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- an excerpt from his FBI file
Mason Jamal resides somewhere in the eastern timezone tucked away in the federal iconoclast witness protection program. He writes from his observation of men, women and popular culture. He recently started contributing at TheRoot.com. He has written for Essence Magazine, Tavis Smiley's PBS news site and for AOL's BlackVoices.com where he also co-hosted a relationship web series called The Ring with Rebecca Brody, the Luv Coach. Mason also hosted a radio talk show for five years where tackled issues of popular and political cutlure.
More importantly, he loathes people who insist on using straws at restaurants for fear of germs even though they display no reservations whatsoever using the forks. He is indisputably the most sensible, yet irreverent, man you will ever know. In his spare time, he is rewriting the Bible - removing all passages that people use to justify hate and hypocrisy. It's tentatively called the King Jamal Version.
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Posts
- Jun 19, 11Before President Barack Obama was penning essays and delivering social sermons on fatherhood, there was Ed O.G. & Da Bullldogs. It was the early '90s and the hip-hop quartet from Boston had a hit single on their hands, “Be a Father to Your Child.”
For absentee dads everywhere, it was a call to action, even if it was tantamount to herding cats. For men already doing the right thing, it was affirmation. For me, it was merely a song with a positive message and a dope horn riff. I was 19 years old at the time. Becoming a father to a child was not part of the picture. I was planning to become a producer to some rappers as I fixed my gaze on Atlanta to pursue my own music ambitions. Things changed when I was 21. Continue - Apr 13, 11"Obaaaaammmmma!"
That was Oprah in 2007. She was effusive and unrestrained in her excitement as the man soon to be president sauntered onto her soundstage. He spoke. She listened. He enthralled. She endorsed. They seemed like best friends. Even better, play cousins.
Their mutual admiration was palpable and sometimes even difficult to watch. During his appearances, she did everything but pass the plate. She even took time from her busy schedule of taking magazine cover shots of herself to join him and Michelle on the campaign trail.
Fast-forward four years, and Winfrey has allegedly cooled her private jets a bit. Although her reps have denied it, rumor has it she will not publicly endorse Obama for the 2012 election. At this point, her plans are unclear at best.
Here is something else we know: click here to continue reading - Apr 07, 11Note: Things have changed. I'm no longer writing at AOL-Huff Po Black Voices. Long story. I'll tell it one day, maybe. Let me just say that I used to be a big Arianna Huffington fan. Today, not so much. But I wish everyone over there the best. On to the next one as it's said. My contract was voided on Tuesday and on Thursday my first post on Washington Post's www.TheRoot.com was published. Turning lemons into lemonade. The show continues. Enjoy.
Years ago, a rumor circulated that the recipes of a popular restaurant chain contained a secret birth control agent that sterilized black men. The KKK was alleged to have masterminded the operation. They named the restaurant Church's, after the most revered institution in the black community, and they specialized in fried chicken. If true, it was brilliant and racist at the same time.Even as speculation about the nefarious plot caught fire like a burning cross, black men continued to eat the diabolically delicious chicken. Yet the African-American birthrate stayed right on schedule. So much for any truth to the sperm-killing three-piece dinners. While we're at it, let's go ahead and also debunk any lingering conspiracy theories about syphilis-injected buttery biscuits.The point? Sometimes misinformation will auto-correct in the public mind, as with the myth of the racist chicken proprietors. But sometimes it won't. Our fascination with the down-low brother is a prime example. To dismiss him as an urban legend would be to refute the facts of his existence, but it's certainly reasonable and, frankly, responsible to relegate him to an urban exaggeration. - Mar 25, 11I've been a husband for six years. I've been a father for 18. Do the math. That's negative 12. Who needs an abacus? I belong to a generation of parents who, in financial speak, are upside down. If our children were mortgages, we would be one nation underwater. Wait a minute, we are. Shucks.Even though I'm no longer an unwed single parent, I'm not married to my son's biological mother. And now that "blackman" (as my wife and I affectionately call him) is weeks away from high school graduation, I have some words of wisdom to share with other parents who aren't married to the mother or father of their child(ren).
