Jak Beula
Encyclopedia
Jak Beula Dodd is a British entrepreneur specializing in African centered products for the education, leisure and entertainment industries. Jak has also been an author, columnist, song writer, musician, social-worker, entrepreneur and former international model, and he is best known for inventing the award winning board game 'Nubian Jak
'.
, West London and is one of four children. He was born to parents Gladys Jessithiah Dodd and Daniel Smikle but from the age of 10 days old, was brought up by his grandmother, Roslyn Dodd. His grandmother was of Jamaican descent and was a Pentecostal evangelist who raised Jak with a strict Christian upbringing.
From an early age Jak began to display his creative talents which led to him leading a young church band called the Conquerors. By the time he was 9 the group had been commissioned by the British Council of Churches to perform at a number of religious conventions in Scotland.
Jak attended Quintin Kynaston School
in St John’s Wood, North West London, where he first received the moniker “Jack” as a nickname (a derivative of the name “John”).
His love for music continued to grow at school, and started writing his own song lyrics and formed a band with close friends. By the time he was 13 his passion for the subject had outgrown his interest in religion. This put him at odds with the church’s hierarchy eventually leading his suspension from the church. It was during this period that Jak started to develop an interest in African American history. He also began to question for the first time some of the religious teachings he had been brought up on. Jak’s interest in music would take him in on a cultural journey that would help him discover his African roots.
From school Jak went to college to study sociology
but soon quit to pursue music. His first job after leaving college aged 17 was as in-house resident sound engineer at the world-renowned jazz club, Ronnie Scotts, where he stayed for two years. At the same time he joined a reggae fusion boy band known as Stigma, whose only single 'Remember' released on the independent label Beggars Banquet
scored very limited success in the UK Independent Charts.
Jak also pursued a musical career as a singer song writer which eventually led to liaisons with the likes of Jazzie B
, George Michael
and Seal
. Jak was a rasta for ten years and learned to play the piano, guitar, bass and drums and went on to produce hits like ‘sky’s the limit’, ‘mansion party’, ‘do you believe’, ‘remember’, ‘hit the road jak’ and ‘superhuman’, performing many of the songs at live music festivals and clubs including London’s famous ‘Mean Fiddler’.
In the summer of 1985 while working at Thames Television
he came to represent Hollywood screen legend Betty Davis as an agent when he was asked to meet the news team by a friend of the Hollywood star. Jak became a part-time model and was used in an international advertising campaign as the face of Interflora
and was featured in a number of well known magazines from “GQ to Viz” between February 1992 and December 1995. His face was also used in a 1992 TV campaign by Richard Branson to promote new business start-ups. This single campaign lasted for three and a half years, and set a record for a black British male model.
Jak then began recording and teaching music to unemployed people. This vocation prompted Jak to return to his studies. In 1988 Jak returned to full time education and enrolled on a social work degree course at the University of North London
. However, two years later on learning of the death of his grandmother in Florida
, Jak decided to discontinue his studies and instead began working as a peripatetic social worker.
"They were hungry for role models, because we all need a sense of identification, a sense of self and of self-esteem. Most of the role models they were being given in the media were negative and were stereotypes, it was very disappointing. So I decided to give the young people some new information, whether they wanted the information or not, I was going to give it to them".
With that he began to devise an educational program that would try and address these points, out of which came the board game: Nubian Jak
. It immediately became a best seller in London
prompting Beula to give up work as a social worker. By the ending of 1996 educational magnates like Time-Life
were commenting on its innovation. In 1998 Jak Beula self published the first edition of Nubian Jak’s Book of World Facts. Coined “the truth with proof” it was subtitled the Ultimate Reference Guide to Global Black Achievement. In 2001 Beula signed a publishing deal with Harper Collins in New York to republish the book.
Jak Beula is an author, columnist (had his own column in The Voice
newspaper for 4 years between 1998–2002), has been featured in on a number of British TV shows including Channel 4’s SuperHuman (2004), BBC 2s Arena Special: Exodus 30 Years On (2007), and most recently on the popular BBC Children’s series Beat The Boss (2008).
He has also created Britain’s only national BME plaque and sculpture scheme, to honour personalities of the past. He is currently working alongside London 2012 with his innovated diversity project On Track 4 Gold.
Nubian Jak
This article is about the board game Nubian Jak. For information on its founder, see Jak Beula. For the Nubian Jak UK game show that ran from 2004–2005, see Who Knows Jak...
'.
Early life
Jak was born in PaddingtonPaddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
, West London and is one of four children. He was born to parents Gladys Jessithiah Dodd and Daniel Smikle but from the age of 10 days old, was brought up by his grandmother, Roslyn Dodd. His grandmother was of Jamaican descent and was a Pentecostal evangelist who raised Jak with a strict Christian upbringing.
From an early age Jak began to display his creative talents which led to him leading a young church band called the Conquerors. By the time he was 9 the group had been commissioned by the British Council of Churches to perform at a number of religious conventions in Scotland.
Jak attended Quintin Kynaston School
Quintin Kynaston School
Quintin Kynaston is a local comprehensive secondary school in the St John's Wood area of north London. It became a Specialist Technology College in 2001. The school intends to become an academy in September 2011.-Admissions:...
in St John’s Wood, North West London, where he first received the moniker “Jack” as a nickname (a derivative of the name “John”).
His love for music continued to grow at school, and started writing his own song lyrics and formed a band with close friends. By the time he was 13 his passion for the subject had outgrown his interest in religion. This put him at odds with the church’s hierarchy eventually leading his suspension from the church. It was during this period that Jak started to develop an interest in African American history. He also began to question for the first time some of the religious teachings he had been brought up on. Jak’s interest in music would take him in on a cultural journey that would help him discover his African roots.
