Melvin Jackson Jr. is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director.

Jackson started out in the entertainment business at the age of 18 as an entertainment manager, guiding the careers of local artists in the Washington, D.C. area.

His first credited role as an actor was on a 2003 episode of America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back.

Jackson has recurred on HBO’s The Wire, and the CW’s Everybody Hates Chris.

He portrayed pioneering rapper Kurtis Blow in the 2017 BET mini-series The New Edition Story.

In 2018, Jackson garnered a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for his role in the web series This Eddie Murphy Role is Mine, Not Yours (which Jackson also wrote and executive produced).

Jackson is married to actress Kelly Jenrette, who received an 2018 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her work in an episode of The Handmaid’s Tale, giving the couple the distinction of being the first African-American married couple to be nominated for an Emmy in the same year.