We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jaquial Durham. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jaquial below.
Jaquial , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
I started within the music industry, and my goal was to be the next P. Diddy, Master P, Dame Dash, Birdman, and Jason Geter. Essentially, all those music executives created multimillion-dollar record labels.
I came up under the mentorship of Jason Geter, CEO of Grand Hustle and someone who gave us T.I., Travis Scott, B.o.B, and others. I saw what he was doing in the music industry and followed suit. As I grew older, I began to observe and study what Jay-Z was doing with Roc Nation. Therefore, I formulated my company to resemble Roc Nation. I describe it is it’s the Roc Nation of our generation.
Jaquial , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
At the time, I was a graduate student at Howard University, receiving my master’s in Educational Leadership and Policy, and after being expelled and suing the university, I eventually settled.
I would later invest those funds in my company, Public Culture Entertainment Group. However, I was a little afraid to step out to be a full-time entrepreneur, as most people would be, but I’ve always had the hustle. As a kid, I lived with my mother, brother, and cousins; I would take my brother and my cousins, walk around in our apartment complex, knock on doors, and take out the trash for 25 cents. I tell that story to say that I always had the hustle and leadership mentality in me, to gather those around me and say, ‘Look, this is what we’re going to do; this is how we’re going to make money. And we will put it together and create something out of it.’
The entrepreneurial spirit has always been in me. It just took faith for me to do it. Public Culture Entertainment was an idea spearheaded by my influences of listening to and admiring those I call “wealthy rappers.” I listened to Nas, Jay-Z, [and] Nipsey Hussle. I took notes, and I had mentorship. Those are the people that I looked up to and listened to, and admired. I was like, that’s where I want to be; that’s what I want to do.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I went to college and got my bachelor’s in African and African American studies with a minor in Women and Gender studies. And then, I later earned my master’s in Education from The George Washington University and another master’s in Project Management from Georgetown University. Currently, I’m earning my Ph.D. in Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design from Clemson University. That said, before becoming a full-time entrepreneur, I was in an academic space full-time. I always had a love and passion for education. However, I tell people that I’m an activist and organizer at heart, but I’ve always had one foot in with entertainment and one foot out.
I was thinking about how I could create fantastic projects that educate our people but are also entertaining at the same time. Ironically, those in the academic and entertainment spaces loved my work. Two different audiences know me, but some know me as a scholar, some know me as a creative, and some know me as both; they were the ones who are fascinated with how I could merge the two and bring something innovative to the entertainment industry in such a fantastic and creative way.
I’m a natural-born creative, always finding ways to educate the public about what’s happening in [our culture]. That’s one of the ways that I know that I can educate and entertain at the same time. More recently, one of those ways is through my fashion brand, Public Culture Collections, an archival clothing brand about the Black history of the predominately white spaces, which is new and unique based on the concept of identifying stories of Black people in rooms we typically think we would not find them. This is the story of my life having to grow up in Clemson, S.C. Many people still don’t know Clemson to be a city where people reside, let alone Black people.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
This is an excellent question because we are what we consume, and you are what you think. Before I answer, I want to say that I have learned to trust the process and never give up. If one door is closed, you keep pushing; even when you feel like giving up, keep going.
My primary content resource would be music, and I would listen to Nas’s “King Disease” trilogy and Nipsey Hussle. With Nip, I named my son after him because he inspired me to keep going and motivated me when he was born. Additionally, I loved the idea of someone sharing and showing how you’ve got to trust the process. Keep the faith and keep going, and believe in God. Keep in perspective and speak into existence where you’re going, and it will happen. If you maintain that mentality, if constantly assuming you are going to make it, you will.
As far as books, I would recommend:
- Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers
- Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All
- Making is Connecting: The Social Power of Creativity, from Craft and Knitting to Digital Everything
- Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcripts
Additionally, watch and listen to Dame Dash and how he approaches his business and how to support and help those who are coming behind you that want to do right by the culture. As a father and uncle, I always think of ways to ensure my business endeavors will eventually be passed down to my kids, nieces, and nephews. I went to college, but they might not go college, but as I said earlier, I’m a natural creative. My mother is naturally talented, and we get that from her and her father. When I see my kids, nieces, and nephews, I want to create a company where they can work together and share their passion for creating. I’m laying the blueprint for them to grow and build an ongoing legacy. That’s that Dame Dash talk! Nothing is impossible, and everything is doable. We have to put in the work.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thepublicculture.com
- Instagram: @jaquialdurham
- Facebook: Jaquial Durham
- Twitter: @jaquialdurham
Image Credits
@Shamaal