You hear him before you see him.  A burly voice that echoes like that of a warrior riding into battle, James Black (regarded as J Black by both colleagues and friends) enters with a laugh that bounces off the walls and a trademark smile that uplifts everyone in the room around him.

It’s easy to misjudge J Black at first sight. Standing at 6 foot 7 with a body reminiscent of Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal in his hay day; J Black looks more like a man who tears the rims off backboards for fun rather than one who can sit in a single place for hours in a state of silent meditation.

But what if I told you, J Black is both of those people? A man defined by his contrasts and the dichotomies, he prides himself on being more than what meets the eye. He is duality personified.  

A former college basketball player who went on to graduate from Azusa Pacific degrees in music, business, and organizational leadership, J Black is a hard shell that when opened, reveals an unexpected treasure: a servant leader.

Whether it’s coaching his clients to broaden their horizons and push for more or merely sitting down with a stranger he just met to advise them with their business, J Black is a man whose drive comes from helping others reach their full potential, and on the flip side, they have helped him reach his.  

This isn’t just hot air full of fanciful aspirations either, J Black’s resume speaks for itself.

From being a vital member in producing a plethora of platinum selling albums with stars like Mary J Blige and Mary Mary, to being the entertainment coordinator for the likes of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Magic Johnson Foundation, to producing events  that garnered sit-down a interview with Grammy award winner Kirk Franklin, decorated Olympian Allyson Felix, and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka; J Black can boast for more than 21 years of success in the entertainment industry.

Oh, and when he’s not doing all that (or being a father to his children), he is running his plant based burger brand Gorealla Burger to hungry Los Angeles patrons.

It should come to no surprise to those who know him that J Black’s entrepreneurial itch originates from his father, Ron Black. A pastor for New Ground Harvest Church, Ron Black owned his own BBQ restaurant, a construction company, managed a radio station, was an executive director of a non-profit, all while still creating a stable home for his wife and his children.

“He always believed in me. Never wavered,” J Black reminisces as he leans back in his chair and props his size 14 feet on the table. He credits his father with teaching him to be a ‘two fisted man’–an old school way of saying never do anything half ways; always be prepared; use all your resources not just half of them; t0 endure all hardships.

“He always used to tell me, ‘leaders have to take people to places they don’t know they need to go’ and I always took that with me as the reason to always keep going no matter what happens. Because I’m not just doing it for myself. I’m doing it for everyone who is depending on me.”

After the passing of Ron, J Black’s two-fisted mentality has never been more challenged in his life. With the loss of his father, anyone would have understood if J Black had put everything on hold and taken a well-deserved break.

But strife and adversity are green lights to J Black. He doesn’t see “stop” or “slow down” he sees “buckle up and put the pedal to the metal because you’re almost there.”

So after nearly two decades of working for other entertainment companies, J Black made the decision to launch his own: Son of Preacher Man Entertainment (SOPM).

His goal? Same as it’s ever been for both himself and his clients: to be more than what meets the eye. He seeks to create a space for his clients that brings more than just monetary success; understanding that spiritual and mental success are equally as important.

“Joie de vivre,” he says with a cheeky smile. “It’s a phrase that is part of the foundation for SOPM. It means ‘exuberant enjoyment of life.’ Be grateful and enjoy every day. I’m not saying it happens all time. But that’s what we strive to do - what we strive to be about.”

He closes his eyes and gets very quiet. It’s a moment where J Black goes from being the loudest in the room to being as silent as a monk.

When he opens his eyes, I ask what he was thinking. He responds with surprising affirmation: “I am Divine. I am Limitless. I am Productive. I am Wise. I am Inspiration. I am Power. I am Peace.”

I blink, reminded again of the deep wide ocean of thought that resides in this larger than life man.

So who is J. Black? A father? A plant-based burger brand owner? A confidant? The CEO of SOPM?

To this humble writer, he is a carefully constructed amalgam of assertiveness and patience, a man who can educate you on how to post up beneath the rim as well as break down the wage gap disparity in America’s economy. He is a man defined by the connections he has with others. He is a man that will never settle for anything less than what is deserved.

He’s J Black, and he’s everything you see and everything you don’t.