Lord Jamar

Biography

Lorenzo Dechalus (born September 17, 1968), known professionally as Lord Jamar, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, actor, podcaster and conspiracy theorist. 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.

Early life

Jamar was born in The Bronx, but was raised in New Rochelle. 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. Jamar both sold and used crack cocaine during his teen years, but stopped after people he knew received sealed indictments. 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 all-time 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. His group went on to release their fourth album Foundation in 1998, with Grand Puba and DJ Alamo making their return to appear on the album.
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 on-screen character on Oz, Jamar is a member of the Nation of Gods and Earths.
In 2018, Jamar launched a podcast, Yanadameen Godcast, with fellow rapper Rah Digga. It was later renamed to The God Pod with Lord Jamar.

Personal life

In October 2000, Lord Jamar was arrested for slapping his wife, Dana Whitfield. The police found an unlicensed gun and two bullet proof vests in their home. He was later charged with assault and weapons possession.

Feud with Kanye West and views on homosexuality

Jamar released a diss track directed at Kanye West on February 4, 2013, titled "Lift Up Your Skirt", and stated that "gay has no place in hip-hop"; the song's homophobic lyrics attracted attention.
Later that year, Jamar criticized Macklemore's pro-LGBTQ song "Same Love" and accused him of promoting a gay agenda within hip hop. The Source described Jamar as an "anti-gay advocate" while reporting on his accusation that Macklemore was part of a "gay agenda".
In November 2013 in an interview with "XXL", Jamar stated that hip hop was not a, "gay music" genre and that homosexuality should not be promoted within hip hop. He further questioned whether same-sex relationships served as an evolution for the human species, claiming that evolution should "elevate" or benefit the species, questioning how same-sex relationships could constitute an "elevation for the species" because they do not result in reproduction. He rejected the premise that these views made him homophobic since he does not advocate for violence or discrimination against gay people.
Jamar expressed similar views in subsequent years. In 2016, he claimed he would collaborate with a gay musician but refused to participate in music that promotes homosexuality. He also argued that television programs such as Glee helped promote what he described as a "gay agenda".

Feud with Eminem

In a September 2013 interview on VladTV, Jamar declared that white rappers were "guests in hip hop"; he criticized Macklemore's "Same Love" for its pro-LGBT message. Eminem responded to Jamar with the track "Fall" from his 2018 album Kamikaze. Jamar responded to Eminem on his podcast.

Criticism of BLM

Lord Jamar has publicly stated that he does not support the Black Lives Matter movement. Jamar's primary reason for his opposition is his belief that the movement was not created for the Black community, but rather by "you know, George Soros and his fucking boys." He has articulated this viewpoint in various interviews and discussions, suggesting that the movement's origins or intentions do not align with his understanding of what serves the Black community's interests.

Holocaust denial

In a 2020 appearance with Nation of Islam influencer Rizza Islam, Jamar promoted Holocaust denial; he denied the death of six million Jews in the Holocaust, stating that at most 500,000 died, and claiming that six million Jews were not even present in Europe at the time.

Flat Earth

In October 2024, Lord Jamar publicly expressed his belief in a flat earth during an appearance on an episode of the In Godfrey We Trust Podcast. His statements were based on what he described as "common sense" observations rather than scientific evidence. He argued that if the Earth were a sphere, pilots would constantly have to tilt their planes' noses down to avoid flying into space, a practice that he stated they do not do.
Lord Jamar's claims led to a public debate with science communicator David Farina, widely known by his YouTube channel name, "Professor Dave Explains". The debate, which took place on another In Godfrey We Trust Podcast episode, featured Farina systematically debunking Jamar's arguments using scientific principles and observational evidence. The exchange garnered significant attention online, with many viewers and commentators noting that Farina's responses directly addressed and refuted Jamar's points.

Politics

Jamar supported Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.