Chapter of Liberation: My Interview with Jameer Pond

Deon Egenti

Creative and cultural commentator, Jameer Pond, is continuing to become his best self. It’s a never-ending journey for him. He’s constantly working on his confidence, self-love, and creative ability all while working as a video director for Vanity Fair. When you have the resume that he has, it’s hard to argue his contributions to the game. He continues to evolve, but he always makes sure to stop and smell the roses. In this interview, I talk to him about his breakthrough as a creative, his experience working for Vanity Fair, and his future acting career.

Photo by Sharisse Daley

How were you able to break through as a creative?

I knew I wanted to do something creative at a very young age. I was a part of the “too talkative” class. That’s what they always wrote on my report card. I remember I was always making my class laugh in third grade and my art teacher, Ms. Kelly would let me do whatever I wanted during the last three minutes of class but I had to be quiet. I remember doing a stand-up bit and only having three jokes, but I would make them laugh. I knew that I wanted to do something like this. I grew up on Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx, and The Wayans Family. They were inspirations and I watched their shows religiously to the point where it became background noise to me. When I was 14 or 15, I started trying stand-up in the city and was in this program called Gotham Kids ‘N Comedy. Being on stage and seeing how the crowd reacted was a high for me. It was a high that I couldn’t identify yet. I was that guy when it came to entertaining people. I didn’t have the confidence, but I had the talent. I knew God had blessed me with something. I’m just thankful because I could be delivering pizzas, but I didn’t give up on myself.

I went to Lincoln University for undergraduate school. My last year over there was the first time that I was encouraged scholastically. I wasn’t a good student academically, but I made the Dean’s List my last two years so I was doing pretty good. A teacher by the name of Dr. Mulaji encouraged me to go to grad school. I knew what I wanted to do, but I was scared to say it out loud. So a year into grad school, with six credits left, I left school. I told myself I wanted to take a break because I went to grad school right after undergraduate school. I was the youngest one in my program, one of three Black people in my program, and it was a different world. I went to an HBCU for undergrad and went to a PWI for graduate school. Although I was doing well, I left and I knew I wanted to go into radio. My friend from college, Robin, had a show that I did a couple of times with her during Christmas break. She wanted me to be her host if I left school and I said, “Aight, bet!” She said there will eventually be money in it and I was down for it. I said to myself, “I may not get this degree, but I would get paid.” Long story short: We did not get paid. We were doing college radio and my mother wasn’t that happy about it.

My first job was as a graphic designer for this minor league baseball team called the Newark Bears and I got paid $350 a week. Mind you, I had people tell me at undergraduate school that I was going to do big things when I get out and I was making $350 a week. I was still living at home with my mom and I used most of the money to travel back and forth from Brooklyn to Newark. That was my first industry job. I had quit because they weren’t paying me on time. It was some shady shit my brotha. So I had seen an ad on Facebook that was looking for interns who were interested in a show with Black music. I had applied for the job on Tuesday and by Thursday I got a call from the internship. The internship happened to be for BET and they were looking for casting interns to help out with what would be the last season of 106 & Park. That was my first look at what a host was. I knew I wanted to be on camera, interview celebrities, and be a host but I didn’t know how to go about it. So I interned for a month and they gave me an actual job. I went from getting $350 a week to getting over $1000 a week. That was my first real job in the industry from being a casting intern to an associate producer for 106 & Park. I spent a lot of that money on strip clubs, to be honest with you.

You’re very well-established in radio, television, and content creation. How have you been able to maneuver in these different mediums while still being authentic in your craft?

