2014–2016: Poetry, Halal Gang & more

Before achieving his current success as a recording artist, Mustafa had experimented with different forms of writing, testing the limits and temperaments of each world and its corresponding scenes. The short version of the story goes like this: as a kid (as young as seven or eight years old), Mustafa’s older sister, decided to teach her little brother about the healing effects of poetry. Together, they talked, slowly planting seeds of curiosity in a child trying to make sense of it all. Then, they wrote.

In 2009, when he was only 12, Mustafa got his first feature in the Toronto Star, a huge deal for any budding artist. “He writes poems that make white adults cry,” wrote the journalist, a sentence that would go on to define much of what people would write and sing about him for years to come. For a long time, that sentiment was the subtext of his appeal: to white (and non-Black) audiences, Mustafa was a vessel, and his work offered a glimpse into a part of the city they’d never thought to consider life – let alone love and loss – in. To them, he was a safe storyteller of gritty reality – one they never wanted to see up close.

Over time, poetry became a lifeline to Mustafa. He read and reread stanzas, committing his favourite lines to memory. He went to live performances of all kinds, watching and learning from artists he admired. The more he immersed himself in words, the more he felt the urge to pick up his pen. Then he picked up a microphone. The rest was history.

On October 4, 2014, Toronto’s Halal Gang—an artist collective coming out of the city’s core - dropped "Rabba" - their first piece of music which would bloom into an entirely new wave coming out of the city, tinged with the religious and cultural connections that united them all. Made up of Mustafa (pka Mustafa the Poet), Puffy L’z, Mo-G, Safe, and Smoke Dawg, the friends made songs about life in the city and all that it contains, both good and bad. 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 in October 2016.^[5] 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.^[6][7]

2017–2019: Remember Me, Toronto and collaborations

Poetry and film

Mustafa performed at the Fast in the 6 festival at Nathan Phillips Square held on 1 June 2018. In July 2018, he paid condolences to his deceased associate, Smoke Dawg, who had been gunned down on 30 June 2018, in front of a Toronto nightclub.^[8]

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.^[9] 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.^[10][11] He describes attending the show as an emotional experience, seeing women in creations made for their bodies.^[12][13][14] Vogue described the event as "poetry back in fashion".^[15] The dress with his poem went on to be worn by Emilia Clarke.^[16]

Mustafa the Poet produced and released Remember Me, Toronto, a short Canadian documentary film about the hip hop culture in Canada.^[17] The film was released on 17 March 2019.^[18] The film was a project created for artists in this video and everyone in the Canadian hip hop communities.^[19] It discusses the losing of people due to the increasing gun violence and homicide rates in Toronto over the past decade.^[20] 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."^[21] In the film, the artists reflect on the inter generational nature of trauma and gun violence.^[22][23] 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.^[24][25]

Music and songwriting

In 2016, he connected with Toronto producer Frank Dukes with whom he helped co-write and background vocals on the song "Attention" by The Weeknd on the latter's album Starboy.^[26] Mustafa would continue to work with Dukes; the following year, he co-wrote two tracks on Camila Cabello's debut album Camila, which Dukes executive produced, "All These Years" and the single "She Loves Control". Mustafa was placed on Now's list of Toronto musicians to watch for in 2017.^[27]

In 2019, Mustafa co-wrote the Jonas Brothers single "Sucker" with Dukes, along with the band, Louis Bell, and Ryan Tedder. 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.^[28] He went on to title all the songs in Frank Dukes Parkscapes sample pack released in June 2019.^[29] 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.^[30] In 2020, he once again aided Frank Dukes in co-writing the Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber single "Monster".

2020–present: When Smoke Rises

On 10 March 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.^[31][32] The single was produced by Frank Dukes and James Blake.^[33] The single featured numerous cameos from Toronto rappers including Halal Gang members Puffy L'z and Mo-G as well as Lil Berete.^[34] It was known for including lyrics about resilience, community, and the bleak realities of living on the fringes pair perfectly.^[35][36] The single prompted Complex to list Mustafa on the list of Best New Artists of the March 2020.^[37]

Mustafa released his debut album When Smoke Rises on 28 May 2021. Described as 'inner city folk music,' the album was written and produced with Simon on the Moon and Frank Dukes, along with James Blake, Jaime xx, and Sampha, among others.^[38]

In 2021, numerous publications named Mustafa as an 'artist on the rise, including Complex,^[39] Pitchfork,^[40] i-D,^[41] and YouTube Music.^[42]

The album won the 2022 Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year and was shortlisted for the 2021 Polaris Music Prize.^[43]

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

In July of 2023, Mustafa lost his older brother Mohamed Ahmed as the victim of a daytime shooting.^[44]

Albums

Singles

Other charted songs

Guest appearances

Songwriting credits

Music