Kodac Harrison is a multifaceted artist known for his work as a musician, poet, spoken word performer, painter, and author, with a career spanning more than four decades. Born and raised in Jackson, Georgia, he holds a bachelor's degree from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Tulane University. Though academically accomplished, Harrison pursued a life dedicated to the arts, blending music, poetry, and visual art with a strong presence in Atlanta’s cultural scene.
He began performing professionally after a stint in the army and has produced over twenty recordings of original music and spoken word, often describing his style as "Beatnik Blues," influenced by blues, Southern soul, and literary songwriting. Harrison’s performances range from solo acoustic sets to working with bands of varying sizes, and he has toured internationally, including multiple European tours.
Harrison founded the poetry reading and open mic series Java Monkey Speaks (later Java Speaks) in 2001, one of Atlanta’s longest-running poetry events, which he led until 2016. He has also been deeply involved in poetry communities, serving as chairman of Poetry Atlanta and participating in poetry slams.
As an author, Harrison compiled a retrospective of his poetry and lyrics in the 2013 book The Turtle and the Moon and launched a memoir entitled Chasing My Vagabond Heart in 2025, which chronicles his artistic journey and life experiences over 40 years. His artistry extends to abstract painting, and he has held academic positions including serving twice as the visiting McEver Chair of Poetry at Georgia Tech.
Harrison’s career highlights include performances at significant events such as the Andrew Young tribute hosted by Maya Angelou and Harry Belafonte, and for former President Jimmy Carter at the Carter Center. He has been recognized repeatedly as Atlanta’s best spoken word artist and continues to release music and poetry, with his latest album In Too Deep 2 released in 2019.
Overall, Kodac Harrison is celebrated as a renaissance figure in Atlanta’s art and poetry scene—a devoted artist whose work weaves together words, music, and visual creativity to express the depths of human experience.
What People Are Saying
“Kodac Harrison – You know what I like about Kodac? The way he makes his songs as poetic as all get out, and yet it’s still like listening to him tell you some story on the streetcorner, completely plainspoken and natural. His songs are distinctly his own. And that voice is like no other.”
— Jeff Clark, Stomp and Stammer
“You gotta hand it to Harrison; his refusal to heed contemporary trends has lent him a certain authenticity that many lesser talents would kill for. Drawing from the miscreant singer-songwriter tradition of early Tom Waits and Warren Zevon, his cautionary urban tales ring true and rock hard.”
— Creative Loafing, Atlanta, Ga.
“Musician and spoken-word artist Kodac Harrison is internationally known for his vibrant character studies and clever word play. His seventh CD, Portraits and Passages, captures his at his best, spinning tales of travel both real and imagined.”
— Lee Smith, Creative Loafing Atlanta
“Kodac Harrison introduced himself and started to play. Wow! Bluesy and poetic, he puts on a show. He dances, he sings, and gets you lost in the rhythm of his music. Every once in a while, in the midst of your toe tapping, you might actually notice a lyric. Some of them just jump out at you and scream. You hear spoken word and bluesy rhythms, then all of a sudden…BAM! He rocks out and slaps you in the face.”
— Nykki Lawstuen, Creative Loafing Savannah, Ga.