From foreplay to foreclosure, we keep getting screwed. Blame it on the burst of the housing bubble or blame it on the burst of the condom bubble. Either way, things don't always unfold the way we hoped.
Ideally, love and marriage should come before baby and carriage just as incontrovertible evidence should have come before "Bombs Over Baghdad". Then again, Bush and Dick always had a mind of their own anyway.
Continue Reading - Mar 17, 11Relationships often play out with two sets of rules: his and hers. Nowhere do double standards flourish more than when it comes to issues of weight. Men want their girlfriends and wives to stay in shape. While it may or may not always work out that way, we certainly find ways to make our feelings known: "Babe, you sure you want to eat that deep-fried doughnut?" After all, there is only so much cushion for the pushin' a man needs.
But turn the tables, and you find that most men roll differently. And when I say "roll," I mean actually rolling up on the drive-thru and, two heartbeats away from cardiac arrest, we'll bark out our order: "I'd like my double standard with cheese please."
Indulge me as I speak from my own personal experience because, you know, that's something I never do.
Continue Reading - Mar 15, 11
Watching Miami Heat games this season, viewers catch glimpses of NBA journeyman Juwan Howard. He sits toward the forgotten end of the bench. His goatee he's had since birth is still impeccable, flecks of gray and all. He watches helplessly as the Two and a Half Men of South Beach (Dwyane, Lebron and Chris) continue to fall short of expectations. Juwan knows a little bit of about that himself.
Last night, ESPN premiered Fab 5, the latest sports documentary in it's critically acclaimed 30 for 30 series. Their names - Chris Weber, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson and, of course, Juwan Howard - ring familiar in the ears of longtime hoop enthusiasts. They are regarded by many as the greatest class of incoming freshmen ever recruited. And as sure as they lived up to it, they also fell victim to it.
The five played together intact for just two seasons, but the memories of watching them play and the impact they made have lasted for more than two decades. If you missed last night's airing, find it, wait for it, record it, watch it.
I do, however, take issue with parts of the visual presentation. The on-court footage of the Fab 5 was trip down memory lane, but it was also a never-ending trip down the actual lane. Over and over, each clip was punctuated with a thunderous slam dunk, swinging from the rim, posterizing opponets. Though exciting to watch, the imagery did them a bit of a disservice. The Fab 5 couldn't have accomplished the unprecedented success that they did if their basketball prowess was limited to rim clutching acrobatics.
Black athleticism is more than just young kids wearing bagging shorts dunking the ball aggressively. The highlights chosen for the film painted a one-dimensional picture of their talent and ability. No team reaches the NCAA Championship game two years in a row, led by underclassmen, without range and depth to their game. The stereotype of the menacing and unnuanced urban youth is overplayed. But what's new?
What the film does really well is tell a coming of age story of five young black men who were given a crash course in the racket that is big time collegiate sports. There is an account of Chris Weber observing how his jersey with his name emblazoned on the back was selling for $75.00, yet he found himself unable to even buy a slice of pizza. The irony wasn't lost on Chris and the other four.
Jalen Rose similarly reflected on a team trip to Italy, after their inaugural season, noting that a lot of money was being made as they played European professionals in sold-out crowds gyms, yet they saw none of it. NCAA rules prohibit such fairness. This isn't terribly different from the legendary stories of record companies, both black- and white-owned, robbing black artists of royalties due to them. The exception is this is collegiate sports where it's condoned and sanctioned.
Indeed, mistakes were made by members of the Fab 5 and punishments were leveled. But for 19-year-old-kids mistakes are easy to come by. It's even easier to get ensnared by the nebulous rules of the NCAA, the very organization that realizes 3 plus 2 equaled Fab 5 millions - which these young men saw not a penny of.