I attribute it to my talent. In all three industries, I wasn’t the smartest or most technical, but my creativity helped me balance all of those. After I got let go from 106 & Park, I was about to go to Chicago because I got a job being a producer in Judge Mathis’s show. I wanted to go into radio so I started applying to all these stations in the local area. I had gone up to Hot 97 one time because a friend told me she got a job saying that she knew a person and they were expecting her. However, she didn’t know her so when she came out to meet her, she vented that she wanted a job. She was ambitious and she ended up getting the job. So I tried to do the same thing, made it past security, and got to the front desk. I just knew the person by her first name. They asked if I had an appointment and I told them, “No, but she’s expecting me.” I sat there for 40 minutes and they said, “Sir, she doesn’t know who you are. We have to call security if you don’t leave.” Eventually, I left but it’s interesting how a year later I was working at Emmis Communications which was WBLS and Hot 97.

I got that job because when I was about to take my last interview at Judge Mathis, I got a call from a 212 number. I always say, “If you live in New York, always pick up a 212 number. You never know.” Anyways, I got a call from Victoria Fleary who was the Digital Director of WBLS at the time. I had applied to be a part-time videographer and at the time, I only shot four videos. It was all about my ambition and creativity at the time because I wasn’t technically skilled yet, but I was forward-thinking. I had innovative ideas, so I came in with them. Once I got the call to come in for an interview, I immediately told myself I wasn’t going to Chicago. I didn’t even pick up their phone calls after that. I said, “This opportunity is God and I’m going to make it work.” I didn’t know a lot about video, but I knew I wanted to be in front of the camera. I always kept my vision at the top of my mind because I wanted to be an actor. However, that was the thing I couldn’t say out loud. So I used to beg my boss to do something in digital if the radio jocks wouldn’t do it. I wanted to build my reel. So somebody didn’t show up, my boss let me interview them, and she said, “You’re good at this.” After that, she started giving me more opportunities and that’s how I jumped in front of the camera.

From radio, television, producing, directing, behind the scenes, and in front of the camera, I’ve always used my creativity as a means to use my language. I didn’t go to film school and I’m not a trained host. I figured shit out on my own because I had a dream and a mission. I let my creativity speak for itself.

Photo by Sharisse Daley

You’ve always been about making sure Black creatives get their shine no matter what. Why is that important for you to do?

It’s important for me because I didn’t have a lot of guidance on how to do what I do. After all, I didn’t know exactly what it looked like. I didn’t even know it added value until now where I’m able to operate in all shapes and capacities. However, I knew I wanted to share my journey and that there were talented people like me who didn’t have confidence like me. I wanted to do it for the Black creatives who felt like they didn’t have a way. My mission is to get people on and show them that it’s possible because I had to learn that it was possible. Once you figure that out, it’s 50% of the journey. The other journey is committing to it, buckling down, learning the craft, and building off of it. So if we get to the starting line, a lot of us will see ourselves in a light we never got to see ourselves. I’m always an advocate for Black creativity because we don’t have the luxury of dreaming, imagining, and fucking up until we get it right. Sometimes we only get one chance. My mission is to ensure people that you’re talented, brilliant, and creative enough.

You now work for Conde Nast as a Branded Video Director for Vanity Fair. What has the experience been like for you over there?

My mother had to remind me that nothing I’ve done in my career has come easy. I’ve always had to get it out of the mud and bust my ass. I had this notion that it’ll come to me easily which I was wrong about. I had the skill, but learning the craft was difficult. I was previously working for Buzzfeed at Cocoa Butter and it was some of my proudest moments. I was in music for so long and Cocoa Butter had me going back to my comedic roots. I was producing stuff that was funny, well-received, and it was my voice. This came from my mind and creativity. I left though because I felt like I hit a ceiling. I went from that to Conde Nast which is a predominantly white company. Although Buzzfeed is as well, I was at Cocoa Butter so this is my first time working with white people in this capacity.

