Mustafa the Poet facts for kids

Mustafa Ahmed (born July 28, 1996), known as Mustafa, is a talented Canadian artist from Toronto. He is a poet, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker. Many people knew him before as Mustafa the Poet. His first album, When Smoke Rises, came out in May 2021.

Early Life and Inspiration

Mustafa Ahmed was born in Toronto, Ontario. His parents came from Sudan. He grew up in a neighborhood called Regent Park. This is one of Toronto's oldest housing areas. Growing up, he saw many challenges in his community.

Mustafa first became known for his amazing poetry. His older sister helped him discover how writing could help express feelings. When he was in seventh grade, Mustafa performed a poem called "A Single Rose". He performed it at Nelson Mandela Park Public School. This performance was even praised at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in 2009.

Mustafa's Career Journey

Early Poetry and Halal Gang

Mustafa was first featured in the Toronto Star newspaper when he was just 12 years old. The article highlighted his special ability. He could help different audiences understand the tough parts of Toronto life.

In 2014, Mustafa released a song called "Rabba". He worked with a group of artists from Toronto called Halal Gang. Mustafa was a member of this group, along with Puffy L’z, Mo-G, Safe, and Smoke Dawg. He also appeared in music videos for the group. One video was for the song "Feel" by Safe in 2016.

In 2016, Mustafa was chosen for Justin Trudeau's Youth Advisory Council. This council helps the Prime Minister get advice from young people.

Remember Me, Toronto and Collaborations

Mustafa performed at the Fast in the 6 festival in June 2018. This event took place at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto.

In 2019, Mustafa worked with famous Italian fashion designer Pierpaolo Piccioli. He helped with Valentino's fashion collection. A line from Mustafa's poem "From the Perspective of Black Love" was part of the clothing designs. Vogue magazine said this event brought "poetry back in fashion."

Mustafa also produced and released a short film in 2019. It was called Remember Me, Toronto. This documentary was about the hip hop culture in Canada. It talked about how the community was affected by challenges. Mustafa wanted to give artists a chance to share their stories. Famous artists like Drake were featured in the film.

Music and Songwriting Success

Mustafa has helped write many popular songs for other artists. He often works closely with Toronto producer Frank Dukes.

In 2016, Mustafa helped write "Attention" for The Weeknd's album Starboy. He also sang some background vocals. The next year, he co-wrote two songs for Camila Cabello's first album, Camila. These songs were "All These Years" and "She Loves Control".

In 2019, he helped write the Jonas Brothers hit song "Sucker". He also named all the songs in Frank Dukes' Parkscapes music pack. Parts of this pack were used on Taylor Swift's album Lover. Mustafa gave some of the money from this to his old school, Regent Park School. In 2020, he helped write "Monster" for Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber.

When Smoke Rises and Recent Work

On March 10, 2020, Mustafa released his first song as a singer, "Stay Alive". This song was dedicated to people he had lost. It showed the strength of the Regent Park community. The song was produced by Frank Dukes and James Blake. It featured other Toronto rappers like Puffy L'z.

Mustafa released his first album, When Smoke Rises, on May 28, 2021. This album was described as "inner city folk music." He worked with Simon on the Moon, Frank Dukes, James Blake, Jamie xx, and Sampha. The album won a Juno Award in 2022 for Alternative Album of the Year. It was also considered for the 2021 Polaris Music Prize.

In 2022, Mustafa was featured on Metro Boomin's album Heroes & Villains. He sang on the song "Walk Em Down (Don't Kill Civilians)" with rapper 21 Savage.

In January 2024, Mustafa organized a special benefit concert. It was held in New Jersey to help people in Gaza and Sudan. Many artists joined him, including Clairo, Daniel Caesar, Stormzy, and comedian Ramy Youssef. The concert sold out and was watched by many online. The money raised went to help people in need.

Discography

Albums

EP

Singles

Other Charted Songs

Guest Appearances

Songwriting Credits

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Music