BATCH 001: Double Feature (The Mask x Mumbo Jumbo)

READ MO’ BLACK BOOKS

This idea came to me when I set out to rebuild my physical media collection. In an era where AI companies are consuming and altering books to train their models, preserving Black books and stories that reflect our lived experiences and imagination has been deeply important to me.

I didn’t want just any books or movies. I wanted tangible media in my home that felt nostalgic and familiar, pieces I could revisit time and again without tiring. At a pop-up we were a part of on Chicago's South Side, the phrase "Read Mo' Black Books" resonated deeply with the people who visited my table. That moment captures the heart of Pour Into It Media: celebrating and highlighting stories that truly feel like home.

For our very first pairing, Batch 001, we are matching Jim Carrey’s 1994 classic The Mask with Ishmael Reed’s masterpiece Mumbo Jumbo.

Growing up, I loved Jim Carrey. Even though The Mask came out before I was born, my loved watching him on In Living Color. His character, Stanley Ipkiss, starts off as a shy pushover, but once he puts on the mask, he becomes deeply expressive and largely free of consequences. We have the backdrop of jazz, swing, R&B, and vibrant zoot suits, Mumbo Jumbo felt like the ultimate companion piece.

Black culture is expansive and globally influential. In Mumbo Jumbo, Ishmael Reed introduces "Jes Grew", a cultural phenomenon sweeping the nation, channeling the uncontrollable joy, soul, rhythm, jazz, and dance intrinsic to Black life. Naturally, the establishment panics, demanding assimilation and decorum.

Pairing these two feels especially timely given the ongoing conversations surrounding respectability politics and anti-Blackness. Forces that are not only systemic but far too often perpetuated within our own community.

As you sit with this pairing, we leave you with one core question: Why is uninhibited freedom and joy celebrated when packaged in a particular way, but shunned and viewed as a threat when it comes from Black people?

NOTE

At Pour Into It Media, we believe in building physical media collections that preserve Black stories and spark deep dialogue. Batch 001 is produced in a strictly limited run of 33 packages.

• Pre-Order Window: Open for 7 Days Only (Closes Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM).

• Estimated Shipping: All packages will begin shipping by August 21, 2026.