It was a huge culture shock. I did not understand the language, I was intimidated, insecure, and I didn’t believe I fitted in. I was extremely uncomfortable and the only Black director at that time. Noticing that I didn’t have many people to relate to, scared the shit out of me. I’ve been there for almost a year and being in that environment has helped me raise my game to a different level. I wanted to be at Conde Nast so bad because I knew the work would be elevated. I knew I would have to step up and be on some different shit. It was going to stretch me creatively in ways that I’ve been comfortable with because I’ve been around people who understood my voice. Now, I’m going to have to speak the language and I don’t know if it’s going to be conveyed well because I’m talking in my dialect. How do I make things relate and make sense as a Black man in an all-white company? Also, I was so in my head and asking myself if I can do the job. I went to the first day on set and said, “Yeah, I can.” I’ve been prepared for this and what I did wasn’t a fluke. All the knowledge I’ve obtained, the many rejections, the long nights of editing, the mishaps, wrong interview questions, and everything else. It came together in such a poetic way. It’s poetic justice so I’m there now, at the most confident I’ve ever been, being solely a director. I’m calling the shots and setting up how I want things to look in my vision.

I’ve never had the opportunity because I’ve always looked at directing as a means to an end. Now I see it as being an integral piece to my creative puzzle. Being at Conde Nast is like God laughing at me saying “You tried to run away from this? Okay, I’m going to put you here in the fire at the thing you were trying to run away from to show you how strong you are.”

Has there been a video you have directed so far that means a lot to you personally?

Absolutely. It’s probably my first video for Vanity Fair and it was for Black History Month. It was a review on Black movies set in the Civil Rights era. It meant a lot to me because I went in not knowing the responsibility and weight that carried. I had to research so many movies that had to do with Black pain. Selma, X, 42, Do the Right Thing, and so many other movies dealt directly with that. I’m watching these movies back to back and I didn’t realize how much emotional wear and tear it would have on me. So completing that video was dope. However, the amazing thing was that it didn’t get the views I envisioned in my head. I think it’s up to 127,000 views which is good because when I go to Vanity Fair I don’t look for Blackness. More importantly, people in the comments are fighting for the video saying it’s so good and it should have more views. I’m proud of the work I put into that. Forget about who watched it or didn’t. The fact that it’s out there, it’s done in a manner of intention, and it’s a historical breakdown is a badge of honor for me.

Photo by Sharisse Daley

How important is it for you to maintain the balance of being passionate about what you do while also realizing that this is a job at the end of the day?

I didn’t realize that until 2020. I started going to therapy in 2019 and I didn’t have any boundaries. I was so insecure about my abilities and talent in the early years of my career. I used to overwork and commit myself wholeheartedly to a job. Now, at 6 PM, the computer shuts down because I need to preserve my energy, creativity, and livelihood. Y’all only get me from 10 AM to 6 PM unless I allow going over and that’s my choice. I used to go above and beyond because I wanted to be seen and noticed. I wanted people to be like, “Oh, Jameer’s a good employee. We can trust him on this and move him up on the ladder.” Now, my sentiment is “Fuck that.” I validate myself. I know how talented and skillful I am and I know what I add to this company. That’s why y’all hired me and that’s why I asked y’all for however much money I ask because I know what I bring to the table.

It’s a matter of balancing paying your dues and realizing that you the shit. In my 20’s, I was so focused on the end goal and I just wanted to be on. I wanted to have my own show and all that. Society has taught us to be tunnel vision, stern, and go for it. When you do that, you burn yourself out and you don’t take time to realize the incredible shit that you’ve already done. I didn’t realize that people didn’t have the opportunities like I did. I was traveling around in a circle of people who were busting their asses to get from point A to point Z. I look back and I was on New York Radio, had a show on BET, had a video that I constructed go number five trending on Youtube, and I’m a Shorty award winner! I didn’t take time to think about that and how much those skillsets and accolades not only meant to jobs but to me as well. I don’t like to advise because I believe everyone is different, but I would just say, “smell the roses.” If no one is going to give you flowers, give yourself flowers. The fact that you get up every day and choose this path is a day that you didn’t give up on yourself. You kept that fire burning.

People weren’t able to be creative generations ago. They didn’t have opportunities to write for a living. It’s a small number of people that dared to do that. That’s why we talk about the same names in history. Be proud of the work you put in because somebody would give their foot to be in the position you’re in. I know it’s hard because we come from a “grind culture” and always trying to make it, but I would implore people to think about what you’re trying to make. What is your real end goal? Is your end goal to be in the in-crowd just to say you can or is your end goal to contribute some art/preserve a legacy?

