Person · Male
Mustafa Ahmed
- Since
- present
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About
Mustafa Ahmed, known mononymously as Mustafa and formerly as Mustafa the Poet, is a Sudanese-Canadian poet, folk artist from Regent Park, Toronto. He first came to prominence as a young spoken-word poet and as a member of the Toronto collective Halal Gang, before becoming one of the most sought-after songwriters in contemporary music, co-writing songs for artists including Drake, Justin Bieber, the Weeknd, Daniel Caesar, Metro Boomin, Omar Apollo, Camila Cabello, the Jonas Brothers, Shawn Mendes and Rex Orange County.
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As a solo artist, Mustafa released the critically acclaimed EP When Smoke Rises, in 2021 - an tribute for his friends lost to violence, including fellow Halal Gang member Smoke Dawg - followed by his debut album Dunya in 2024, which drew on his Sudanese heritage and incorporated traditional Arabic instrumentation. Both projects earned Polaris Music Prize shortlist nominations, and Mustafa has won multiple Juno Awards across songwriting, video, and album categories.
Mustafa is the founder of Artists for Aid, a benefit concert series that has raised millions of dollars for humanitarian relief in Sudan and Palestine, featuring lineups including Daniel Caesar, Chappell Roan, Lucy Dacus, Geese, Jazmine Sullivan, Clairo, Shawn Mendes, Blood Orange, Stormzy, FKA Twigs and others.
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- MusicBrainz
- 4a5a5c9c-e569-4b94-960d-13f4a3730ea3
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 10 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.