An Inspired Chat with Jameelah Wilkerson of Global

We recently had the chance to connect with Jameelah Wilkerson and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Jameelah , it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me right now starts with centering myself. I get up early, take a moment to level out my energy, pray, and express gratitude for the day ahead. From there, I run through my mental checklist—whether it’s business strategy, creative direction, or a client breakthrough I need to support. I move between calls, content planning, brand development sessions, and managing operations for multiple ventures. Every day looks different, but the structure remains rooted in intention, execution, and impact. I stay focused on aligning purpose with productivity, making sure that whatever I touch helps someone build, grow, or heal.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Absolutely.

I’m Dr. Jameelah “Just Jay” Wilkerson — a business strategist, publisher, and media entrepreneur with over two decades of experience building platforms that amplify underrepresented voices. I’m the Founder and Publisher of The Hype Magazine, a global media brand that started as a one-page newsletter and is now distributed nationally and internationally. I also run Imjustjay.com, a consulting agency focused on business development, brand strategy, and financial empowerment, and I co-founded Maverick Global Distribution, a music and media distribution platform empowering independent artists with transparency and access.

What makes my journey unique is that everything I build is rooted in purpose. I came into this work not just to make noise—but to make impact. I’ve created systems that help creatives, entrepreneurs, and everyday people turn their ideas into structured, scalable, and profitable realities. Whether I’m helping an artist navigate the music industry, guiding a founder through a business pivot, or designing a financial literacy workshop for underserved communities, my goal is always to leave people better than I found them.

Right now, I’m expanding several projects—scaling The Hype Magazine’s digital presence, building new tech platforms for artists and entrepreneurs, and launching Ignite Your Lyfe, a nationwide initiative focused on wealth building, business education, and personal transformation. My work sits at the intersection of culture, commerce, and community—and I’m just getting started.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed I had to wait for permission—permission to be seen, to be heard, to lead, or to build something bigger than my environment. I thought success had a timeline or had to follow a certain path. But over time, I unlearned that.

Now, I believe in myself without limits. I know that I don’t need permission to create impact, take up space, or pivot as many times as necessary to become the highest version of myself. I’ve realized there are no limitations to what I can do—only the ones I used to place on myself.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely—there have been plenty of moments when I almost gave up. Life has a way of testing your limits. Between family, responsibilities, running multiple businesses, and just trying to show up for everyone, it can get overwhelming. There are days when the weight of it all feels like too much—when I’ve had to remind myself that I’m only one person, doing the best I can.

But even in those moments, something inside me refuses to quit. I always go back to my “why”—the people I’m doing this for, the communities I’m building for, and the legacy I want to leave behind. So even when I feel like I’m at my breaking point, I pause, breathe, pray, and keep going. Giving up isn’t an option—it’s just a thought that passes through, but it never gets to stay.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. I used to hide behind my personality when I was younger because people were intimidated by my knowledge, confidence, and my ability to be great. I would dim my light just to make others comfortable. But over time, I realized that playing small wasn’t serving anyone—especially not me.

Now, the public version of me is fully aligned with who I am behind the scenes. I show up as my authentic self, unapologetically. I’ve learned to only surround myself with people who aren’t bothered by my greatness—people who see it, support it, and are inspired by it. So yes, what you see is real. I’ve done the work to become whole—and that’s who I bring to every room.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If immortality were real, what would you build?
If immortality were real, I would build functional systems that outlive emotion, ego, and instability—systems rooted in sustainability, empowerment, and legacy. I’d create generational infrastructures where communities could thrive without being dependent on broken institutions. That means building global networks for financial literacy, business ownership, creative freedom, and healing.

I wouldn’t just build for profit—I’d build for purpose. Systems that teach, elevate, and duplicate success, so even in immortality, I wouldn’t be the only one winning. I’d make sure the blueprint could be passed on, scaled, and evolved—because true legacy isn’t just about living forever; it’s about what you leave behind that never dies.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imjustjay.com
• Instagram: hypejustjay
• Twitter: @thehypemagazine
• Facebook: @thehypemagazine
• Other: https://www.thehypemagazine.com

Image Credits
My Image From My Photographer