Background and career
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.
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.
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.
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.
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".
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.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
