I first met Malik Yusef at a poetry jam back in high school over 10 years ago. And I must say, his voice and his raw talent with words took grip of my soul and never let go. I am a lover of words and an even bigger lover of poetry. Like Malik, I believe poetry is a form of art; it shows the power and validity of words.
I'll always remember seeing Malik Yusef as a teenager, and as usual, with a head wrap showing his pride for who he is as a black man. And hearing him spit his spoken word like it was second nature for him to rhyme like that. His metaphors, his passion, he was so real then on that stage. And he still is.
"I see words like they are alive," Malik said. "And that's how rhymes come to me."
Malik is widely known for his place as one of Russell Simmons Def Poets for HBO's Def Poetry Jam. He said he especially enjoyed being around other Def Jam Poets that he honored and respected.
Malik said that the first poet to ever inspire him was William Shakespeare. He defines poetry as "the rhythm of life."
I last saw Malik Yusef at Russell Simmons book signing, looking just as good as he wanted to look. And even though he didn't share any lyrical common sense with the audience that day, Russell gave him a shout out. So you know the man got skills.
"Russell Simmons is a mentor, a friend," he said. "I can call Russell for anything, anytime."
He has definitely earned his bragging rights as an artist. He's done work with President Barack Obama and said that the president reached out to him personally for a special project. 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 Malik showed his ass again when 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" which also includes Kanye West and Twista, also products of Chi City.
"I felt proud to work with my fellow Chicago brothers. Common is like a brother to me and Kanye is like a little brother."
He gives big ups to Chi City's very own Lupe Fiasco and says that he is intelligent. "We have to raise people's expectations," he said. "It's a lot of artists in the game who are not as prolific as they could be."
As a talented product of Chi City, Malik says the streets of Chicago has made him smart, and he credits his home for teaching him lessons that has put him on as a businessman. He's a daddy and says that life is a big juggle and it is all a part of what he does.
"I'm still trying to figure it all out," he said.
The streets of Chicago have taught me respect, and hustle. I took that away with me, it made me who I am."
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