Bilal Salaam is an American professor, art historiographer and independent, experimental composer. He is currently a lecturer at Istanbul Ticaret University.
Bilal Salaam | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bilal Salaam |
| Born | Newark, New Jersey, United States |
| Genres | Experimental |
| Occupation(s) | professor, historiographer, composer, arranger, educator, singer-songwriter, record producer, rapper |
| Instrument(s) | piano, digital audio workstations, keyboards, vocals, synthesizers, trumpet, sequencers |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | Unsigned |
| Website | www |
Musical career
editAs a graduate of Rutgers University's Music Historiography Master of Arts program,[1] and under the program's chair Lewis Porter, Bilal Salaam's thesis, American Ventriloquism framed vocalese through a theoretical lens of cultural appropriation.
Salaam's musical sound was described by Soul Culture[2] magazine as "a left of centre, soulful "Kid A".
Washington D.C.'s City Paper[3] characterized "Heart Alarm", the single from Salaam's third album, Pedagogia Do Oprimido, as "calm", "quirky", and "acquired".
Kevin Nottingham[4] called Bilal's Boulder, a 2012 release, "seven tracks of sheer aural orgasms".
Prior to recording as a solo artist, Bilal Salaam toured[5] internationally with the Morgan State University Choir, and Raheem DeVaughn.
Salaam's Swordlord series is inspired by Muhammad's swords.
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Year | Album title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Blah/Time Between Asleep & Awake | Ultravybe Inc. |
| 2008 | Langue De Rasoir | Noohustle |
| 2011 | Pedagogia Do Oprimido | Noohustle |
| 2012 | Bilal's Boulder | Noohustle |
| 2021 | Swordlord: Swordz | Independent |
| 2021 | Swordlord: V.J. Sweengz Birdie, Eagle & Albatross | Independent |
| 2021 | Swordlord: Baqallah | Independent |
| 2021 | Swordlord: D'awegawd | Independent |
| 2021 | Swordlord: Fiver Zaydi | Independent |
| 2021 | Swordlord: Swordz II Zakat | Independent |
| 2021 | Swordlord: Sevener Ismaili | Independent |
Production
edit- Ruff Drafts Volume 1 (track: 8) – JapaNUBIA Musik 2006
- Langue De Rasoir (tracks: 1, 3, 5 & 6) – Noohustle 2008
- Peau Noire, Masques Blancs (all tracks) – Noohustle 2008
- Dirty Soul Electric (track: 5) – BBE 2008
- The Awakening (track: 5) – JapaNUBIA Musik 2008
- Border Breaker (all tracks (vocal production)) – Ghetto Falsetto 2009
- Before Taxes (track: 5) – Mello Music 2010
- the Earn (track: 10 (vocal production)) – Mello Music 2011
- Pedagogia Do Oprimido (all tracks) – Noohustle 2011
- Bilal's Boulder (all tracks) – Noohustle 2012
Guest appearances
edit- Thinking Back, Looking Forward (track: 5) – Neosonic Productions 2004
- Ruff Drafts Volume 1 (track: 4) – JapaNUBIA Musik 2006
- Artifact Hearts Volume One (track: 15) – Ankh Ba 2006
- 93 Million Miles & Rising (track: 1) – Ankh Ba 2006
- Cuba After Market (tracks: 1 & 12) – Humble Monarch Music/Rawkus 50 2007
- Develop (track: 2A) – Soul Step 2007
- Zen Badism (track: 9) – Freedom School 2008
- Dirty Soul Electric (track: 5) – BBE 2008
- Distraction City (track: 13) – Tasteful Licks 2008
- Conflict (track: 4) – Sy Smith 2008
- Mental Liberation (track: 3) – Mello Music 2009
- Random Joints (track: 3) – Low Budget 2009
- Before Taxes (tracks: 5 & 16) – Mello Music 2010
- the Earn (track: 5) – Mello Music 2011
- Oakwood Grain (track: 2–10) – Humble Monarch Music 2012
- The Many Districts of Soulful Shanghai (tracks: 3, 10 & 14) – Kindred Spirits 2012
- "Fleeting Physical" – (produced by Ya'koob of Sons of Yusuf) The Base Productions 2012
- (Vibe)Rations (track: 11) – Iman Omari Music 2013
- The Booth Shall Set You Free (track: 12) – Soul Spazm 2014
- Persona (track: 16) – Mello Music 2015
- Odds & Ends (track: 5) – Mello Music 2015
- I'm The Bridge You Must Burn (track: 18) – Mello Music 2016 [6]
- Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often (track: 14) – Mello Music 2017 [7]
- Sunday Mass (track: 9) – Mello Music 2019 [8]
- Straight Shot (track: 10) – Mello Music 2019 [9]
References
edit- ^ "Jazz MA Alumni Newsletter" (PDF). Jazzma.newark.rutgers.edu. March 1, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 28, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
- ^ "MODERN DAY SLAVERY: Bilal Salaam Interview". Soulculture.co.uk. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
- ^ Moore, Marcus J. (August 10, 2011). "DMV Filter: Pro'Verb, Javier Starks, Bilal Salaam – Arts Desk". Washingtoncitypaper.com. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
- ^ "Artists | HiPNOTT Records". Kevinnottingham.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
- ^ "Raheem DeVaughn Live Performance of "Guess Who Loves You More" & "Until"". YouTube. December 16, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
- ^ "I'm The Bridge You Must Burn (feat. Bilal Salaam) [Bonus track], by Quelle Chris". Quellechris360.bandcamp.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- ^ "Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often, by Quelle Chris". Quellechris360.bandcamp.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ "Straight Shot (feat Cavalier, Bilal Salaam, Eldar Djangirov, & James Acaster), by Quelle Chris". Quellechris360.bandcamp.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
External links
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bilal Salaam.