I'm always struck by people who prefer the college game over the pros for reasons of purity. There is very little pure about a billion dollar industry like that thrives on cheap labor. Whereas many Fortune 500 companies outsource their work overseas, if the NCAA could get away with it they would in-source sweatshop labor from southeast Asia. Collegiate sports lost its cherry as soon as merchandising and billion dollar network contracts came into play.
This is why it brought me great satisfaction to be reminded that at one point, in protest of the millions being made off their talent by the likes of Nike and their own school, the Fab 5 began warming up in solid blue t-shirts, no swoosh, no university emblem, nothing. Resistance and defiance is a major part of the story of the Fab 5. It's no surprise that Muhammad Ali embraced the young men during an encounter in Atlanta and told them to "shock the world". Though falling short of winning a championship, they did just that. One - Mar 09, 11Earlier this week, when I decided to entertain the topic of how married men process the fact a close friend is getting divorced, I thought of several films I've seen over the years featuring orphans. Stay with me.
Have you ever watched an orphan movie? And I don't mean the time you acted as a benevolent soul and took home that straight-to-video joint starring Vivica Fox and Eddie Winslow from 'Family Matters.' You remember. The one that no one else was willing to take a chance on and upon wasting one hour and 42 minutes of your weekend, you didn't know whether to pat yourself on the back for blindly supporting black cinema or smack yourself in the face.
Granted, it was charitable of you and your family to take home an unwanted movie, but that's a different type of orphan movie, one abandoned by the studio system and the public. I'm referring to real orphan movies with the cliche villainous nuns, bloody British accents, the whole nine. But it's another cliche also found in all orphan movies that's applicable to the subject of men, friends and divorce. Continue Reading - Mar 14, 11Jesus walks. Kanye talks. Everyone has a thing. A cross to bear, some tweets to share. Something. One must know his or her role and play it like they are "taking their talents to South Beach". Love it, hate it or misunderstand it, that's how 'Ye brings the heat. This week was no different, as the rapper/producer took to Twitter to unleash his latest grievance. Continue Reading
- Mar 14, 11Twelve months ago, it happened again. Regrettably, the story is a familiar one. An older man, balding and wealthy, began lavishing a younger woman with cash and gifts. As sure as she was stunning, he was horny. And there he salivated, only an arm length's away from a Pez dispenser of magic blue pills.
That said, this arrangement - excuse me, "non-arrangement" - was merely a platonic friendship, according to the man that no one believes. Justice system, meet Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's Prime Minister. The two of you will be getting to know each other over the next few months. - Mar 14, 11I've always been partly amused, partly aghast by a man who allows his significant other to dictate which of his friends are socially suitable to hang out with. It's becoming more and more common. What is happening to men? Granted, we've come a long way since the days when male chauvinism was the rule and women were expected to be docile housewives.
Women wear pants now - both literally and metaphorically - as they should. But does this mean that men should be sporting form-fitting pencil skirts? I'm not saying that men have to wear THE pants in a relationship, but I do feel strongly that they should wear A PAIR of pants in the relationship - again, both literally and metaphorically. Continue Reading - Mar 05, 11I know, I know. You're wearing thin on the Carlina White saga. You should be.
But indulge me as I jump into this from an entirely different perspective. In fact, Carlina and all the mama drama that has become her story i. s simply the springboard for my latest double-reverse dive into the waters of media criticism.
Continue Reading - Mar 05, 11Blame Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey. They started this. And I'm not talking about wack pop music; that actually predates them. What I'm talking about is the entertainment equivalent of a migraine -- housewife reality television co-starring comically emasculated men schlepping behind their significant others. Watching this stuff makes my head feel like it's going to explode. And thank you, too, MTV, for being the first network to green-light the end of quality television as we knew it. Continue Reading
- Aug 12, 10The theory of supply and demand is arguably the most fundamental tenet of the free market. Understand how it works and you understand three-quarters of America's woes, like the proliferation of reality television, the unnecessary gluttonous absurdity of Taco Bell and KFC one-stops, and the exponential growth of ringtone purchases by grown-ass adults who should know better.
