Lord Jamar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lord Jamar
|
|
|---|---|
| Birth name | Lorenzo Dechalus |
| Born | September 17, 1968 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Origin | New Rochelle, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, DJ, record producer, actor, podcaster |
| Instruments | Vocals, sampler, keyboard, turntable |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Babygrande/Koch, Elektra, Loud |
| Associated acts | Brand Nubian, Dead Prez, DJ Vlad, Wu-Tang Clan |
Lorenzo Dechalus (born September 17, 1968), known professionally as Lord Jamar is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, actor and podcaster. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Brand Nubian, which was formed in 1989. In 1996, he discovered Dead Prez and got them signed to Loud Records.
Contents
Early life
Jamar was born in The Bronx, New York City, but was raised in New Rochelle, New York. Jamar has Afro-Guyanese heritage on his father's side, and he is the eldest of three brothers. He was introduced to hip hop music in the 1970s through a friend who lived in his neighborhood, and he would listen to tapes of The Cold Crush Brothers, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and The Sugarhill Gang. DJ Daryll C of Crash Crew used to take Jamar to hip hop shows in New York City. He dropped out of high school after failing ninth grade, and worked a few short-term jobs prior to signing a record deal.
Career
Brand Nubian's debut studio album, One for All, was released in 1990 and is regarded by The Source as one of the greatest hip hop albums.
Brand Nubian's third studio album, Everything is Everything was released in 1994. In 1996, he discovered Dead Prez and got them signed to Loud Records. As an actor, Jamar is best known for his role of Supreme Allah on the TV series Oz. He has appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Third Watch, and The Sopranos. He has also worked as a producer for artists such as Dead Prez, Buckshot, Shaka Amazulu the 7th and Tom Browne.
He released his debut solo album The 5% Album (an album dedicated to the Nation of Gods and Earths) on June 27, 2006. Like his onscreen character on Oz, Jamar is a member of the Nation of Gods and Earths.
Jamar currently co-hosts a podcast, Yanadameen Godcast, with fellow rapper Rah Digga. He has criticized Black Lives Matter, saying, "It's not our movement," and that, in regard to the George Floyd protests, "most people looting are white; some riots are staged by paid agitators."
Discography
Studio albums
- The 5% Album (2006)
Guest appearances
| Title | Year | Other performer(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Show Business" | 1991 | A Tribe Called Quest, Sadat X, Diamond D | The Low End Theory |
| "Verbal Intercourse (Non-Cross-Over Resistance Version)" | Professor Griff, Killa Ranks, Sadat X, Wise Intelligent | Verbal Intercourse (VLS) | |
| "Where Ya At? (Extended Version)" | 1995 | Mobb Deep, Chuck D, DA Smart, Erule, Merchant, RZA, Killah Priest, Sunz of Man, Brooklyn Zu | One Million Strong |
| "Bluesanova" | 1996 | Dead Prez | Hip Bop |
| "Live Wires Connect" | UGK, Keith Murray | Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood: The Soundtrack | |
| "The Lump Lump (Nubian Mix)" | Grand Puba, Sadat X | The Lump Lump (VLS) | |
| "Tell Me (6 Karat Hip Hop Mix)" | 1997 | Groove Theory, Sadat X | Check the Vibe |
| "Collaboration of Mics" | Artifacts, Lord Finesse | That's Them | |
| "Street Parables" | Shabazz the Disciple | Street Parables (VLS) | |
| "That Real Live" | 2000 | QNC | Lean To (VLS) |
