American actor and MC Lord Jamar releases “Known Associates” this fall on Universalindie.com and all major digital outlets. The album is a compilation of tracks featuring such artists as Capadonna, Hasan Salaam, Lord Superb, Saigon and Xzibit, to name a few.
The forthcoming album hearkens to Lord Jamar’s long-standing subscription to the The Nation of Gods and Earths [Five-Percent Nation] – a soundtrack to the Hardbody-Godbody way of life: “It’s good hip hop, but has these elements on it because it’s who I am.”
A member of legendary, classic hip-hop group “Brand Nubian” Jamar reflects on the evolution of the industry over the past 20 years: “Everything changes… I don’t think I’m changing according to other people, but I am changing according to my own evolution. Even with Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down, statistically, people weren’t expecting me and Sadat to succeed.”
Jamar has an appreciation for other genres. Influenced by classical, Spanish and old soul music, the beats dictate his music production.
“Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding impacts me and grows within me, daily. Although I’m changing, I’m staying consistent with my core message.”
Widely known for his role on HBO’s “OZ” as “Supreme Allah,” as well as “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Third Watch,” “The Sopranos,” and most recently in Dennis Leary’s television show “Rescue Me,” Jamar is looking to expand beyond music and do more acting and production.
Lord Jamar says, “Whenever you’re pursuing your dreams you’re doing a courageous thing… It may have sounded absurd to some people [being an emcee] because I wasn’t from any of the 5 boros; I was from Westchester… I pursued it despite the naysayers. Same thing with acting; I didn’t have acting under my belt, but I wanted to do it. Courage comes in different ways, like whenever you’re pursuing something you love, but you’re not sure about.”
By Hana Glinski http://hnaprnews.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/known-associates/
