Commentator, Journalist & Emmy-Nominated Producer
Selema Masekela: Biography at a Glance
- Selema Masekela, aptly known as the "face and voice of action sports,” is a beloved host, journalist, entrepreneur, musician, activist, and Emmy-nominated producer best known for his work across NBC, BIVE, E!, ESPN, National Geographic and beyond.
- Selema is also well known for hosting the Summer and Winter X Games as well as serving as a correspondent for the Winter and Summer Olympics.
- He is often considered an action sports evangelist with a mission to make the world of action sports a diverse and inclusive place for all.
- Selema is an Executive Board Member at Burton, leading their Culture Shifters program to help influence diversity in snowboarding, and also serves as a brand ambassador, consultant, and host for Red Bull.
- Outside of his front-of-camera work, Selema thrives as a film and television producer and musician, recording under the alias 'Alekesam' (Masekela backwards).
- He is the co-founder of Stoked Mentoring, an organization dedicated to mentoring at-risk youth through action sports.
Media
Podcast: What Shapes UsOutside: The Unlikely Preacher of Action SportsSnowboarder: One of Snowboarding's Most Vital Voices Shares His Unique and Compe...Shop Eat Surf: Burton Adds Selema Masekela to its Board of DirectorsForbes: Selema Masekela On X Games’ Past, Its Present, And His Journey Back Afte...NY Times: Black Surfers Reclaim Their Place on the Waves
Videos
Biography
Selema Masekela, aptly known as the "face and voice of action sports,” is a beloved host, journalist, entrepreneur, musician, activist, and Emmy-nominated producer best known for his work across NBC, BIVE, E!, ESPN, National Geographic and beyond. With decades of action sports journalism and mentorship under his belt, Masekela is often considered an action sports evangelist. Selema's mission is to make the world of action sports a diverse and inclusive place for all.
Selema is an Executive Board Member at Burton, leading their Culture Shifters trip each year, curating talent like ASAP Ferg and beyond to help influence diversity in snowboarding culture. He also serves as a brand ambassador, consultant, and host for Red Bull, influencing their executive leadership team, hosting events, like the Red Bull Signature Series, and curating cultural programming like Mosaic Sessions.
Selema is well known for hosting the Summer and Winter X Games as well as serving as a correspondent for the Winter and Summer Olympics. He can also be heard hosting the Webby award-winning podcast All Music is Black Music and his podcast What Shapes Us?
A native of New York, Selema's flair for entertainment emerged at an early age as he toured the world with his father, human rights activist and South African jazz icon Hugh Masekela. Selema’s own band, Alekesam, shares the name of his first film which chronicles his relationship with his father and their connection through music, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2012. Alekesam’s music has been featured on Entourage and House of Lies, with their single, All Is Forgiven, featured on the season four premiere of the Showtime hit.
Selema co-founded Stoked Mentoring, an organization dedicated to mentoring at-risk youth through action sports. An avid fitness & action sports enthusiast himself, you can often find him surfing, snowboarding, working out, or skating.
Topics
What Shapes Us?
Selema Masekela has broken the mold time and time again. After overcoming racial stereotypes in surfing and action sports, Masekela became the face of the X Games. Even then, he never let others put him in a box. A beloved host, journalist, entrepreneur, musician, activist, and Emmy-nominated producer, Selema is a relentlessly curious narrator of the human experience.
In this conversation, he takes audiences on a journey through personal anecdotes from his own life and in-depth, conversational exchanges with a wide landscape of dynamic and interesting individuals. With his unique flair and infectious energy, he shares his thoughts on the always-evolving question: What shapes us?