Click Here to Continue Reading - Jul 15, 10Cleveland sports fans are pissed. So are black women. This is a familiar emotion for both groups. But oddly enough, this time around it's for similar reasons. Both feel that they've been abandoned by black men behaving badly – more specifically – superstar athletes who chose to exercise their options. One of the men in question was born and raised in Ohio, but now plays in Miami. We'll call him Lebron. The other was born and raised in Miami but plays in Ohio. We'll call him LeChad. The symmetry is uncanny. That noted, I don't believe the angry mobs in Cleveland or black hair salons across the country take much solace in the similarity of their situations.
Click Here to Continue - Jul 08, 10Two words - summer hiatus. Two more words - sue me. That said, I'm back. New article in the queue and on the way to a monitor in front of you in the next day or two. For now, check out the premier episode of The Ring With Rebecca Brody & Mason Jamal, a new internet show for Black Voices. We shot a few episodes last month in the New York and planning to shoot some more next month. It's a work in progress so cut me some slack.
See the first episode here - May 28, 10My 24 year-old cousin declares that she'll never date a guy with children. Her reasons are her own. It doesn't matter if I disagree or not. She has her standards and criteria. She's principled. I like that about her. Still, I'm humored by her naiveté when it comes to her use of the word "never". In general, it's such an overstated response to a reality that, once fully unveiled, tends to make us eat our words. I mean we're all guilty of using the word a little too loosely. For example, I "never" thought that Michael Jordan would sport that part-ridiculous, part-sociopathic, Hitler-esque mustache that he's wearing these days in underwear commercials. Sadly, I was wrong. You never know how age will change a person. And that's my point.
Click Here to Finish Reading - May 19, 10Every now and then, I still like to drop advice for my readers. This one I couldn't resist.
Mason, since you present yourself to know so much about men and their behavior, please explain to me why my husband of the last ten years has changed so drastically. When we first started dating, even through our first three or four years of marriage, he was his own man. He was loyal but he had an independent spirit. He was a nice but he knew when and how to be naughty. That's what I liked about him. I hate to admit it but what attracted me to him in the first place was his "bad boy" demeanor that I thought he had. Now, he seems like a complete pushover. Until recently, I was happy with that. I got my way. Things were good. In the last couple of years however I've grown more and more disinterested in the marriage. I'm bored. Is it me?
- Stephanie (Bay Area)
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I'm off this week. I'll be back on the other side. Thanks for the continued support. One
- May 05, 10I remember the afternoon well. I fidgeted quietly in the backroom of my urologist's office eyeing the surgical instruments. My feet were in stirrups. My testicles were in Europe. Hey, a man can dream. Being able to say "sorry doc, the fellas missed their flight so a manly pap smear will suffice" seemed like a far better idea at the time. But I was there for a purpose and I needed to get through it.
Click Here to Finish Reading - May 01, 10First dates can be interesting. Women tend to handle them with style and grace. Some are versed in the art of dating, but most are simply playing it by ear. Either way, they're composed. They rarely miss a note. Meanwhile, homeboy sitting on the other side of the table, too often, is struggling like Jodeci, circa 1991, to find the beat. K-Ci, Jo-Jo, Devante, Dalvin; it doesn't matter which one. What I'm saying is he's operating with two left feet. He can't locate his rhythm. He's out of synch.
By the way, the odds of discovering another R&B group comprised of four young black men that all suffer from deficient dance skill are slim, but not as slim as finding a man who doesn't treat first dates like Russian roulette. Even though men mean well, women are keenly aware that, as we spin our game, we always have one dumb ass deal breaker of a move sitting in the chamber with which we're ready to shoot ourselves in the foot. So on that note, allow me to offer up some don'ts for men going out on the first date.
Click Here To Continue Reading - Apr 21, 10Editor's Note: This post is now available at Blackvoices.com. Link below.
