Sheikh Haikel facts for kids
Sheikh Haikel Sheikh Salim Bajrai (born October 10, 1975) is a famous Singaporean rapper, actor, and radio host. He became well-known after winning the talent show Asia Bagus in 1991. Sheikh Haikel has worked in many areas, including radio, TV, movies, and stage plays. He has released three studio albums and many single songs. Today, he also runs a music school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At his school, students can learn different types of music, like hip hop, classical, and rock.
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Early Life and School
Sheikh Haikel went to Saint Patrick's School in Singapore. Later, he earned a degree in Performing Arts and Psychology. He studied at the Queensland University of Technology.
Career Highlights
Acting Roles
Sheikh Haikel first appeared in a big movie called Army Daze. This was a very popular Singaporean film. In 2006, Army Daze was made into a play. Sheikh Haikel played the same character, Johari Salleh, in the play.
He also acted as Jeff in the movie City Sharks in 2003. This movie was made by both Singapore and Malaysia. He starred alongside other actors like Nicholas Lee.
On TV, Sheikh Haikel has been in many comedy shows. These include "3 Rooms" and "The Donnie Lee Show". He also appeared several times on the successful Singaporean comedy show, Under One Roof. Besides acting, he has hosted TV shows. He hosted ESPN's Football Crazy and is currently the host of Okto's Knockout.
Radio Work
Sheikh Haikel has worked as a DJ for local radio stations. He was a DJ for 98.7FM. He also worked on the Breakfast Show for 91.3FM in 2008.
Music Journey
Sheikh Haikel's music style is mostly rap. He first became interested in rap music when he was nine years old. His mother bought him a Run DMC tape by mistake. She thought it was a The Pips tape.
In 1991, Sheikh Haikel won the Asia Bagus Grand Championship. He was part of a rap group called Construction Sight. This group is known as "Singapore's first ever rap group."
His first two solo albums were For Sure and For Sure Too. For his hit song "Witulah," he won Best Local English Song at the Compass Awards. He won this award in both 2002 and 2004. His third album, 10.10.10, was released on his 35th birthday. This was on October 10, 2010. He also performed several songs at the President's Star Charity event in 2012.
Business Ventures
In 2017, Sheikh Haikel and his wife, Anna Belle Francis, started a new business. They launched FatPapas Burgers and Shakes. This restaurant is a halal version of Fatboys The Burger Bar. Halal means the food is prepared according to Islamic rules. They worked with friends, including the Singaporean DJ duo The Muttons.
In July 2024, Sheikh Haikel and his wife opened another restaurant. It is a 'Hai Ge Ji Hainanese chicken rice' restaurant. It has 50 seats and is located in Bugis. He also partly owns Wakuwaku Yakiniku, which is a halal yakiniku restaurant. Yakiniku is a type of Japanese grilled meat.
Family Life
Sheikh Haikel is from Singapore. He has a mixed background, with Malay and Yemeni roots. He has one sister.
He is married to Anna Belle Francis, who is a Singaporean actress. They got married in 2002. They have three children together. Their children are named Triqka (born 2004), Abbra (born 2006), and Sheikh Juz (born 2014).
Music Albums
Solo Albums
- For Sure (2002)
- For Sure Too (2003)
- 10.10.10 (2010)
- Eh Lah (2011; a single song promoting his next album)
- Check, Check, 1–2, 1–2 (Coming soon)
Hit Songs
- "Witulah" (With u lah) (This song reached number 1 on Malaysian music charts!)
Movies and TV Shows
Year | Work | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Army Daze | Johari Salleh | |
1997, 2001, 2003 | Under One Roof | Johari Hassan | |
2003 | City Sharks | Jeff | |
2006 | Stories of Love: The Anthology Series | Fakri | TV movie |
2010 | Knockout | Host; Himself | |
2011 | Zero Hero | Pretty Boy One | |
2014 | Gerak Khas | Syed Jamal/Jimmy | Malaysian TV series Special guest |