Today we’d like to introduce you to Malaika Jules.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi! I’m Malaika Jules- a comedian, storyteller and former hip-hop artist from Inglewood, California. For many years I performed as the underground hip-hop artist Eagle Nebula with the legendary Leimert Park Afrofuturist crew Ras G and the Afrikan Space Program. We performed all over the city and in Europe too! I call myself a word person, because words are my primary tool of expression. I started out as a poet writing poetry to pay homage to my hometown. I love Inglewood and wanted people to see the beauty that is often overlooked. I created The Inglewood Poetry Project, a public art project, that highlighted stories of my neighbors as well as my own. If you go to the Inglewood Senior Center, you can see excerpts from that project etched into the wall. After years of writing and performing poetry and rap, my practice expanded to writing scripts which led me into comedy. Now I perform stand up around the city and engage community through teaching “The Right to Write Now” writing workshops at Universities and community organizations. Storytelling is in my blood and it manifests in many ways. When I was 15 years old, I was really into film photography and darkroom. I took pictures all around Leimert Park. Those pictures I have compiled into a book and merchandise line- Leimert 98- that will be released in the Fall of 2025. I am a woman who loves her community and revels in the richness that is South LA. I came into comedy later in life and it has become my favorite form of storytelling. I write and perform around the city with my Sketch Team Jortz and with my all improv team TBD. Even with my years of experience, I still feel fresh and new, as if I’m just getting started.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
People often want me to choose a lane, but I refuse. I own the fact that I am multi talented and recognize that different stories require different forms. Some things are better expressed as a poem or song. Other things need a film or TV show. A lot of things just need a good joke! After covid, a lot of performance spaces in the neighborhood closed so getting stage time is tough now. I would love for there to be more comedy clubs south of the 10 freeway.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m most known for my time as Eagle Nebula, afrofuturist emcee and cosmic voice of the Afrikan Space Program. We really lit the underground music scene on fire and I had a blast until Ras G sadly passed away in 2019. With my rap days behind me, I continued to use words and story as my creative outlet. My specialty is personal narrative and myth building. I’m most proud of the work I have done writing poetry memorializing South LA, like with the Inglewood Poetry Project, or my commision from Metro Arts. But that is tied with my most recent project, Leimert 98. I really love the old photographs and feel that they tell a story about Leimert Park that is missing. This is an archival project that I have turned into a coffee table book and I’m excited to share it with the world. It will be released on my publishing platform Alter Destiny Press. What sets me apart from others is my range. I’m able to be excellent in whichever form I focus on at the time. I’m hyperfocused on creativity and telling the best story in the most potent way. I’m not afraid to charge my own path or switch course when necessary. It’s fun to be able to do all this, to have such a rich creative history and then go up on stage and be silly doing stand up comedy!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Favorite books- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Song of Lawino, Song of Ocol by Okot P’ Bitek, Olio by Thyemba Jess. Favorite Podcast- The Ancestors Were Messy.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.malaikathewriter.com or www.leimert98.com
- Instagram: @malaikajules
Image Credits
1. Ceraun the Diva Nun 2. Tanessia Sprull 3. Dominique Clayton 4. Helen Lessick 5. Unknown
