Jack HammerXL has been on the kinky porn scene for a decade, gracing all the major BDSM sets. His profound love of rope shines through his work, and his interest in portraying kink and people of color is taking his work in new directions. We caught up with the performer turned producer to chat about his previous work on PinkLabel.tv, and what he loves most about kinky sex on film.

Which came first? Porn or Kink    

Kink. I’ve always looked at porno magazines — cause there was no Internet back then. I’d search the back pages for the ‘taboo’ parts – BDSM, queer, trans folks, that’s where I found pretty much all the parts of my own sexual identity.

What’s it like for you when you use rope on camera?

Performing with rope on camera means a huge transference of energy. Now, I don’t mean me ‘taking’ energy from a person, as if I’m a black hole that sucks out all their energy. For me, the transference is a mutual exchange. And for some performers, even more so. The exchange depends on their spirit, or aura — not to get too metaphysical — but that’s the feeling I get. I’ve worked with performers who are just doing it for the money, and in these instances I make sure they have a good, rewarding scene. And then there’s other people who I connect with who get ‘lost in the moment’ and it’s like there’s not even a camera there. It can feel like it’s just you and the other person in the room. I felt that way working with Jesse for Heavenly Spire. He was the first guy that I’ve tied up in a one-on-one scene. In the other gay porn I’ve done, the director would always do the ropes. So this was one of the cool things about shooting for Pink and White, getting to be creative and doing what I wanted to do. The set was a bedroom, which felt more like being at home than working in a big production. It was really more organic. I guess this is true for everything I’ve shot with Pink and White; you’ve got your storyboard and plan and all that, but the sex scenes are so organic. And as long as you get the core stuff, you’re fine.

What was it like returning to porn after cancer?

Heavenly Spire was my second scene after coming back to porn after cancer. So it was a little weird, because when I first came back to shooting, I hadn’t had sex in at least a year. The first person I had sex with, after I had all the tubes and everything out, felt a little like when I was younger — like the first time in a sexual encounter, you know? ‘Ah, this is a disaster!” And the second time, it was weird because it was happening on camera, so I was worried about performing well. But it went fine. It was a good scene and I enjoyed it. And though we haven’t worked together since then, Jesse and I still kind of keep in contact.

I was really happy with that shoot and I decided to do it when I was just starting back again, and even though I had stopped performing in gay porn. The reason for that is because they don’t test as often, and because there’s a lot of stigma on the straight side for being a ‘crossover’ performer. Too many female talent or agents will request not to work with you if you’re a man who works with other men or trans women. It’s messed up, and it doesn’t make much since if we’re all testing negative for STIs. At the time I was getting tested every two weeks.

Speaking of gay porn, you’ve also worked with Bonus Hole Boys, a hardcore gay porn company that pairs cis and trans male performers. How was that for you?

Shooting with Jade Phillips, who is a trans man, was a new experience. I like men, and he’s also a muscular man. The only difficult thing was how tight he was. But I liked the whole concept of the shoot and the storyline, so that was a bonus. Hey, bonus hole!

I was also shooting for Insex by then, directing at that point. So it was great to work on a set as just a performer, and sit back and watch everyone else do the work. I could focus on performing. I hadn’t felt that way in a long time. It’s like pulling a ‘Clint Eastwood’ — to be in it, direct it, produce it — knowing how I am, I’d get into the whole ‘this is how it’s gonna be’ control mode. But it’s easier when you know you can trust a great crew.

Do you watch your scenes?

There’s some of my Hard Tied scenes that I’d watch because I want to study what I was doing, so that I could be ready for the next time I shoot with a performer. That way I can know whether to up the ante, and turn it up some, or to turn it down some. It’s like how you’d watch the dailies.

What other types of porn have you done?

I also shot a medical fetish scene when I worked with Minax. One was a medical fetish film, called The Doctor is In and the other was a fantasy role-play with Minax and Tina Horn. In the doctor scene, Minax delivers prostate massages. That was a large part of it. Minax was directing, and it was just her and me, and her videographer/pa/everything. Small crew, which is awesome. It was basically like how people shoot clips, and very professional because of how her whole place is set up. Minax had a garage set up like a dungeon, and everywhere in her house was decorated and outfitted in some kind of theme for something.

In the other scene, Knave and Nymph, Eve played a garden Goddess, Tina played a Nymph and I played a Knave, which I learned was the male version of a nymph. Eve and I dommed, and had sex with Tina. You know, now that I think about it, I think about it I’m disappointed that I didn’t have wings. I was basically a fairy without the wings. We needed more props. Like a big water lily or something from Fern Gully. (Laughs.)

You are under-acknowledged in the industry, for being such an accomplished performer and producer. This year, a film you star in is nominated at the Toronto International Porn Festival! Do you feel seen?

