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Mustafa was noted as one of the 10 Canadian songwriters who are penning the biggest hit songs right now by [[CBC Music]] in April 2019.<ref>https://www.cbc.ca/music/10-canadian-songwriters-who-are-penning-the-biggest-hit-songs-right-now-1.5107411</ref> He went on to title all the songs in [[Frank Dukes]] ''Parkscapes'' sample pack released on June 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/frank_dukes_collaborates_with_torontos_regent_park_school_of_music_for_new_sample_pack|title=Frank Dukes Collaborates with Toronto's Regent Park School of Music for New Sample Pack|website=exclaim.ca}}</ref> The sample pack went on to be used on Taylor Swift's album "Lover" in which the Regent Park School will get royalties every time the album is brought, streamed or sampled.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/taylor-swift-regent-park-school-of-music_ca_5d64103de4b0b034ea006a59|title=14 Canadian Students Made It Onto Taylor Swift's New Album|date=August 26, 2019|website=HuffPost Canada}}</ref>
Mustafa was noted as one of the 10 Canadian songwriters who are penning the biggest hit songs right now by [[CBC Music]] in April 2019.<ref>https://www.cbc.ca/music/10-canadian-songwriters-who-are-penning-the-biggest-hit-songs-right-now-1.5107411</ref> He went on to title all the songs in [[Frank Dukes]] ''Parkscapes'' sample pack released on June 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/frank_dukes_collaborates_with_torontos_regent_park_school_of_music_for_new_sample_pack|title=Frank Dukes Collaborates with Toronto's Regent Park School of Music for New Sample Pack|website=exclaim.ca}}</ref> The sample pack went on to be used on Taylor Swift's album "Lover" in which the Regent Park School will get royalties every time the album is brought, streamed or sampled.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/taylor-swift-regent-park-school-of-music_ca_5d64103de4b0b034ea006a59|title=14 Canadian Students Made It Onto Taylor Swift's New Album|date=August 26, 2019|website=HuffPost Canada}}</ref>


On March 10, 2020, Mustafa released his debut single "Stay Alive". The single was dedicated to those he’s lost to gun violence and was known for capturing Regent's Park resiliency.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/mustafa-stay-alive-apocalypse-965675/|title=Mustafa's 'Stay Alive' Beautifully (and Unintentionally) Soundtracks the Pandemic|first1=Charles|last1=Holmes|first2=Charles|last2=Holmes|date=March 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/torontos_mustafa_captures_regent_park_resiliency_with_stay_alive|title=Toronto's Mustafa Captures Regent Park Resiliency with "Stay Alive"|website=exclaim.ca}}</ref> The single was produced by [[Frank Dukes]] and [[James Blake (musician)|James Blake]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hypebeast.com/2020/3/mustafa-stay-alive-music-video|title=Mustafa Shares Soulful Debut Single "Stay Alive"|website=HYPEBEAST}}</ref> The single featured numerous cameos from Toronto rappers including [[Halal Gang]] members [[Puffy L'z]] and Mo-G as well as Lil Berete.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/03/14/mustafa-the-poet-stay-alive|title=Mustafa shares the powerful “Stay Alive”|website=The FADER}}</ref> It was known for including lyrics about resilience, community, and the bleak realities of living on the fringes pair perfectly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/mustafa-serenades-with-poetic-anti-gun-violence-medley-on-stay-alive-new-song.1986547.html|title=Mustafa Serenades With A Poetic Anti-Gun Violence Medley On "Stay Alive"|website=HotNewHipHop}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/03/mustafa-stay-alive-james-blake-frank-dukes|title=Mustafa Takes His Anti-Gun Message To Toronto's Regent Park On Debut Single "Stay Alive"|website=Complex}}</ref>
On March 10, 2020, Mustafa released his debut single "Stay Alive". The single was dedicated to those he’s lost to gun violence and was known for capturing Regent's Park resiliency.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/mustafa-stay-alive-apocalypse-965675/|title=Mustafa's 'Stay Alive' Beautifully (and Unintentionally) Soundtracks the Pandemic|first1=Charles|last1=Holmes|first2=Charles|last2=Holmes|date=March 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/torontos_mustafa_captures_regent_park_resiliency_with_stay_alive|title=Toronto's Mustafa Captures Regent Park Resiliency with "Stay Alive"|website=exclaim.ca}}</ref> The single was produced by [[Frank Dukes]] and [[James Blake (musician)|James Blake]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hypebeast.com/2020/3/mustafa-stay-alive-music-video|title=Mustafa Shares Soulful Debut Single "Stay Alive"|website=HYPEBEAST}}</ref> The single featured numerous cameos from Toronto rappers including [[Halal Gang]] members [[Puffy L'z]] and Mo-G as well as Lil Berete.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/03/14/mustafa-the-poet-stay-alive|title=Mustafa shares the powerful “Stay Alive”|website=The FADER}}</ref> It was known for including lyrics about resilience, community, and the bleak realities of living on the fringes pair perfectly.<ref name="Magnolia">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/mustafa-serenades-with-poetic-anti-gun-violence-medley-on-stay-alive-new-song.1986547.html|title=Mustafa Serenades With A Poetic Anti-Gun Violence Medley On "Stay Alive"|website=HotNewHipHop}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/03/mustafa-stay-alive-james-blake-frank-dukes|title=Mustafa Takes His Anti-Gun Message To Toronto's Regent Park On Debut Single "Stay Alive"|website=Complex}}</ref>


