 A firm believer in giving back to the community, Basheer is apart of B.R.I.C.K (Brotherhood, Respect, Intelligence, Conduct, and Knowledge), which has many community service initiatives, including reading to pre-school children and feeding the homeless. Basheer Jones is a published author of poetry who has been writing since the age of 11, and has had the opportunity to perform at the renowned Apollo Theater. His poetry has won countless competitions, including the acclaimed Youth Pepsi Essence Award in 1999, and he has been featured in Essence Magazine, The Cleveland Call, Post and Plain Dealer Newspapers, and on several radio stations around the country. Basheer also has the honor of having been saluted as one of Cleveland State University’s Great African American Men, and Cleveland Life Magazine’s Twenty-Five Leaders of Tomorrow. Basheer travels internationally to speak at events, and has opened up for Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam at Emory University, Tavis Smiley's "Covenant of Black America" in Cleveland, OH, and 2008 democratic presidential nominee Barak Obama’s rally at Tri-C Campus. Recently, Basheer signed a contract with ESPN to do the pre-Heisman presentation for one of his long-time best friends, Troy Smith, who won the award in 2006. Basheer recently released his second CD entitled, “I’ll Speak 4 Change”. Currently, Basheer hosts the "Basheer Jones and Company Morning Show" of Radio-One Cleveland, which airs 6am-9am Monday-Friday, and "Street Soldiers" talk show on Z1079.9 FM. He also serves as the Public Relations/Community Relations Director for the Troy Smith Foundation. |