| Omar Mouallem | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Also known as | A.O.K. (Assault of Knowledge) |
| Born | September 13, 1985 Slave Lake, Alberta |
| Origin | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Labels | Ill-Legitimate Productions |
| Associated acts | The Filthy Varmint, Cousin Moe, East Side Magic |
| Website | Official website |
Omar Mouallem, also known by his stage name A.O.K. (Assault Of Knowledge) is a rapper and award-winning journalist.[1][2]
Contents |
Mouallem began his rap career in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he studied screenwriting and worked as a hip-hop writer for The Nerve Magazine. In 2006 he moved to Edmonton, Alberta. Over three years, A.O.K. worked transiently on his debut album If You Don't Buy This CD the Terrorists Win, which was released on Ill-Legitimate Productions June 10, 2008.[3] The Canadian music blog, Hero Hill, called it, "smarter and more thoughtful than your average rap album."[2]
In 2009, as both a rapper and writer, he made two appearances on the call-in radio show, Skeptically Speaking to discuss skepticism, science and the paranormal. In episode 29, he performed live an unreleased song entitled "Still Stupid.".[4] Omar Mouallem also provided the show with its theme song, named "Skeptically Speaking".
On November 27, 2010, he released his second album, Q Without U, as a digital download code packaged inside a children's book of the same name illustrated by Josh Holinaty. Both the music and story are about love, with the story following letters Q and U through their breakup "to see other letters."[5]
Omar Mouallem is also a writer and journalist. He has contributed to Eighteen Bridges, Vue Weekly, up!, Avenue magazine and Exclaim!. He's also appeared as a video blogger on The Listening Post on Al Jazeera English.[6]
In 2008 he authored the book Amazing Cats published by Folklore Publishing.[7]
"Let's Talk About Sects", an article examining temporary marriages in Shiite Islam written for Vue Weekly (September 12, 2007), garnered him second-place in the features category of the 2008 Sex-Positive Journalism Awards.[8]