Sulaiman | en

There are but a few artists who can speak from the soul of the South Side of Chicago while still holding international appeal, yet even within that talented tenth, Sulaiman’s being is a unique one. Born the son of an Imam, Sulaiman’s development amongst the civil rights history of Chicago was bound to create a keen, cerebral approach to contributing to that legacy, and with the inclusion of a vast knowledge of music of all genres and it’s healing powers, Sulaiman was destined to blaze a path for progressives from the urban environment now un-affectionately known as “Chiraq”. Yet even in war torn streets blossoms new awareness and authors to dictate their side of the story, with Sulaiman surfacing to re-introduce the energy that made Chicago the cultural mecca it once was. He is the rebirth.

Since, 1998, Sulaiman has embraced music of all genres, curating playlists with a keen ear developed from interactions with all walks of life at an early age due to his studies. Private schools to public schools, Sulaiman usurped life experiences from all angles, learning the facets of love, power, loyalty, education, joy, pain, and everything in between. Though gifted with words and delivery, it was the combination of the emotions
contained in ALL music, Sulaiman says, that allowed him to blossom into more than a “rapper”, redefining the position into a mixture of motivational speaker, civil rights leader and truth teller with an ear for GREAT MUSIC. “What’s the use of speaking truths if no one wants to hear it?” he says. “The truth is reality but darkness needs definition as well to maximize the power of light”.

This approach has taken Sulaiman to great places in a short amount of time – time spent working the entertainment angle of Chicago’s local scene brought him to the attention of superstar Kanye West, who hired Sulaiman as an independent contractor while developing his brand in 2007. From those experiences Sulaiman launched marketing portals like Blind I, an adjacent event production company who created showcases for CMJ, SXSW and the like. These processes, combined with a degree in Music Marketing in 2007, crafted a unique path for Sulaiman as he launched his career, and as one would expect, his sound reflected his experience.

From 2007 to 2014 Sulaiman honed his style, working with the likes of Chuck Inglish of The Cool Kids, Freddie Gibbs, young upstarts Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa, and a host of burgeoning stars from Chicago’s bubbling creative scene. He perfected his stage candor through shows with artists like Action Bronson, J. Cole, Dom Kennedy, Waka Flocka, Devin The Dude, Araabmuzik, Rockie Fresh, Pac Div, Blu and many more. His featured videos have amassed upwards of 690,000 views. As the visibility of his brand increased, his work with companies like Nike, Stussy and Topshop further showcased Sulaiman’s willingness to use any means necessary to share his experience. On record, performing live, on video, with words or with sounds alone, Sulaiman has curated it all into his beam of light, and he hopes to shine it wherever there may be darkness. .