From school Jak went to college to study sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
but soon quit to pursue music. His first job after leaving college aged 17 was as in-house resident sound engineer at the world-renowned jazz club, Ronnie Scotts, where he stayed for two years. At the same time he joined a reggae fusion boy band known as Stigma, whose only single 'Remember' released on the independent label Beggars Banquet
Beggars Banquet
- Personnel :The Rolling Stones* Mick Jagger – lead and backing vocals, harmonica on "Parachute Woman"* Keith Richards – acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar on "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man", backing vocals, lead vocals on opening of "Salt of the Earth"* Brian...
scored very limited success in the UK Independent Charts.
Jak also pursued a musical career as a singer song writer which eventually led to liaisons with the likes of Jazzie B
Jazzie B
Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE , better known by his stage name Jazzie B, is a British DJ, music producer, and entrepreneur. He is a founding member of Soul II Soul.-Life and career:...
, George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
and Seal
Seal (musician)
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
. Jak was a rasta for ten years and learned to play the piano, guitar, bass and drums and went on to produce hits like ‘sky’s the limit’, ‘mansion party’, ‘do you believe’, ‘remember’, ‘hit the road jak’ and ‘superhuman’, performing many of the songs at live music festivals and clubs including London’s famous ‘Mean Fiddler’.
In the summer of 1985 while working at Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
he came to represent Hollywood screen legend Betty Davis as an agent when he was asked to meet the news team by a friend of the Hollywood star. Jak became a part-time model and was used in an international advertising campaign as the face of Interflora
Interflora
Interflora is the most commonly used name for a group of organisations worldwide, providing florists with a brand under which flowers can be purchased and delivered to 140 countries, most with their own partnership, or unit.- History :...
and was featured in a number of well known magazines from “GQ to Viz” between February 1992 and December 1995. His face was also used in a 1992 TV campaign by Richard Branson to promote new business start-ups. This single campaign lasted for three and a half years, and set a record for a black British male model.
Jak then began recording and teaching music to unemployed people. This vocation prompted Jak to return to his studies. In 1988 Jak returned to full time education and enrolled on a social work degree course at the University of North London
University of North London
The University of North London was a university in the United Kingdom from 1992 to 2002. On 1 August 2002, it merged with London Guildhall University to form London Metropolitan University. The former University of North London premises now form the new university's north campus, situated on...
. However, two years later on learning of the death of his grandmother in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Jak decided to discontinue his studies and instead began working as a peripatetic social worker.
Social work
It waw while working in his capacity as a social worker that Jak Beula began to notice what he described as society’s neglect, particularly of young black and white working class youth in the social care system. Not only did it appear as if care staff were ill equipped to deal with demands of the young people, some of the young people were adopting sub-cultural stereotypic behaviour. Jak put this down to, in part, their educational experiences, as well as a lack of positive role models in both the media and their immediate environment. Jak noticed there were hardly any multi-cultural resources available within their homes."They were hungry for role models, because we all need a sense of identification, a sense of self and of self-esteem. Most of the role models they were being given in the media were negative and were stereotypes, it was very disappointing. So I decided to give the young people some new information, whether they wanted the information or not, I was going to give it to them".
With that he began to devise an educational program that would try and address these points, out of which came the board game: Nubian Jak
Nubian Jak
This article is about the board game Nubian Jak. For information on its founder, see Jak Beula. For the Nubian Jak UK game show that ran from 2004–2005, see Who Knows Jak...
. It immediately became a best seller in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
prompting Beula to give up work as a social worker. By the ending of 1996 educational magnates like Time-Life
Time-Life
Time–Life is a creator and direct marketer of books, music, video/DVD, and multimedia products. Its products are sold throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia through television, print, retail, the Internet, telemarketing, and direct sales....
were commenting on its innovation. In 1998 Jak Beula self published the first edition of Nubian Jak’s Book of World Facts. Coined “the truth with proof” it was subtitled the Ultimate Reference Guide to Global Black Achievement. In 2001 Beula signed a publishing deal with Harper Collins in New York to republish the book.
Personal life
Jak currently lives in London, England. He has three children, his eldest daughter (born 1991), Kaiyin (born 1998) and Xi’ann (born 2002).Jak Beula is an author, columnist (had his own column in The Voice
The Voice (newspaper)
The Voice is a British national weekly tabloid newspaper owned by the Jamaican publisher, GV Media Group, aimed at the British Afro-Caribbean community. The paper is based in the London Docklands and is published every Monday.-History:...
newspaper for 4 years between 1998–2002), has been featured in on a number of British TV shows including Channel 4’s SuperHuman (2004), BBC 2s Arena Special: Exodus 30 Years On (2007), and most recently on the popular BBC Children’s series Beat The Boss (2008).
He has also created Britain’s only national BME plaque and sculpture scheme, to honour personalities of the past. He is currently working alongside London 2012 with his innovated diversity project On Track 4 Gold.
External links
- Official Website
- BFI | Film & TV Database | Bob Marley - Exodus '77 (2007)- With thanks to Jak Beula
- Who knows Jak? Game show
- Jak Beula/Nubian Jak Interview
- Nubian Jak Game Nu Millennium Ed, Review
- BBC News | UK | England | London | Plaques honour carnival founder
- BBC News | UK | Slave girl's bravery remembered
- London honours legendary reggae artist Bob Marley with heritage plaque
- Two Black Heroes to be Honoured with London Plaques
- Black In Britain B References
- A Celebrity Tribute Gala