Writing came first for Jamal. As a child he filled margins and spiral-bound pages with characters, settings, and small dramas that reflected the world around him. Teachers noticed his voice early on; friends heard him recite lines that felt older than his years. Rap arrived as a natural extension of that practice. Shows like 106 & Park and Rap City opened a window into a culture where rhythm and narrative met, and by ninth grade he was writing constantly—bars, hooks, and full