| "Oz Theme 2000" | 2001 | Kool G Rap, Talib Kweli | Oz: The Soundtrack |
| "Fightin' Clocks Remix" | Ilacoin | Fightin' Clocks Remix (VLS) | |
| "Keep It Movin" | Grand Puba | Understand This | |
| "The Classic Mix Part II" | 2003 | DJ Armsteady, Sadat X | The Enyce Experience |
| "Nitty Gritty (Dog Spelled Backwards Mix)" | KMD, Busta Rhymes, Sadat X | Best of KMD | |
| "Important ..." | 2005 | Jus Allah, Agallah | All Fates Have Changed |
| "Chosen Few" | 2006 | Sadat X | Black October |
| "U-Riders" | 2007 | U-Fam | The War on Hip Hop |
| "Angel Dust" | 2008 | Hasan Salaam | Children of God |
| "Igod" | Shaka Amazulu the 7th, Darkim Be Allah | The Black Stone of Mecca | |
| "Engage the Enemy Remix" | 2009 | Blak Madeen | Sacred Defense |
| "Deep Space (Jay da Flex & Yoof Remix)" | RZA | Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture, Vol. 2: Enter the Dubstep | |
| "I See Dead People" | Grand Puba, Rell | Retroactive | |
| "This Joint Right Here (Remix)" | Grand Puba, Kid Capri, Sadat X | ||
| "Brand New Bein'" | Sadat X, Grand Puba | Brand New Bein' | |
| "Long Years" | 2010 | Sadat X, Grand Puba | Wild Cowboys II |
| "Up Against the Wall" | Group Home, MC Ace | Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal | |
| "Apocalyptic ..." | 2011 | Lord Superb | Perb Made It Possible |
| "Every Hood's a Harlem" | |||
| "Industry RMX 2" | 2015 | Large Professor, Inspectah Deck, Cormega, Roc Marciano, Sadat X | Re:Living |
| "When the Gods Sing" | 2016 | Sadat X, Dizhwar | Never Left (Deluxe Edition) |
| "No One Ever Dies" | School of the Gifted | WuMinati III: Divine Evil | |
| "Cut and Dry" | Sadat X | Agua | |
| "Street Disciples" | 2017 | Heaven Razah, Block McCloud, Rasul Allah | Zayin: You Only Live Twice |
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Morning Breath | Devon | Short |
| 2004 | L-o-v-e | Melvin | Short |
| 2005 | Funny Valentine | Tim | |
| 2006 | They're Just My Friends | Light | |
| 2007 | Wifey | Jevin 'Huss' Jones | TV movie |
| 2009 | Father's Day | Rammel | Short |
| Buffalo Bushido | Torchy | ||
| 2016 | Kill for Me | Skull |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Oz | Kevin 'Supreme Allah' Ketchum | Supporting cast: season 4 |
| 100 Centre Street | - | Episode: "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" | |
| 2002 | Law & Order | Leon Griggs | Episode: "Attorney Client" |
| 2003 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Javier / Leon | Episode: "Desperate" & "Mother" |
| 2004-05 | Third Watch | Raymond Morris | Episode: "Broken" & "Forever Blue" |
| 2006 | The Sopranos | Da Lux | Episode: "The Fleshy Part of the Thigh" |
| 2007 | Ego Trip's The (White) Rapper Show | Himself | Episode: Episode #1.3 |
| 2011 | Rescue Me | D'brickshaw | Episode: "Jeter" & "Vows" |
| 2012 | Elementary | Raul Ramirez | Episode: "You Do It to Yourself" |
| 2013 | Person of Interest | Grishin | Episode: "Relevance" |
| 2016 | The Night Of | Tino | Supporting Cast |
| Money Power Respect | Himself | Episode: "Opening Arguments" & "Till Death Do Us Manage" | |
| 2018 | Unsung | Himself | Episode: "Brand Nubian" & "Digable Planets" |
| Hip-Hop Evolution | Himself | Episode: "Do the Knowledge" | |
| 2020 | For Life | Elijah | Episode: "Character and Fitness" |
| The Last O.G. | Divine | Recurring cast: season 3 |
Documentary
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2004 | And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop |
| 2010 | The Furious Force of Rhymes |
| 2012 | Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap |
| 2018 | Black, White & Blue |
| 2021 | The Sixth Borough of Hip-Hop |
| Buck Breaking |
