Spek

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Spek is a Canadian hip-hop artist best known for his single "Smell the Coffee" which received significant airplay on Canadian music television station, MuchMusic.

Literally schooled on hip-hop, Spek (real name: Hussain Yoosuf) started swapping rhymes at the impressionable age of 14 in his hometown of Montreal and never looked back. Tutored through his tenure with world-recognized boombasters the Dream Warriors, he joined the band hot on the heels of their worldwide smashes “My Definition” and “Wash Your Face In My Sink”.

At the age of 17 he signed a worldwide record contract with EMI and toured the globe before eventually continuing his quest for knowledge settling in London. An incubator of sorts for his ideas, Spek soon found himself touring again. Only this time with multi-million selling British Jazz-Rap crew Us3 across Europe at the height of their popularity. Hooking up with musical partner Brian Rose (Longview/Robbie Williams), he made his mark through various collaborations with members of Jamiroquoi and Nitin Sawhney (whose breakthrough album “Beyond Skin” featuring Spek was highly touted by Sting and Madonna, won the South Bank Album Award and went on to be nominated for the Mercury Music Prize). He appeared on the BBC’s Later (with Jools Holland), and was soon bestowed the honour of having his single “Smell The Coffee” featured several times in the Old Vic in Eastenders!

International recognition beckoned as his songs were picked up in Worldwide campaigns used by Nokia, Fox and DreamWorks Films’ comedy “ENVY” (starring Ben Stiller and Jack Black), having what The Times described as, “a gentle and genial collection of dreamy love songs and street smart hip hop grooves.”Loaded magazine went a step further by calling his album Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff, “like Prince and De La Soul in a mucky mudwrestle. Exceptional” with a 10 out of 10 review.

In 2003 Spek was asked to Co-Host the Juno Awards, a testament to the impact he made after releasing his debut album to rave reviews all round.

Garnering hard to come by kudos (voted number one on MTV UK’s “Daily Chart Live” for his Look Me Up video/ scoring a Top 20 smash with his single I’m A Hippie in his native Canada). Spek’s trippy Beatles holding court with De La Soul, Mazzy Star and Simon and Garfunkel style of music left quite an impression.

In 2005 Spek was cast in a lead role in the UK/European feature film “WICKED”, starring alongside Danish star, Kim Bodnia among others. Playing a dual role he also wrote the films soundtrack and score with long time collaborator Brian Rose. That film screened in Cannes 2005.

And without missing a beat, Spek has begun development of his next film project “Fricky Khan”. A film based on the real life story of the Sri Lankan motorcycle racer and multiple Grand Prix winner who lived fast and died young. That project has already garnered notable attachments including Oscar nominated director Aasaf Ainapore among a host of others.

[edit] Releases

I'm A Hippie (single - 2001)
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (2002)
Smell The Coffee (single - 2002) </nowiki>== Spek ==

Releases: With Dream Warriors: Subliminal Simulation, 1994 The MasterPlan, 1996 Greatest Hits, 1999

Solo Artist: Look Me Up EP, 2001 (UK) Don't Sweat The Small Stuff, 2001 (UK), 2003 (Canada)

Featured Appearances Beres Hammond, Highlight Of The Day Bass Is Base, Memories Of The SoulShack Survivors Nitin Sawhney, Beyond Skin The Dukes Of Hang Gliding, My Cinema Kinnie Starr, Sun Again