each and every one of my 34 other members of the Ville. We are able to spread awareness to those who might not even know certain organizations like these exist and help educate them about how what we do can mean something greater.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Some of the struggles we ran into were really internal-based. We never really ran into problems with the community itself, but our cohesiveness as a collective. We have people who are in all different aspects of life, some who really just stream as a hobby, and some really trying to make a living off of it. Not only that, but you add that we are international, West Coast, East Coast, Canada, and even Australia it was really hard to even get everyone in the same zoom meeting at a fair time. Just like with any team we also had a hard time getting through COVID-19, since the team itself was not local (except for a few select members who are in SD) we never really got a chance in our early stages to meet face-to-face with each other. It was hard, for some members to get as close as some other members were as the time zones wouldn’t permit the times people were up and playing games or simply just hanging out and having a conversation. Since COVID has died down and more regulations lift, we all have been actively scheduling flights and vacations to meet up with one another in our respective states and countries. Another struggle we had all encountered was competition, at the end of the day some of us were really trying to make a living or “make it big” and as we grew in numbers both as a collective and community, the competition grew more and more. As an open member signed a partnership deal another one of us lost an opportunity.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am Content Creator for the eSports organization Elevate. I mainly stream and post videos of myself playing video games, reviewing content, products, or simply just talking to a live chat. My focus is in First-person shooter (FPS) in games such as Valorant, Apex Legends, and Rainbox 6 Siege. I try to dive into a variety of games and genuinely stick to whatever I am in a mood for. I am mainly known for founding The Ville, a streaming collective of 35 streamers, who all range from multitudes of emphases. The Ville has been able to bring many streaming communities together and create a multiverse where if anyone wanted to try out a different genre of streaming, someone could’ve been able to have a reference to another streamer. I am most proud of being able to be the safe space in the twitch community for people to be a part of something. We try to educate our communities about the social problems that are in and around our everyday lives. We as are a team who thankfully, are mostly local or plan around making content in person. We have hosted multiple charities strictly online through twitch, but we have also been able to host 2 charities in person called Life of Vibes where we invite multiple DJs in California to come together and play their love of music for a greater cause. What sets us apart is that we really try to embody our kinship. We jokingly make fun of how ridiculous the Fast n Furious” movie series is because how outrageous some of the situation on how they meet their friends that eventually turn family are. But when we look at it from a bigger picture, we all really met, somewhere in the online universe in some video game lobby and now we legitimately can call each other family.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The Ville and I are very open to any collaborations and partnerships! We have worked with partners ranging from boba shops to esports apparel companies. We love to host charity events and collaborate as creators. Our only goal is to do events with the community for the community. You can contact me at @JojitRoy on any of my social media, or at thevillefam@gmail.com for any opportunities!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.twitch.tv/ourboy
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jojitroy/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JojitRoy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFl0Rut1ZcyveAg23WxmFQA
- Other: https://twitter.com/TheVilleFam
Image Credits
Marco Ramos
Gabe Rangel
Timothy Pham
Leo Dirilo
