In this special “tables have turned” episode of In the Studio with J Haleem, our resident Queen of Storytelling, Tamika L. Sims, steps into the host chair and puts Jamar “J Haleem” Washington in the hot seat.

J Haleem opens up about growing up in Newark, New Jersey in a crowded household, hustling early, getting into serious legal trouble in South Carolina, becoming a convicted felon in college—and how he still graduated with honors but couldn’t get a job.

He shares how entrepreneurship became his only lane, why he built his first studio in Columbia, SC, and how In the Studio with J Haleem was born long before podcasting became cool. Then he walks us through his move to Las Vegas, what surprised him about the city, and his vision to make In the Studio with J Haleem the premier platform for entrepreneurs, leaders, and culture shapers in Vegas and beyond.

You’ll also hear J Haleem’s powerful quote that defines his journey:

“The platform you leap from is more important than the platform you land on.”

This episode is raw, funny, honest, and inspiring—perfect for anyone who’s ever had to start over, rebuild, or believe in themselves when nobody else did.

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