It's been over two years since Mustafa shared his debut When Smoke Rises and since then, there's been a gaping hole in Toronto's music scene that could only have been filled by his inimitable tone and vulnerable, poignant songwriting. Guest spots on Daniel Caesar and Metro Boomin records this year helped to bridge the gap, but new single "Name of God" and its accompanying self-directed music video deliver Mustafa's music in its purest form, as it was meant to be consumed — stripped, with his prodigious vocals and lyricism at the forefront.
The Regent Park native has borne the weight of his grief through each song he's penned — and, given his former title of "the Poet," it comes as no surprise that each lyric on "Name of God" is as eloquent and delicate as the melody it carries. Mustafa might not shed tears as he sings, but the stark melancholy of his tone weeps for him, floating lightly atop an acoustic instrumental as he examines his relationship with Islam and mourns his older brother's tragic death.
"Everything is black / Your hands and my past / If I don't wake tomorrow, promise me you'll laugh"
(Independent)The Regent Park native has borne the weight of his grief through each song he's penned — and, given his former title of "the Poet," it comes as no surprise that each lyric on "Name of God" is as eloquent and delicate as the melody it carries. Mustafa might not shed tears as he sings, but the stark melancholy of his tone weeps for him, floating lightly atop an acoustic instrumental as he examines his relationship with Islam and mourns his older brother's tragic death.
"Everything is black / Your hands and my past / If I don't wake tomorrow, promise me you'll laugh"