Coodie & Chike facts for kids

Coodie Simmons (born January 18, 1971) and Chike Ozah (born April 6, 1978) are talented film directors, screenwriters, and producers. They are known for creating exciting music videos and documentaries.

Coodie and Chike first worked together on a music video for Kanye West called "Through the Wire". This video was a big hit! It was nominated for an MTV Viewers Choice Award and won a Source Award for Best Music Video. They continued to direct more music videos for Kanye West, including "Two Words" and "Jesus Walks". They also directed videos for other famous artists like Pitbull, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, and Lupe Fiasco.

Beyond music videos, Coodie and Chike started making longer films. They created a behind-the-scenes video for Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics album. They also made a music documentary for Wale's The Gifted album.

The duo gained a lot of praise for their ESPN 30-for-30 film, Benji (2012). This film told the sad story of a high school basketball player who was tragically killed. In 2013, they directed a short film called Good Morning, which was shown at the American Black Film Festival.

Early Life and Beginnings

Coodie's Journey

Coodie was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his full name is Clarence Ivy Simmons Jr. His mother, Wendy Simmons, encouraged him to use his talent for making people laugh. He often joined his older sister, Tonia, on her radio show.

At Julian High School, Coodie discovered his love for entertaining through talent shows and filming. He credits his sister Tonia for helping him get into media and entertainment. After high school, Coodie studied Communications at Northern Illinois University. He left college after a year, but he says this experience taught him a lot.

Chike's Path

Chike Ozah was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up in city neighborhoods and spent summers in New York. There, he visited art galleries and museums, which sparked his interest in art. His mother worked hard so he could experience new things and attend a private school.

Chike also received a scholarship to Saint Martin Episcopal School. Before his last year of high school, he attended a summer art program in Rhode Island. This is where he realized he wanted to work in art. He started experimenting with 3D art design.

He then went to the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. He explored many subjects like architecture, product design, and film. After graduating, Chike began working in motion graphics. This job brought him to New York, where he created designs for MTV. It was at MTV that Chike first met Coodie.

Building a Career in Film

Channel Zero and First Meetings

In 1994, Coodie helped start a show called Channel Zero with his friend Danny Sorge. This show became very popular in Chicago.

In 1998, Coodie met Kanye West and began filming him for a documentary. This led to Coodie and Chike meeting through an MTV show called You Heard It First, which Chike was producing. Kanye West and a friend suggested that Coodie and Chike work together. They wanted to turn Coodie's footage into a music video.

This is how the "dynamic duo" formed! They produced and directed Kanye's first music video, "Through The Wire." They later directed the third music video for "Jesus Walks."

Creative Control Production Company

Coodie and Chike founded their production company, Creative Control, in 2007. This company became famous for directing music videos like "Window Seat" and "Old School Love."

Creative Control also moved into making traditional films. These include Good Morning, a short film for American Family Insurance. They also made Benji, a film about a talented high school basketball player who was tragically killed.

Notable Works and Projects

The "Window Seat" Video

In 2010, Coodie and Chike released the music video for "Window Seat" by R&B singer Erykah Badu. The video starts with a radio broadcast about John F. Kennedy's motorcade. Badu is seen in a car, then walks towards Elm Street, where she begins to take off her clothes. As she reaches the spot where Kennedy was shot, a gunshot sound is heard, and she falls.

This video was filmed in one continuous take and only took 10 minutes to shoot. It created a lot of discussion on social media and made Coodie and Chike even more well-known.

The Benji Film

In 2012, Coodie and Chike released their highly praised ESPN 30 for 30 film, Benji. This film explored the life of Benjamin Wilson. In 1983, he was ranked the number one high school basketball player in the country.

The film showed how Wilson's death affected the city of Chicago. It also shared the perspective of Billy Moore, the person who shot him. This film was a big step for Coodie and Chike, leading them to speak at events for Nike and the Jordan Brand.

Good Morning Short Film

In 2013, Coodie and Chike released a short film called Good Morning. This film was shown at the 2013 American Black Film Festival. American Family Insurance held a writing contest, and directors chose concepts to create videos. Good Morning won first place at the festival.

Accel Origins Series

In 2017, Coodie and Chike created the Accel Origins Series. These were four short videos featuring company founders. Each video explored why these entrepreneurs started their journeys. Some founders included Lynda Weinman (Lynda.com) and Ryan Smith (Qualtrics).

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy

In 2022, Coodie and Chike released the documentary series jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy. The first part of this series premiered on Netflix on February 16, 2022.

Personal Life

Coodie originally wanted to be a comedian. He even performed on shows like Def Comedy Jam and BET's Comic View in the early 2000s.

Today, Coodie and Chike live in New York. They spend most of their time creating new content for Creative Control. This includes films, commercials, and television shows.