It feels surreal to be nominated, because though I’ve been in movies that have been nominated for industry awards, but I only had a smaller part in them. The films weren’t really about my performance. So now, after 10 years of being in the business, I finally feel accomplished. Even after being a director for years, and now that I’m teaching rope and everything. Last year I shot 300-350 scenes — and that’s for Sexually Broken alone. It doesn’t include what I was shooting for Hard Tied. Or anything I ever did for Kink. I wasn’t recognized until this film, which was released after my relationship with the partner I shot with ended. It’s a little sad because of the feelings that I have still.

You and your co-star Nikki Darling were partners when you filmed BED PARTY. It was shot in 2014, but wasn’t released until 2017, so three years had passed.

Yeah. Actually the first time we shot together was Nikki’s first shoot ever, for Fucked and Bound, for JP. I think it sold pretty well, cause her career really started taking off. She’s a great performer. When we’re working together, the money is a bonus at that point. It was great to do BED PARTY and show the world our dynamic. Although, we didn’t really show our full dynamic, cause looking back on it, we totally should have switched! But we had already filmed over an hour so we had a lot of footage. The shooting style was different than the start-and-stop that is more common on a BDSM set. It was really like being at home having sex. The only difference was that there were a few people in the room with cameras. And you were like ‘go!” It was fun jumping on the bed. Which we probably wouldn’t do if not for the project and Shine asking us to. It was fun being playful.

SNAPSHOT was a little difficult to shoot because it had been a month since Nikki and I were no longer together. Of course, I didn’t want to cancel because we can be professional. We both still showed up. I wish we had had a larger part in it, but maybe we all wish we had more of a part in the film. I really like acting and getting into character.

In all, Nikki and I shot a handful of scenes together. It’d be good to see more porn couples of color. King Noire and Jet Setting Jasmine are the only one I can think of off the top of my head. I thought that WE could be a successful porn couple. Especially as a Black couple.

It’s rare to see black performers paired together in porn.

Yeah. When it’s a Black male and a white female, well, it’s obvious why porn producers do this. Still to this day in 2017 they want to keep this ‘taboo’ thing going. As far as the other way around, a white male and Black female, it’s not seen as often. As a Black man in porn, I experience racism even performers’ boyfriends.

I’ll tell you a story. Claire Adams used to hire me to do a few Device Bondage shoots back when she was the director and I shot with a white woman whose boyfriend wanted to play the whole ‘control-thing’ — you know, how most ‘civilians’ (non-porn performers) are when they suddenly have a porn girlfriend — so he tried to control the scene by having his say on what she could and couldn’t do. With the limitations on what I could do as a dominant, and with her consent, so I would spit in her mouth. Sure enough, even that was too much. I saw him at a party later, and he was being a racist asshole; he was the doorman and gave me — and only me — a lot of shit at the door. He had thrown a big fit because I spat in her mouth, something we had negotiated and that had been a ‘yes’ for her. Well, long story short, the guy was only mad because I was Black. I was the only performer he had a big problem with. Not too long after that she broke up with the guy. That’s one reason why it’s hard to date people outside the industry. They usually don’t get it.

And now that BED PARTY is released I had this ‘See I told you so.” moment about us being a porn couple. That we could have been a thing. I woke up last night thinking that. We looked good together, always got compliments. It wasn’t just the visual aspect they were talking about, it was our energy. I have her ropes still, and you can feel the energy that we put into those ropes. Each of my partners I’ve been with have rope just for them. This goes beyond cleanliness, because I do maintain my rope, but because it’s intimate, and special.

Where do you get your rope from?

I get my rope from m0cojute.com or Twisted Monk if I get hemp rope. I mainly use jute. For a myriad of reasons. It’s more course, it’s treated differently. It’s a different type of rope material, smoother. Jute is really rough and course, though it doesn’t have to be. That’s one of the reasons why I like it. In my opinion and personal preference, jute also looks better on camera and in photos. I like the way it lays and the way it’s wound. So that’s my preference for rope. I first started working with it because a good friend of mine Dia Zerva got rope from Lochai — who is actually Moco’s dad! So I have my first set from him, as a birthday present from Dia. The rope color is natural, brownish to tan, depending on how much you bake it and how much wax you put on it, and the more you use it, the more it changes color, the better the color gets, I think. Hemp rope fades to a bland color. For brighter colors, I have black and blue died rope — my motorcycle club colors — so when I go to Burning Man or do gorilla bondage, I use it for more of a visual display.

As an independent contractor, and as a business owner, what’s your advice for fellow performers?

1. Get an LLC. It’s not ‘legal’ advice, but it’s good info to look into. You gotta be prepared to protect your business and yourself. There’s a lot of reasons to use an LLC rather than your own self, for example, if someone wants to sue you, they can only sue your business, and having a business can protect you from personal bankruptcy.

2. Use discretion. When you get an LLC, don’t make it your porn name. I mean, you can, but a lot of banks wont work with you. And then you can’t take out a loan. So make it something else.

3. Write everything off. My house is my office, and my shooting studio. I write off my phone bill, and my toilet paper.

4. Use Affiliate programs. You can capture the revenue from your past work. Link to the sites you worked with using your affiliate link, and you’ll earn the commission.