==Discography==
==Discography==
===Singles===
*2020: "Stay Alive"<ref name="Magnolia"/>

===Credits===
===Credits===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"

Revision as of 23:25, 17 April 2020

Mustafa the Poet
Born
Mustafa Ahmed

(1996-07-28) July 28, 1996 (age 28)
Toronto, Ontario
NationalityCanadian
Occupations
Years active2016–present
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2016–present

Mustafa Ahmed (born (1996-07-28)July 28, 1996), better known by his stage name Mustafa the Poet, is a poet, singer, songwriter and filmmaker from Toronto, Ontario.

Biography

1996-2013: Early Life and career beginnings

Mustafa Ahmed was born in Toronto, Ontario to Sudanese parents. Whilst he was in the 7th grade, he performed an original piece, "A Single Rose", at Nelson Mandela High School. The piece got a lot of attention, earning him high praises at Toronto's Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in 2009.[1] During this time, Mustafa was known for writing poems about poverty in Africa, and poverty in the Regents Park area. He had a rough upbringing in his hometown, located in Toronto's rough Regent Park area where he attended Regents Park School. Despite his young age, Mustafa was a witness of gun violence and street gangs.[2]

2014-2017: Career beginnings

Mustafa first gained recognition in 2014 at the age of 18, by featuring on Lorraine Segato's single "Rize Time", a remix of her band's own song "Rise Up", in which he performs a spoken word poem on the prelude.[3] He then went on to produce the spoken word poetry film Spectrum of Hope in September 2014.[4] It was a collaborative project between him and Thompson Egbo-Egbo.[5] He was featured on CBC News in which he explores the connection between art and athletics in his Pan Am poem with Heather Hiscox.[6][7]. He gained national recognition for a poem which was shared by Drake on his Instagram in January 2015 in which he tagged Mustafa.[8][9] With the death of Muhammad Ali, Mustafa wrote a poem to "honor his hero". Ahmed performed the poem that came from that writing on Metro Morning, a CBC Radio One local morning program in Toronto.[6] As member of Canadian hip hop collective Halal Gang, Mustafa has made appearances in a number of music videos for his associates, including the single "Feel" by Safe released on October 2016.[10] He went on to provide background vocals and co-writing the song "Attention" by The Weeknd on the latter's album Starboy.[11] In the same year, Mustafa was appointed to Justin Trudeau's Youth Advisory Council, advising the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada on policies and programs that are important to them.[12][13] Mustafa was placed on Now's list of Toronto musicians to watch for in 2017.[14]

2018-present: Remember Me, Toronto and "Stay Alive"