Before we get in to this week's post, a few words. Since my arrival at Black Voices last November, I've been well received by most readers. The feedback via the comment board, email, Twitter and Facebook is incredible. But unfortunately there is a small, yet vocal, segment of the readership (generously two percent) that I surmise weren't hugged enough as babies – too much mouth breathing, not enough breastfeeding. They're irritable and ill-humored. Their struggle to distinguish between what's serious and what's clearly tongue-in-cheek is well documented; check the comment boards. It's time they catch up and appreciate the spirit of the commentary as it's intended. In fact, they should play like Michael Jackson in the late 80's and lighten up a bit. Thank you for indulging me. On to the post.
Click Here To Read Seven Things Couples Shouldn't Do - Apr 17, 10This afternoon (Saturday, April 17), I'll be on the air from 3 to 5 p.m. streaming live at http://thebuzzcincy.com filling in for another host. If you live in Cincinnati, that's 1230AM. On tap to join me by phone is Helena Andrews (author of the upcoming book Bitch is the New Black), Rebecca Brody, the Luv Coach (my homegirl/colleague at Black Voices) and another special guest.
- Apr 14, 10Watching a television show with attractive young women drinking martinis on ultra-posh South Beach while commiserating about the "mo money, mo problems" that their relationships with million dollar ballplayers have brought them is mind numbing. Yet, for reasons this writer is still scratching his head about, Sunday night I subjected myself to gazing at the spectacle of what's yet another example of the 'Kim Kardashian-ization' of reality relationship television.
I think the saying goes "it's better to keep your mouth closed and be thought of as a glorified groupie than to open it and remove all doubt." And that's exactly what happened to a few of the women on the premier episode of VH-1's 'Basketball Wives.' The show stars Shaunie O'Neal (Shaq's ex -wife), along with an assorted cast of girlfriends who are or were involved, on some level or another, with NBA players.
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Click Here to Finish Reading - Apr 08, 10Men have giveaways. For instance, women can tell a lot about us by our shoes. And just as much, if not more, women can learn a lot about us by our hair. With each of them, there are issues are of quality, style and upkeep. But for now, I'll save my thoughts on the importance of footwear for another time. This one is far more personal and far less explored – the topic of men and our crowns.
Now, that I'm in my late thirties things are slowly changing, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. The hair on my head doesn't grow as thick and evenly as it once did. And my hairline? It's only a smidgen easier to find than WMDs in Iraq circa 2003. In fact, depending on the mirror and the quality of light, some days it smacks of a fading rumor. If I wasn't already married, I'd be in full meltdown mode by now. A man's hair is psychological. It can affect how he sees himself and how he interacts with the world and particularly women. Click Here to Finish Reading
Click Here To Continue - Mar 31, 10A good friend finds herself irritated by the incessant chatter about the "single black woman" phenomenon. She confides that she recognizes the challenges that many black women face in pursuit of love and she feels for them, but she's coming from a different place. At age 38, she has no interest in walking down the aisle, settling down or raising children. She never has. Therefore, the logistics and statistics for finding a good (black) man don't mean a lot to her on a personal level. Perhaps, she's a bit of a loner that way, but she's definitely not alone in how she feels.
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- it's been nice knowing you Coach Spo
- "giving people what you know they will like (as opposed to taking risks) is soul-destroying in a small way" - Anthony Bourdain
- when the hell did White Castle get a surf-n-turf slider w/cheese?
- Utah and San Antonio...oh, that's why I keep yawning.May 02, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Singha (from Thailand) - best Asian beer. Sapporo doesn't belong in the same refrigerator.
- Mel Kiper looks eerily sociopathic, like he has committed dark crimes against humanity & only he knows where the bodies are buried.
- President Barack Obama 'Slow Jams the News' w/ Jimmy Fallon & The Roots last night. must must must see! http://t.co/KaQmBVSdApr 25, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- mexican food - good. mexican beer - bad, real bad. in the world cup of bad beer between US and Mexico there are no losers.
- so what happens if LeBron says he "loves Ozzie Guillen"?
- i'm reminded that no good deed goes unpunished.
