The Hot Spot!

The Hot Spot is an interview series highlighting dope people doing dope things! Check it out!

I first met Jamal Mclean some years back. He always gave off a cool and conscious vibe. Through the years I've had the pleasure of being entertained by him. Whether its was through his social media antics, watching him start a movement highlighting black womens beauty, starting his own poetry shows, and the list goes on! This brother is definitely on the move and one to watch for! Check out my interview with the one and only Jamal Mclean.

Who is Abram- Atafa & Jamal Mclean?

Both are me. My name is Jamal Abram Atafa Mclean.
I have always had a big mouth. I am a youngest child and growing up I always had to listen. Listen to my parents. Listen to my older brothers and cousins. I lived in the house growing up that was the stash house for the family that was coming from Jamaica. So my house was always like the yardie version of Full House. So being the youngest my voice was never heard till I got to watch everyone grow up. I watched and listened so long that by the time I got my voice. It was never my voice. I speak for everyone. So in school I always had an opinion on everything. So since JHS my friends would separate my rants as
Jamal- the deep brother that cares about equality for everyone. Not civil rights. Not Black women over black men or Men over women. True equality.

Abram-Atafa- the over the top egocentricity having stylistic basketball and football player... The one that raps over being poetical... The one that curses out McDonald's workers that don't have proper manners... The none Meek version of Jamal Mclean is Abram-Atafa

How was it growing up for me and who inspired me?

Growing up for me... I was blessed to have been able to grow up around both my moms and my pops. All four of my grandparents. Tons of family around me. I am cool with the same people I have known since a youth. My JHS team at MS 180 was so good I didn't make the team. But that was the last team I tried out for that I didn't make. I ran track at Mount St Micheal. Football and Basketball at John Dickerson HS. And retired for my senior season and just was into HS plays and choir at Our Savior Lutheran HS...

As a youth my family was my inspiration... I wanted to dress as fly as my oldest brother. I wanted to rap like him and get the respect he commanded on the streets.
I wanted to be smart as my other brother. He didn't even have to study and was able to get into the Clinton Macy's program.
I wanted to be as nice as my two grandmothers. To this day I struggle with that. Lmfao
I wanted to build a family legacy like James Carter my grandfather who was a drill Sargent in the army in the world war 2 era. Cadillac driving all American.
My family was everything growing up to me. So they are my first inspiration...
But as far as entertainment goes. I was born into Hip Hop and New Jack Swing... So to be real the first rapper that connected to me was LL Cool J "I need Love" because I was a young kid and having crushes on girls. So that was the first song that made me say "I want to do music like that"
Bob Marley was always another artist I thought about being. But even as a kid I held him in the same regards as Jesus. So I felt as a youth I could not be on Bob Marley or Jesus level. I didn't have that self esteem till older in life. But growing up Bob Marley, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bo Jackson, Deon Sanders, LL Cool J, RunDMC, Master Ace, Big Daddy Kane... And out of all those black people. Society had me crushing on Molly Ringwald over Salt N Pepper. Smh

Why did I leave the Dept of Education to peruse my passion?

My partner Michelle Davis can vouch that my last three years working with the Dept of Education. Each Sept was tough to go back. I felt like I had done everything I could do to help kids through education. I won awards for my work from Ruben Diaz to Ruben Diaz Jr. I couched on a team that one three straight titles. Couched students that have gone into college. Watched children grow to great young men and women. But to work for the Dept of Education was never my dream. And after teaching so many kids to follow their dreams I felt hypocritical not following my own dreams.
So if I only fear God as we all should. How could I not follow my own heart and follow my own dreams. I believe we can have all that our eyes can see... It's biblical. Now that I have been chasing my own dreams rather than the pursuit of someone else's dreams. To go back to living anyone else's dreams would feel like jumping off a building. For I have never fully lived till I started following my own dreams.

What is my movement about?

#BlackIsHeavenly is about changing perceptions.
The perception in America seems to be that Jesus was a white man and that alone could help every black male in America if they just opened their mind and realize that the Bible is based in Africa. So the thought of Black being devilish is the biggest mind fuck ever. Because if the Bible is based in Africa. That would mean that Black Is Heavenly. So that should be our new perception. We try to follow American rules. What are our rules? How did I court a woman before becoming a slave. If we are free why not be truly free and stop following the rules of the slave master? Because black people haven't found out that Black Is Heavenly yet. We don't realize the value of oil. We are the human form of oil.

The Subjective Hater?

I laugh at the thought that The Subjective Hater gets me in trouble. #SubjectiveHate is a social experiment that proves daily that Black Women despise black men. Society has it set up so that way a Black man has no one. Not even women. So I prove this with Subjective Hate debates. They are supposed to be debates. But for the most part women just use me as an outlet for their anger towards the loser that they keep giving their body too and don't get the benefit of being treated like a Queen. They don't take it out on him. They take it out on me because I call them on their behavior. But Subjective Hate is about one thing. Simply. Women need to take accountability for their actions. From simple things like wearing weave to your dating habits. Hold yourself accountable for all your actions and stop blaming a man for being single. If you don't agree with me I have one line for you from a leader a man. CHILD PLEASE!!! How women get mad about men not leading and get mad when a man tries to lead. Get your mind right ladies

Currently I am working on a Video Mixtape with Real Rival CEO Damien Lucas. Working on my own Mixtape and building my Filming dynasty. I am looking for vloggers ASAP for the network of all ages sex or size. I am doing photo shoots for #BlackIsHeavenly and always on the hunt to help the next Big Thing. We are about to start back up Poets Paradise NYC my talent showcase that is every underground artist favorite place to rock... Plus we throw free events. We don't keep robbing the people. We are working on Sponsors for this time around. Make the show bigger and better.
Anyone that needs recession price Filming or photography hit us up asap. NBTpresents@gmail.com to book us. Let us make your Gram page better!!!