Some people want to host, act, interview, etc. and they don’t know why they’re doing it. For example, say somebody wanted to be a chef but it was hard for them to even think about — that’s their dream. That’s their baby, and what do we do with our babies? We protect and coddle them. We don’t give them a chance to breathe and grow sometimes. So people go into a whole different industry because they’re fearful of trying and failing at the thing they love the most. Then, they burn their candle out. Don’t ever burn your candle out because that’s the thing that keeps our souls moving. That’s why I smile every day because I know I’m not going to give up no matter what. I’ve already seen my path in front of me. The reason why is because I can look back and see how far I’ve gone.

It seems like you’re getting more into acting these last couple of months. You’re also going to be a cast member of the Inner Actions show created by Latasha Mercer. What made you want to dive more into this?

I told myself from high school that if I wasn’t going to take this seriously, then I wasn’t going to do it and I meant it. The moment that kinda got me over that hump was when I watched Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Netflix with Chadwick Boseman. Viola Davis, Coleman Domingo, and Glynn Turman. I saw the scene with Chadwick where he was going off about his father and mom and I said, “That’s what I want to do.” I had a tear come down my face because it was so confirming to say it out loud. I had packed it away for so many years. I had bounced around trying to get to the point and had lost it in sight. I was trying to chase a bag and get on. It wasn’t until the pandemic happened that I didn’t feel like interviewing celebrities anymore and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. So I saw the movie and it spoke to me. During this year, I’ve been taking acting, improv, and storytelling classes. This year is a big creative opening for me because I’m just trying some shit. Whatever feels good, do it.

I’ve been listening to music, reading things, trying foods, and going places that are out of my comfort zone. I just do it because you never know. It could serve me in ways that I’ll never know nor think about. I chose improv class because it served me in a comedic way. The acting class has served me in a big way also. For me to take a six-week acting course was me saying to myself, “It’s possible.” My acting teacher was telling me that I had raw talent. It’s all about the craft at the end of the day. We look at this mountain and think how much we have to climb to get to the top. I’ve been climbing for so long. When am I going to be at the top? However, people forget how far we’ve climbed.

I didn’t take acting seriously because I was scared that I was going to fail. Now at 32, failing is only a learning tool for me. I’ve been rejected so many times, fell, and scraped up. It’s nothing that’s going to stop me from going this path and expanding my creative artistry. I’ve been doing this my whole life in different facets. That’s my gift. It’s what God bestowed upon me and I’m going to use it in all capacities. I’m not doing it for Vanity purposes, I don’t want to be on, and I’m not trying to look for fame. I’m doing it because it’s a puzzle piece I found that was missing in the big picture.

What would you call this chapter of your life?

This is the biggest transition I’ve ever had, so I would call it the chapter of liberation. I’ve been going to therapy for two years and had the opportunity to end some relationships that no longer serve me. I’ve also had the opportunity to bring people and things closer that does serve me. I’ve been able to find self-love, peace, and confidence. I’ve been able to look at myself and say, “Bro, you’re attractive. You look good.” I never did that before. I’ve been able to care about what I wear and not in a vain manner. For me to uphold that confidence as a director, I need to feel like I look good. If I don’t feel like I look good, then it shrinks me automatically when I walk through that room. I got to be confident and a part of building that confidence is exercising, eating right, drinking water, and minding my business. I’m just focusing on myself and I never had that opportunity. I’m very much a people pleaser and I’ll be the first one to admit it. I’ve poured from an empty cup into people for so long and this is the first time I’ve reserved some water for myself. It’s such a beautiful and gratifying feeling. This is about liberation and I’m liberating myself to be the best Jameer I can be.

Photo by Sharisse Daley

Follow Jameer Pond on Instagram and Twitter and check out his website here.