Background and career
Malik Yusef el-Shabazz Jones (born April 4, 1971) is an American spoken word artist, poet, rapper, record producer, and director based in Chicago, Illinois.
Jones' surname means "King Joseph" (Malik and Yusuf, respectively) in Arabic. He was raised in Chicago's South Side neighborhood, known as the "Wild 100's", where he became affiliated with the Blackstone Rangers street gang; he is no longer involved in gang activity. In his youth, he became friendly with the rapper Common. He is dyslexic, which he first realized as a teenager. He first became known regionally as a street poet, and later into an actor, mainly acting out of his "street hustler" persona. Yusef draws inspiration from various sources, including his children, dreams, ancestral heritage, and influential poets such as Langston Hughes, William Shakespeare, Haki Madhubuti, and Phillis Wheatley. His spoken word artistry has not only shaped his career but has also been featured in high-profile promotional campaigns for brands such as ASCAP, Sprite, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Chrysler, Verizon, Miller Brewing Co., and Nike.
He got his first break when New Line Cinema Director Ted Witcher commissioned him to coach Larenz Tate in the romantic drama Love Jones which went on to garner a Sundance Film Festival Award and three NAACP Image Awards. While filming in Chicago, Yusef additionally made a cameo as a guest spoken word artist. In 2007 he collaborated with Director Frey Hoffman (Kanye West's "Jesus Walks", Sa-Ra' featuring Erykah Badu and Talib Kweli "Feel the Bass") for the film adaptation of Yusef's poem "Hollywood Jerome". The two contemporaries previously joined forces for Yusef's 2005 music video "Wouldn't You Like to Ride" featuring Kanye West and Common. Their film "The Untimely Demise of Hollywood Jerome" presents a gritty street drama, chronicling the tale of a 14-year-old South Side gang member who idolizes classic Hollywood gangsters like the archetypical Scarface and Godfather. Yusef and Hoffman's film openly confronts pop culture's misrepresentation and glorification of gang warfare. The film culminates in the protagonist caught up in a police stand-off on the opposite side of town. Cameos include Kanye West and Twista.
His most noticeable performance came in 2002 during a featured poem entitled "I Spit…" on Season 2 of HBO's Russell Simmon's Def Poetry Jam. The segment also featured artists including Malcolm-Jamal Warner and hip hop icon Rakim. Yusef appeared as himself in the 2005 VH-1 Television Series Driven, a documentary surrounding the life of friend Kanye West, also featuring appearances from Common, Damon Dash, Jermaine Dupri, Jay-Z, Ludacris, and Russell Simmons. He additionally made guest appearances on ABC Worldwide News, WGN Morning News, CLTV's Garrard McClendon Live!, BET's Rap City, and MTV's Hip-Hop Week.
He released his solo album featuring local talent including Kanye West, Carl Thomas, Marvo 11, Chantay Savage, Michael Coleman, Common and Twista, documenting an amalgam of eroticism, religion, gangster folklore and hip-hop. The Source magazine dubbed the debut "a classic".
He released his sophomore effort, G.O.O.D. Morning, G.O.O.D. Night in June 2009, featuring guest musicians and producers Kanye West, Common, Raheem Devaughn, Christopher Denson, Marc “Benda World” Boyd, Jennifer Hudson, Michelle Williams, Hearontrackz, KRS One, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Twista, Jes.Tone, rock band Violet Nine, and soul pianist John Legend, as well as musician Mr Hudson. The concept of the reflective double CD displayed Protagonist vs. Antagonist/Lower Self vs. Higher Self, exhibiting the poet's struggle between his internal dualities. The first single "Magic Man" featured Kanye West, Common, and John Legend. Another song called "By Your Side" which featured Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams and singer Brando was leaked on the Internet.
