Hussain Yoosuf, better known by his stage name Spek, is a Canadian hip-hop artist, best known for his singles "Smell the Coffee" and "I'm a Hippie", and as a member of Canadian hip hop group, Dream Warriors.
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Spek started rapping at the age of 14 in his hometown of Montreal. He joined the hip-hop group Dream Warriors shortly after the release of their hit songs "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style" 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 settling in London. Spek soon found himself touring across Europe with British Jazz-Rap crew Us3. Working with musical partner Brian Rose he collaborated with members of Jamiroquai and with Nitin Sawhney (whose 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 his single "Smell the Coffee" was featured several times in the Old Vic in EastEnders.
Spek's songs were uses in a number of advertising campaigns from Nokia, Fox Entertainment Group and were used in DreamWorks Pictures 2004 comedy Envy. The Times described his music as "a gentle and genial collection of dreamy love songs and street smart hip hop grooves." Loaded magazine described his album Don't Sweat the Small Stuff as "like Prince and De La Soul in a mucky mudwrestle. Exceptional." and gave it 10 out of 10.
In 2003, Spek was asked to co-host the Juno Awards.
His "Look Me Up" video was voted number one on MTV UK's Daily Chart Live. His "I'm a Hippie" single was a Top 20 hit in Canada.
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.
In 2006, Spek began development of his next film project Fricky Khan about a Sri Lankan motorcycle racer and multiple Grand Prix winner who lived fast and died young. That story is based on the life of Spek's uncle.
After years of working as a recording artist, writer, composer, producer and music publishing executive, Spek relocated to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates at the end of 2006 working with BKP Music, the largest music and audio post production company in the Middle East.
2007 saw the formation of Fairwood Music (Arabia), the leading independent music publisher in the region.
Hussain Spek Yoosuf is Managing Director, partner and co-founder of Fairwood Music (Arabia); The company is responsible for pioneering respect for musical copyrights in the Middle East and handle some of the world's leading music catalogues for the Middle East & North Africa including that of Universal Music Publishing Group and EMI Music Publishing among others.[1]