Selema Masekela facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Selema Masekela
Selema Masekela in 2011
Born	Selema Mabena Masekela (1971-08-28) August 28, 1971 (age 53) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Sal Masekela
Occupation	Actor television host television commentator
Years active	1992–present
Relatives	Hugh Masekela (father)

Selema "Sal" Masekela is an American TV host, sports commentator, actor, and singer. He was born on August 28, 1971. Sal is known for hosting exciting sports shows like the X Games and for his work on channels like ESPN and NBC. He also uses his platform to support important social causes.

Who is Sal Masekela?

Sal Masekela was born in Los Angeles, California. His mother is from Haiti, and his father was the famous South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela. Sal grew up in different places, including Staten Island, New York, and Carlsbad, California. He went to Carlsbad High School.

Starting His Career in Action Sports

When Sal was a teenager, he moved to Southern California. There, he discovered a love for surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding. These sports became a big part of his life and career.

In 1992, Sal started working as an intern at Transworld Publications. This company published popular magazines about snowboarding, skateboarding, and surfing. This was his first step into the world of action sports media.

Hosting and Commentating

Sal became a well-known face in television. He worked as a sideline reporter for ESPN during the 2003–2004 NBA season. He also co-hosted The Daily 10 on the E! network, which covered top entertainment news.

For 13 years, Sal was the host of the X Games and Winter X Games on ESPN. These events feature extreme sports competitions. In 2012, he moved to NBC and NBC Sports Network. He continued his work in sports broadcasting there.

Connecting with His Roots

In 2010, ESPN hired Sal to help cover the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. During this time, he made a special video series with his father, Hugh. The series was called "Umlando - Through my Father's Eyes."

This series showed Sal and Hugh traveling through South Africa. Hugh took Sal to the places where he grew up. It was Sal's first visit to his father's home country, making it a very meaningful trip.

Music and Film Projects

Sal also has his own band called Alekesam. The band's name is "Masekela" spelled backward. Alekesam is also the name of Sal's first film. This movie tells the story of his relationship with his father and their shared love for music. The film first showed at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2012.

Alekesam's music has been featured on TV shows like Entourage and House of Lies. Sal has also hosted many live events. These include YouTube's Brandcast and Google's Zeitgeist.

More TV and Film Work

For the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Sal was a features reporter for NBC's Olympic Zone. In 2015, he joined the investigative series VICE on HBO as a correspondent and executive producer. He also appeared in the movie Point Break that year.

From 2016, Sal hosted and produced VICE World of Sports on VICELAND. This series explored different cultures and politics around the world through the lens of sports. Sal is also involved with UX Entertainment, a company that creates films, commercials, and music videos.

Making a Difference

Sal Masekela is very active in social causes. He is a co-founder of Stoked Mentoring. This organization helps young people who are at risk by teaching them action sports.

He also serves on the advisory boards for two other important groups:

• The Lunchbox Fund: This non-profit provides daily meals to students in township schools in Soweto, South Africa.
• The Skatepark Project: This organization helps fund and build safe, high-quality skateboarding parks for kids.

Sal is also a strong supporter of the Surfrider Foundation and Life Rolls On. These groups work to protect oceans and help people with spinal cord injuries.