While most CESJDS employees are finished with their work day at 3:45 p.m., Security Guard Jamal Hall is only halfway there. Every evening after Hall leaves school, he spends four to five hours on his developing record label, Too Cold Gang (TCG).

Hall began this label in October, with the hope that it would provide both children and adults with enjoyable music, and has poured significant effort into the music ever since. Since Hall started his label, he has gotten an official license to provide protection and legitimacy to his music. The label is still getting off the ground and does not currently bring in any money, but Hall is going to have a photoshoot for the label soon and start a website soon after that. Hall hopes the label will eventually become a real business venture.

As the producer of the record label, Hall composes tracks, chooses artists to sing and rap over those tracks, and then finishes “mixing and mastering” at a local studio. Hall currently oversees six artists, and guides the singers and rappers by honing in on several specific genres of music.

“Right now I want to focus on hip-hop and R&B, but I also want to get into the pop side and a little bit of jazz,” Hall said. “I like to try to use each genre and fuse them together and create my own unique sound.”

Music teacher Charles Ostle listened to Hall’s recording and said that most of the songs had elements of “southern style hip-hop” music, specifically the drum patterns and “call-and-response” vocal samples that Hall programs into his tracks. Ostle also said that Hall incorporates “Central American style rhythms” into the hip-hop music.

“I think he’s on the right track to making some really interesting stuff,” Ostle said.

Hall hopes to make his music accessible to the world, through both free online music outlets and profitable albums in the future, but is currently mostly focused on getting his name known.

Music has been a strong influence in Hall’s life since childhood. His father, uncles and older brothers were all musicians, and Hall would often perform with his sister at family gatherings.

Hall’s family did not only play the role of laying a musical groundwork. One of the main artists on Hall’s label is his 23-year-old nephew, who is a rapper, and many of the other artists working on the label are friends of his nephew who also have experience in the field of music.

Hall said he was partially inspired to start his label by JDS students and teachers. Hall said that he is very impressed by JDS’s a capella group and musical productions. Hall also occasionally shares and discusses his music with Ostle and Jewish Text teacher Paul Blank.

“They inspired me to get back into it and focus on making and creating more music,” Hall said of Ostle and Blank.

Just as Hall was influenced by JDS student musicians, Hall has influenced many students in return with his new business. Ostle believes that student recognition of Hall’s new endeavor will strengthen the JDS community, shedding light on the diverse interests of the school’s faculty.

“I think it would be great that there would be some appreciation of the people who work in the building that the student body might not know anything about,” Ostle said. “This is sort of his personal side-project. People know him as just an employee here, but he’s also a very talented guy in different areas, so I think it would be interesting for the students to be aware of that.”

Beyond just listening to his music and seeing that “personal” side of him, many students have fostered close relationships with Hall throughout his time at JDS. Hall deeply appreciates these relationships, and was especially moved when alumni Daphna Hoffman (‘15), Danny Waksman (‘15) and Cameron Yolles (‘15) honored him at a Hanukkah Heroes assembly last year.

“I tried to be strong and not cry but, you know, it really touched me,” Hall said.

Because of the close relationships Hall has formed with several students, many students hope that Hall continues to work at JDS even as his record label continues to grow.
“Right now it’s not going to affect anything,” Hall said, addressing this issue. “I’m still going to be here Monday through Friday because I love being here. But even if [the label] does take of, I’m never going to leave JDS. I’m always going to be around.”