- perhaps when your neck starts glistening it's a sign that you've applied too much cologne, says the man in the mirror.
- just bought some skittles and ice tea. headed home. seems innocent enough. wish me luck.
- Andre Davis (KY) really has to chop down his eyebrows. Channeling Al B. Sure ain't the move this millennium.
- seriously, how lazy was Rakim on "Paid on Full"? dopest beat on the 'album' & he gave us one verse.ONE VERSE!! love Backspin on XM.Mar 24, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
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Answered
- what is you sexual orientation?I'm straight. The better question is were you compelled to ask me this out of simple curiosity or because I wrote something about bi-sexual men that didn't involve fire and brimstone? I ask this because the question surfaces every time I write something or say something on air about homosexuality. Since I don't judge, cast aspersions, or cherry pick scripture from the Bible, I'm interrogated about my own sexuality. Then again, maybe you're gay and you're wondering if I'm gay too. That wouldn't be the first time either. Anyway, I'm straight. Feel better about your homophobia now? Or if you were wanting to know because you are hoping I'm gay too, sorry dude. Just progressive. Next question.Asked by Formspring Apr 12, 11
- Why are there so many single people? Somehow it is a paradox, don't you think?Why are there so many single people? Damn. I love the quote "candidates for political office campaign in poetry but when they get elected they govern in prose". Two different things. One is romance. The other is reality. Not that the two can't meet or overlap but it's tough. My point? People think of relationships as poetry but once the rubber meets the road, it's about the prose. It's not as fluid. It's not as artsy. It's journalism. It's real life. Sometimes it's light and fun. Often times it's heavy and sobering. So I think people struggle with making relationships work because they don't cozy up to the idea of what a long term successful relationship looks like and feels like. I'm in one that I enjoy very much but it AIN'T poetry. It AIN'T a "paradox" either. Not sure where you're going with that one. One more thing. Consider the possibility that a lot of people are single because there are a lot of people who want to be single. I get that too.Asked by Formspring Apr 09, 11
- Nice first cut on the down low myth...the research if looked at over time show the number one mode of contracting hiv for AAW is IV drug use..watch my film "what black men think""Nice first cut" huh? Very generous of you. Send me an email through my contact form with a link to your film and I'll check it out. For anyone who hasn't the post that he/she is referencing here it is: http://www.theroot.com/views/mister-cee-and-myth-down-low-boogie-man. It's a nice first cut. I'll do better next time.Asked by Formspring Apr 09, 11
- When did you decide to become an iconoclast, or where you born that way?This is a great question. Is "iconolast-uality" by nurture or by nature? Is it a choice or is it in the genes? I think it was by choice. The very fact that someone refers to him or herself as an iconoclast is an act of "iconoclasm" in itself. Stay with me as continue to cannibalize this word. But more specifically, I think I came to the realization that I might be an iconoclast when I started catching a lot of grief from people around the internet for views that challenged mainstream values, sensibilities and traditions. The fact that I don't take myself too seriously doesn't hurt either. Don't get me wrong. I take my opinions seriously but not my public persona. The writer is the intellectual in me. The iconoclast is the entertainer. It's calculated.Asked by Formspring Apr 09, 11
- If you could go back in time 10 years and tell your younger self something, what would it be?save more money and waste less time. also, you should invent this thing called Facebook. you might do well with that.Asked by Formspring Mar 05, 11
- Who's the most underrated musician?DeAngelo. Wow. I just said that. My man has some demons he needs to wrestle to the ground so he can get back in the studio.Asked by Formspring Feb 27, 11
- What film do you think should win Best Picture for the 2010 Oscars?First, it needs to be noted that I'm obligated by my race to denounce the Academy for not nominating any African American films (again) The fact there may not have been any worth consideration this year, doesn't seem to really matter. With all that said, in the absence of Soul Plane II from tonight's nominees, I'm going with The Social Network. Anything Arron Sorkin creates, high on cocaine or not, is a winner in my book.Asked by Formspring Feb 27, 11
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