vincent alfonzo jamal

The other day I received a reply email to a casting call I had sent out, the message read “who is this?” Well, my name is vincent alfonzo jamal , aspiring model/actor, one time touted rap artist, current Semi Pro football player, budding author and fulltime father.About a year ago the football league that I play for, honored me with their “Man of the Year” award. It was given to me for the work I had done in the community, not as the MVP of the league as a player. My metamorphosis started in the summer of 2005, starting with the Kids Camps, I began working with Gatorade and the Arizona Cardinals. It left me with a good feeling and from there, expanded into working as a ref for youth flag football in a charter schools league. That summer I took co-ownership of my team, the Phoenix Raiders, and began to make it a priority to give community service. Blood drives, clothing, toy, and money donations to the St. Mary’s food bank and the UMOM family crisis center. Visits to elementary schools to hang with the kids and give them the same sound advise their teachers do, but sometimes from a fresh perspective. Autographs, pictures and a whole lot of inquiries about my blown out afro make for a fun day where answering questions with a mixed in message complete a much needed mission one day at a time. As for the actual football playing? In the last 5 seasons, I have played: Wide Receiver, Cornerback, Kick Return, Punt Return, Free Safety, Strong Safety, Middle Linebacker, Tight End, Half Back, Full Back, and yes, Quarterback. I’ve been black and blue playing for the black and silver…Somehow the award has drawn a positive attention that I really never had imagined. A local photographer, David Bernie, had shown an interest in shooting me as a new look to his portfolio, which has sparked a larger interest from others in the industry around the country. In the last few months, I have: been to casting calls, agencies, tv sets as an extra, met tv stars, booked travel plans, cancelled those same plans etc etc etc. I’ve basically been exposed to a fast paced and demanding environment where plans are subject to change from one minute to the next. The exposure as it has come is a blessing for an average joe as I like to call myself.One of the auditions I went to was for a local tv show to be shot here in Arizona. The script was very much akin to a character I had started writing on just as a creative outlet named SL8r. The casting crew and I hit it off and they became interested in my character as well to shoot for a series of short films. This has sense fired up my passion for writing, which I have slowly been fanning these flames over the past five years, writing a book on my life, “Bastard Like Me.” It really started out as some sort of journal for my daughter to better know her father for who he was before time made the details and stories too foggy to understand. I’ve always said that everybody has a story to tell and in some senses, mine may not be the most interesting, but I do believe that readers can find and appreciate the stories I do tell. The book may never reach the shelves, I may just keep writing it as a kind of therapy and outlet. Whatever your gift is, keep using it, for you were given it for a reason.Even when I take a hiatus from the book writing, I manage to stay in touch with my original pen, writing lyrics. I guess you would say it’s hip hop or rap as that’s where it ends up as a recording, but the words, I like to believe, in any artists eyes, can transcend the pigeonholes and labels we often put on music, and more importantly, we often put on ourselves, the quickest way to stunt our artistic growth.A few years ago, I was sought after by a major record label who had been showing a concentrated interest in my music. They had made the arrangements to fly me to meet the reps until the all mighty question of my age came into play. I guess if you’re not under 21, then you are obsolete in the business, and the courting was over. But like I’ve said, the gift and talent has to be used, even if you never make the big stages or dollars, I’m rich for sharing with those who have mattered in my life.If nothing else, I like the influence that it takes over my daughter, and that in her young life she has become free in her artistic expressions. Aside from the encouragement I give her, I think that the actual demonstration of doing will last with her much longer. She sees the team sport I play and is now interested in playing sports, as well as the individual drive she possesses within to keep pushing her little legs when we are taking our bike rides. In no way is she pushed into one thing or another, but I do believe a well rounded person will allow themselves greater successes by connecting with a greater base of people. And so dad, who wasn’t very good in Spanish, now quizzes his “kiddo” in numbers and colors on a bilingual platform. We ride in the car and touch on every kind of music from Country to disco to smooth jazz, classic rock, old R&B to hip hop and classical. This is my everyday, top priority job.I do have some online shops, www.inkwear.spreadshirt.com, www.maink.com, that I have posted and am trying to make work, along with a gig as a budding freelance writer on www.helium.com/user/show/60264I worked as a laborer for 10 years in a warehouse as a way to escape the homeless lifestyle that I had been living as a young man, but that’s another story for the book, “Bastard Like Me.” Excerpts of this book and the introduction to SL8r can be found in my blogs at www.myspace.com/vincentalfonzojamalI am dead serious about my physical condition, but am not a Meathead or a Gymrat. No steroids, supplements, shortcuts, or excuses. Self made from the ground up, I do things the hard way and I love it. I'm 100% natural and have coined the phrase "Working As Advertised".To answer the reply on “Who is this?” from the casting email isn’t quite as simple as I’d like it to be, but the story is here to be told. Businessman, Athlete, Father, not in that order but all wrapped into one. My keys to success are the ability to use my gains to enable the community service to continue to flourish while continuing to be the best role model for my daughter I can. MyGen Profile Generator