The SBTV founder on Angelina Jolie, Breaking Bad and why yoga is one of the toughest things he's ever done
Jamal Edwards, 22, is the founder of SBTV and Britain's youngest media magnate. He has, perhaps inevitably, been called the new Richard Branson. He recently signed a deal with Sony's RCA to launch his own record label, Just Jam. Raised on an estate in Acton, west London, he began filming his friends rapping when he was 14, posting the short videos on YouTube. Soon he was travelling across London ("I had never left Acton") to film actors, artists and singers at film premieres and "aftershows". He founded SBTV at the age of 15; now one of the most profitable channels on YouTube, it shows interviews, live events and jam sessions of upcoming artists and music superstars, and Jamal is said to be worth more than £6m. He has toured Asia with hip-hop star Dr Dre, interviewed David Cameron and Ed Miliband for his channel and is an ambassador for the Prince's Trust. His new ebook, Self Belief: The Vision, Going Large: Level 5, is available through iTunes, Kindle, Amazon and Google.
**DVD**
*Richie Rich*
I first saw this Macaulay Culkin film when I was about seven or eight years old. It made me want to be a businessman. It's about this little kid who is crazy rich. He has everything – a McDonald's in his house and a roller-coaster in his garden. It was the film that made me want to have a McDonald's in my house and a roller-coaster in my garden. I am dead serious that is what I wanted back then. That film, which I still watch and love, made me want to succeed, but it also tells how money doesn't necessarily buy happiness. So now that I have money I try not to let it change me. The circumstances and the environment have changed but I haven't. My motivation now is not so much about money but to try to reduce the stereotype of young people being this lost generation. And I no longer actually want a McDonald's in my house.
**TV*
*
*Breaking Bad*
I'd heard everyone going on about this for ages. So a few weeks ago, knowing the last part was about to start, I bought all the box sets and locked myself away for 48 hours and did nothing but watch Breaking Bad. For me it is one of the greatest and most original TV shows ever made. It is intelligent, has great action stuff and it's completely addictive. It's about a lot of stuff, but in a way what I like is that one man finds his soul as the other one loses his. It tells the story of how we can all be corrupted, even real respectable-looking people. How do I think it's going to end? I don't wanna think about how it's gonna end, I just wanna live in the moment of each episode. I do know one thing, though – it's not gonna be pretty.
**FITNESS*
*
*Bikram yoga*
I was told about this by a friend. It's yoga in a very, very hot room, which is literally one of the toughest things I have ever done. The muscles are a lot more relaxed in the heat, which allows your body to twist itself into all kinds of crazy shapes. I was always big on the gym, weights and stuff. But this is so much harder than anything I've ever tried. Exercise for me is a way of clearing my mind, of finding a kind of peaceful place which allows me to think better. Whenever I drive through Hyde Park and see the joggers, I always think of how important health is.
**DESIGN*
*
*Thomas Sabo jewellery*
I was never much into jewellery. Then a friend bought me a piece by Thomas Sabo and it had "Rebel at heart" engraved on it. That spoke to me. All successful people are rebels; you have to go up against people who tell you not to take risks, not to stick your neck out. Even the people who love you say that – especially the people who love you. When I first started filming, people would tell me you can film this, but you can't film that. One time I had interviewed Nicki Minaj and the record company told me to not film her after the interview was over, but I followed her into the lift and carried on filming. We got on great together and she liked what I did. A couple of days later her record company were on the phone asking me to do a film of her again as part of a promo. For me, not playing by the rules, not conforming, is what I am about and what all successful people are about. Hard work and hard thinking and doing stuff differently, that's what's key.
*MUSIC
*
*MK remix of Look Right Through by Storm Queen*
This is just a brilliant remix. I saw MK play a sick set in Ibiza and thought he was amazing, then I actually met him. He's from LA, is real talented but still a humble, humble guy. He's done a few remixes of Look Right Through and they are just a great rework of a great dance tune. They are all on the net to listen to. But people should try and go see him if you get a chance. He's a true original.
*FILM
*
*Salt*
I am so busy I almost never get to the cinema. I saw Salt on an aeroplane recently, which is how I get to keep up with films nowadays. I know it's old but that's the way it goes. It's a spy movie with Angelina Jolie, who I really admire as an actor because she can do serious and she can do action. Salt is like big budget, high concept action, and I loved it. Total escapism. Reported by guardian.co.uk 8 minutes ago.
