Kamal was born on May 7th, 1966, in the vibrant neighborhood of East New York, Brooklyn, and later grew up in the eclectic community of Astoria, Queens.
As the son of an immigrant Bangladeshi father and Trinidadian mother, Kamal's upbringing was a unique blend of cultural influences. His father, an entrepreneur, had a successful string of East Indian restaurants in Manhattan's East Village, while his mother, a classically trained opera singer, brought a touch of elegance to the family.
Kamal's educational journey began at P.S. 122Q and Steinway JHS 141Q, before he was accepted into the prestigious High School of Art & Design in 1980. He later graduated from City-As-School in 1984.
Beyond his educational achievements, Kamal is a multi-talented individual who excels in music. He plays the electric bass with great skill and even scored the music for his directorial debut, God Has a Rap Sheet (2003),with his band, "The Sacred Groove Posse".
In the early 1990s, Kamal joined the comedy group, "The Jerky Boys", which went on to achieve significant commercial success, selling over 4.5 million copies and earning a Grammy nomination in 1995. After leaving the group, Kamal transitioned into directing documentaries, including Artists of Hell's Kitchen (2000),for which he won the Best Director of a Documentary award at the New York International & Independent Film & Video Festival.
Kamal's latest feature film, God Has a Rap Sheet (2003),has garnered widespread critical acclaim, with prominent Hollywood directors such as Martin Scorsese and Abel Ferrara praising the film as "brilliant".
When not working on his passion projects, Kamal is an avid baseball fan, with a special affinity for the New York Mets. He is also a serious student of Judo, a martial art that he has dedicated himself to mastering.
