Known initially as Mustafa the Poet, the Toronto native was not originally a musician but instead a poet. His poetry received much praise and recognition. In 2019, a line from his poem “From the Perspective of Black Love” was featured as part of Valentio’s winter collection. He established himself in the music industry after writing for people like Camila Cabello, the Jonas Brothers, and Justin Bieber, and is credited on Taylor Swift’s album Lover. Mustafa was featured on the Now’s list of Toronto musicians to watch for in 2017. He moved away from his poetry label when he released his debut single, “Stay Alive,” in 2020 and his debut album, When Smoke Rises, in 2021. Most recently, you can listen to him on Daniel Caesar’s song, Toronto 2014, and Metro Boomin’s album Heroes & Villains.