Jamal Edwards, 22, is the founder of SBTV and Britain's youngest media magnate. He has, perhaps inevitably, been called the new Richard Branson. He recently signed a deal with Sony's RCA to launch his own record label, Just Jam. Raised on an estate in Acton, west London, he began filming his friends rapping when he was 14, posting the short videos on YouTube. Soon he was travelling across London ("I had never left Acton") to film actors, artists and singers at film premieres and "aftershows". He founded SBTV at the age of 15; now one of the most profitable channels on YouTube, it shows interviews, live events and jam sessions of upcoming artists and music superstars, and Jamal is said to be worth more than £6m. He has toured Asia with hip-hop star Dr Dre, interviewed David Cameron and Ed Miliband for his channel and is an ambassador for the Prince's Trust. His new ebook, Self Belief: The Vision, Going Large: Level 5, is available through iTunes, Kindle, Amazon and Google.
**DVD**
*Richie Rich*
I first saw this Macaulay Culkin film when I was about seven or eight years old. It made me want to be a businessman. It's about this little kid who is crazy rich. He has everything – a McDonald's in his house and a roller-coaster in his garden. It was the film that made me want to have a McDonald's in my house and a roller-coaster in my garden. I am dead serious that is what I wanted back then. That film, which I still watch and love, made me want to succeed, but it also tells how money doesn't necessarily buy happiness. So now that I have money I try not to let it change me. The circumstances and the environment have changed but I haven't. My motivation now is not so much about money but to try to reduce the stereotype of young people being this lost generation. And I no longer actually want a McDonald's in my house.
**TV*
*
*Breaking Bad*
I'd heard everyone going on about this for ages. So a few weeks ago, knowing the last part was about to start, I bought all the box sets and locked myself away for 48 hours and did nothing but watch Breaking Bad. For me it is one of the greatest and most original TV shows ever made. It is intelligent, has great action stuff and it's completely addictive. It's about a lot of stuff, but in a way what I like is that one man finds his soul as the other one loses his. It tells the story of how we can all be corrupted, even real respectable-looking people. How do I think it's going to end? I don't wanna think about how it's gonna end, I just wanna live in the moment of each episode. I do know one thing, though – it's not gonna be pretty.
**FITNESS*
*
*Bikram yoga*
I was told about this by a friend. It's yoga in a very, very hot room, which is literally one of the toughest things I have ever done. The muscles are a lot more relaxed in the heat, which allows your body to twist itself into all kinds of crazy shapes. I was always big on the gym, weights and stuff. But this is so much harder than anything I've ever tried. Exercise for me is a way of clearing my mind, of finding a kind of peaceful place which allows me to think better. Whenever I drive through Hyde Park and see the joggers, I always think of how important health is.
**DESIGN*
*
*Thomas Sabo jewellery*
I was never much into jewellery. Then a friend bought me a piece by Thomas Sabo and it had "Rebel at heart" engraved on it. That spoke to me. All successful people are rebels; you have to go up against people who tell you not to take risks, not to stick your neck out. Even the people who love you say that – especially the people who love you. When I first started filming, people would tell me you can film this, but you can't film that. One time I had interviewed Nicki Minaj and the record company told me to not film her after the interview was over, but I followed her into the lift and carried on filming. We got on great together and she liked what I did. A couple of days later her record company were on the phone asking me to do a film of her again as part of a promo. For me, not playing by the rules, not conforming, is what I am about and what all successful people are about. Hard work and hard thinking and doing stuff differently, that's what's key.
*MUSIC
*
*MK remix of Look Right Through by Storm Queen*
This is just a brilliant remix. I saw MK play a sick set in Ibiza and thought he was amazing, then I actually met him. He's from LA, is real talented but still a humble, humble guy. He's done a few remixes of Look Right Through and they are just a great rework of a great dance tune. They are all on the net to listen to. But people should try and go see him if you get a chance. He's a true original.
*FILM
*
*Salt*
I am so busy I almost never get to the cinema. I saw Salt on an aeroplane recently, which is how I get to keep up with films nowadays. I know it's old but that's the way it goes. It's a spy movie with Angelina Jolie, who I really admire as an actor because she can do serious and she can do action. Salt is like big budget, high concept action, and I loved it. Total escapism. Reported by guardian.co.uk 8 minutes ago.