Hakeem Khaaliq facts for kids

Hakeem Khaaliq is an American filmmaker and photographer. He makes documentaries, which are films that tell true stories. He also takes amazing pictures. Hakeem started his career in the 1990s making music. Later, he began directing films.

Some of his well-known works include the documentary Bigg Snoop Dogg: Raw 'N Uncut (2003). He also directed the short film #Bars4Justice (2015) and the documentary Comin' Up Short (2023). In 2010, he helped start Nation19 magazine. This magazine focuses on photojournalism and important social topics. Hakeem is also famous for his photo exhibit called *Invisible México*. This exhibit used special augmented reality (AR) technology. He also made the documentary *War on Us* (2016), which talks about social justice.

Early Life and First Steps

Hakeem Khaaliq grew up in South Central, Los Angeles, California. His dad was a stuntman in movies. This meant Hakeem was around the film world from a young age. He is also related to Addison N. Scurlock, a famous photographer. Addison Scurlock was known for taking pictures of Black life in Washington, D.C.

In 1995, Hakeem started a music company called Radio Bums. He worked with hip-hop artists. In the early 2000s, he switched to making films. His first documentary was Bigg Snoop Dogg: Raw 'N Uncut (2003). This film featured famous musicians like Snoop Dogg and Sean Combs.

Key Films and TV Shows

Hakeem Khaaliq has worked on many interesting films and TV shows. He often directs, produces, and writes his own projects.

• 2003: Bigg Snoop Dogg: Raw 'N Uncut – This was a documentary film.
• 2005: Beauty Shop – He worked on the music for this feature film.
• 2014: ¿Quiénes son los afro-mexicanos? – A TV short that aired on Univision.
• 2015: #Bars4Justice – A short film that won awards. It was shown at many film festivals.
• 2016: War on Us – This short film was shown at the United Nations. It featured the artist Rhymefest.
• 2023: Comin' Up Short – A feature documentary. It was shown at the Pan African Film Festival.

Photography and Art Exhibits

Hakeem Khaaliq is also a talented photographer. He created an exhibit called *Invisible México: Afro-Mexicanos*. He made this with Queen Muhammad Ali. It first opened in 2017 in Phoenix. This exhibit was special because it used augmented reality (AR) technology. This means viewers could use their phones to see extra digital content. It was the first AR exhibit in Phoenix. The exhibit showed the culture of Afro-Mexicans through Hakeem's photos. The mayor of Phoenix even hosted the opening. In 2017, it was named "Best of the Best" by the Arizona Commission on the Arts. It then traveled to different cities across the country.

Working with Artists and Social Issues

Hakeem Khaaliq often works with other artists on projects that highlight important social issues. In 2016, he teamed up with hip-hop artists Jasiri X and Rhymefest. He also worked with Queen Muhammad Ali on the short film *War on Us*. This film talked about big topics like the war on drugs and police brutality. The film was shown at a special meeting of the United Nations in 2016. It was also featured on Sankofa.org, a website that focuses on activism. This project continued Hakeem's earlier work, like *#Bars4Justice*, which also explored hip-hop and activism.

Awards and Screenings

Hakeem Khaaliq's films have received a lot of attention. His short film #Bars4Justice, which he co-directed, was shown at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). This is a very famous museum in New York City. It was also shown at many other film festivals around the world. The film won "Best Short Documentary" at the 24th Pan African Film Festival. It also won the "Audience Choice Award" at the Uptown Short Film Festival.

His feature documentary Comin' Up Short premiered at the Pan African Film Festival in 2021. It was also shown at the British Film Institute (BFI) in London. On December 14, 2023, it had a special screening at BFI Southbank.