Mustafa performed at the Fast in the 6 festival at Nathan Phillips Square held on June 1, 2018. In July 2018, he paid condolences to his deceased associate, Smoke Dawg, who had been gunned down on 31 June 2018 in front of a Toronto nightclub.[15] In March 2019, Pierpaolo Piccioli collaborated with four poets, including Mustafa, for Valentino's autumn/winter 19 collection to celebrate love whose words were emblazoned in bright lights at the show.[16] A transcript by Mustafa from his poem "From the Perspective of Black Love" read "In your eyes I can see an eternity" as part of the collection. [17] [17][18] He describes attending the show as an emotional experience, seeing women in creations made for their bodies.[19][20][21] Vogue described the event as "poetry back in fashion".[22] The dress with his poem went on to be worn by Emilia Clarke.[23]

Mustafa the Poet produced and released Remember Me, Toronto, a short Canadian documentary film about the hip hop culture in Canada.[24] The film was released on March 17, 2019.[25] The film was a project created for artists in this video and everyone in the Canadian hip hop communities.[26] It discusses the losing of people due to the increasing gun violence and homicide rates in Toronto over the past decade.[27] Mustafa aimed to discuss the systemic structure working against the lower economies of Toronto and wanted to give these artists the opportunity to "rewrite their memories and the memories of those they lost."[28] In the film, the artists reflect on the inter generational nature of trauma and gun violence.[29][30] Artists appearing in the short include Drake, Baka Not Nice, Gilla, Pilla B, TJin, Pressa, Loco City, Smiley, Top 5, Blockboi, Twitch, Jay Whiss, Puffy L'z, Rax, Booggz, Yung Lava, Mustafa the Poet himself and archival footage from the murdered artist Smoke Dawg. Noah "40" Shebib scored the movie.[31][32]

Mustafa was noted as one of the 10 Canadian songwriters who are penning the biggest hit songs right now by CBC Music in April 2019.[33] He went on to title all the songs in Frank Dukes Parkscapes sample pack released on June 2019.[34] The sample pack went on to be used on Taylor Swift's album "Lover" in which the Regent Park School will get royalties every time the album is brought, streamed or sampled.[35]

On March 10, 2020, Mustafa released his debut single "Stay Alive". The single was dedicated to those he’s lost to gun violence and was known for capturing Regent's Park resiliency.[36][37] The single was produced by Frank Dukes and James Blake.[38] The single featured numerous cameos from Toronto rappers including Halal Gang members Puffy L'z and Mo-G as well as Lil Berete.[39] It was known for including lyrics about resilience, community, and the bleak realities of living on the fringes pair perfectly.[40][41]

Discography

Singles

  • 2020: "Stay Alive"[40]

Credits

Year Artist Album Song Role
2016 Brendan Canning Home Wrecking Years[42] / Vocals
2018 The Weeknd Starboy "Attention" Writer
Camila Cabello Camila "All These Years"[43] Composer
"She Loves Control"[44] Songwriter

Filmography

Film and Television
Year Title Role Notes
2019 Remember Me, Toronto[45] - Producer and Director

