Growing Up in Mississippi's Musical Legacy

Mississippi is the birthplace of America's music, and it has never stopped producing legendary musicians and hits that are well worth the labor pains of southern melodic expressiveness. Surrounded by the sounds of the City With Soul, Kamel King was enthralled by popular music and extemporized melodies. As the son of the legendary Lee King, he was destined to be a part of music, whether he wanted to or not. Lucky for him, being in creative environments made his spirit sing.

Following in His Father's Footsteps

"The way I got into entertainment was certainly through my dad," Kamel said of his beloved and much-celebrated father. "I grew up being around him, being a concert promoter, and him having the legendary show Black Gold on WLBT. With him having the show, doing concerts, and managing artists, I was just always with him. He's my hero."

Chronicling Jackson's Musical History

Kamel King's cultivation was a distinctive experience that gave him the privilege of knowing some of the most incredible artists in the Magnolia state. He recently released his book, "Jacktown USA: The Capital City of American Music," which captures a vibrant and thorough exploration of Jackson's pivotal role in the development of American music, particularly blues and southern soul.

Celebrating Mississippi's Musical Talent

Jacktown USA, co-authored with Joe Lee, features deep dives into the lives and careers of nine prominent artists with strong ties to Jackson, including Grammy winners and influential musicians such as Dexter Allen, Eddie Cotton, Zac Harmon, and Benjamin Wright. It explains Jackson's storied history of small clubs and juke joints, a musical destination loaded with creative, resourceful promoters and producers. It's the epicenter that will impact both national and international music trends for the foreseeable future.

The Need for Local Music Industry Infrastructure

"Mississippi has tons of quality crude oil (artists) in entertainment and music and sports, and any other field, but in music and entertainment, it's not a lot of oil refineries," said Kamel, using the natural resource as an analogy. "So a lot of times we are exporting our crude oil to other places to process it, create the brand, and make products out of it. A lot of times, it never gets branded back to Mississippi, and the dollars and recognition don't come back to us."

Building Legal Protection for Artists

Lee King raised his children with a clear understanding of justice. He ensured that Kamel and his sister read biographies and autobiographies of Black community pillars and civil rights advocates. Kamel noticed that the legal system was a common thread in each read. As a King man, Kamel felt a deep sense of obligation and honor to merge his passion for contributing to the music industry with his commitment to providing clients with the best legal counsel.

Creating Mississippi's Music Industry Future

"We are the oil refineries," said Kamel King, an entertainment attorney of 19 years. "We are taking these wonderful artists who need just a little refining, business-wise, and making sure they don't have to leave and get taken advantage of. They can be protected here. Pretty soon, we won't need the rest of the world to refine anything. We'll have all the refineries that we need right here."