References

  1. ^ "Get To Know Mustafa The Poet, The Spoken-Word Prodigy Who's On The Weeknd's "Attention"". The FADER.
  2. ^ https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2009/06/07/meet_torontos_little_poet_man.html
  3. ^ "Singer-Songwriter Lorraine Segato is Regent Park Neighbourhood's First Artist in Residence". www.businesswire.com. August 21, 2014.
  4. ^ "Spectrum of Hope" – via www.youtube.com.
  5. ^ "A Poem in Praise of Regent Park". Torontoist. September 16, 2014.
  6. ^ a b https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/toronto-teen-mustafa-ahmed-honours-his-hero-muhammad-ali-with-poem-1.3618114
  7. ^ "Pan Am poet laureate: Mustafa Ahmed" – via www.youtube.com.
  8. ^ Golembewski, Vanessa. "Drake's Latest Instagram Gives Us A Peek At His Love Life". www.refinery29.com.
  9. ^ "@champagnepapi on Instagram: "@mustafathepoet"". Instagram.
  10. ^ Staff, MTV News. "Toronto World: Drake, Halal Gang, and the Diaspora in the 6". MTV News.
  11. ^ "7 Hidden Details On The Weeknd's Starboy". The FADER.
  12. ^ "Outstanding Muslim Youths appointed to Prime Minister's Youth Council". September 29, 2016.
  13. ^ "These 15 young Canadians have been chosen to advise Prime Minister Trudeau | News". dailyhive.com.
  14. ^ Ritchie, Kevin (January 31, 2017). "Toronto musicians to watch in 2017: hip-hop edition". NOW Magazine.
  15. ^ "Rapper Smoke Dawg shot dead in Toronto". July 1, 2018.
  16. ^ Ahmed, Osman (March 4, 2019). "valentino wears its heart on its sleeve".
  17. ^ a b "#SuzyPFW: Valentino: Poetry Inhabits Dreamlike Collection". British Vogue.
  18. ^ "Valentino Spreads the Love". ELLE. March 4, 2019.
  19. ^ Katz, Evan Ross (March 4, 2019). "Mustafa the Poet On Helping Pierpaolo Piccioli Bring Valentino FW19 To Life".
  20. ^ Foley, Bridget; Foley, Bridget (March 4, 2019). "Valentino RTW Fall 2019".
  21. ^ "Poet, Drake Collaborator Mustafa Ahmed on Writing 'From the Perspective of Black Love' for Valentino". Complex.
  22. ^ "Why Poetry Is Back In Fashion". British Vogue.
  23. ^ "Emilia Clarke's Game of Thrones premiere dress displayed a poetic message". April 4, 2019.
  24. ^ Johnson, Jasmine (March 19, 2019). "Mustafa the Poet delivers Remember Me, Toronto (short film)".
  25. ^ "Remember Me, Toronto". YouTube. 2019-03-17. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  26. ^ "Drake Features in 'Remember Me, Toronto' Short Film: Watch Here". Highsnobiety. March 18, 2019.
  27. ^ Johnson, Jasmine (March 19, 2019). "Drake is Featured on Mustafa the Poet's 'Remember Me, Toronto' Film".
  28. ^ Atad, Corey (March 18, 2019). "Drake Featured In 'Remember Me, Toronto' Short Film About Gun Violence From Mustafa The Poet".
  29. ^ "Drake, BAKA NOT NICE & More Speak About Toronto's Gun Violence in Mustafa the Poet's 'Remember Me, Toronto'". HYPEBEAST.
  30. ^ "Rappers remember lives lost in Remember Me, Toronto". HipHopCanada. March 17, 2019.
  31. ^ "Drake Featured In Mustafa The Poet's Short Film 'Remember Me, Toronto' | 97.7 WRBJ". Thebeatofthecapital.com. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  32. ^ MVP, Viral. "Remember Me Toronto Drake OVO Sound Documentary Video". OnSMASH.
  33. ^ https://www.cbc.ca/music/10-canadian-songwriters-who-are-penning-the-biggest-hit-songs-right-now-1.5107411
  34. ^ "Frank Dukes Collaborates with Toronto's Regent Park School of Music for New Sample Pack". exclaim.ca.
  35. ^ "14 Canadian Students Made It Onto Taylor Swift's New Album". HuffPost Canada. August 26, 2019.
  36. ^ Holmes, Charles; Holmes, Charles (March 11, 2020). "Mustafa's 'Stay Alive' Beautifully (and Unintentionally) Soundtracks the Pandemic".
  37. ^ "Toronto's Mustafa Captures Regent Park Resiliency with "Stay Alive"". exclaim.ca.
  38. ^ "Mustafa Shares Soulful Debut Single "Stay Alive"". HYPEBEAST.
  39. ^ "Mustafa shares the powerful "Stay Alive"". The FADER.
  40. ^ a b "Mustafa Serenades With A Poetic Anti-Gun Violence Medley On "Stay Alive"". HotNewHipHop.
  41. ^ "Mustafa Takes His Anti-Gun Message To Toronto's Regent Park On Debut Single "Stay Alive"". Complex.
  42. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mustapha-the-poet-mn0003582785
  43. ^ https://www.musicnotes.com/sheet-music/artist/mustafa-ahmed/instrument/keyboard/piano/album/camila-cabello---camila
  44. ^ "Camila - Camila Cabello | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  45. ^ "Drake, BAKA NOT NICE & More Speak About Toronto's Gun Violence in Mustafa the Poet's 'Remember Me, Toronto'". HYPEBEAST.
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