User:Aqil Guevara/sandbox/Aqil Guevara

= AQIL GUEVARA = "Aqil Guevara - Producer, artist,composer, manager / mentor & consultant."

Early life

Born Martin Jean Paul Foster to Ecgbert R Foster and Loleta Cameron AG grew up in Harlesden, North West London. He is quoted saying ‘Everyday life and situations a black boy child could experience in 1970s inner London I experienced’. During his secondary school years Aqil, met and became good friends with the likes of Paul 'General' Levy, Anthony ‘Tubby T’ Robinson and family friend Faisal Abd’ullah. Aqil speaks about his introduction to music as ‘One Monday night I decided to get brave enough to call Dave Pearces' 'Fresh start to the week' show on Radio London 94.9FM. Dave would have a weekly competition to find the hottest MC over the phone. I won, and from there I was allowed to come in and perform live on the air. I did, I rocked it, I never looked back’. Aqil has two children, His first born Daughter Aqila and his son Footballer Khaliyl.

'Years active - 1991 to present'

Career to date

Aqil featured in the revolutionary UK hip hop band Scientists of sound, named after the. The group started between Stephen 'Bam' Busette, Gerry 'Cherok' Prodano, and Akowundu 'Aybee' Akalawu, Aqil joined later in 1991ish... They all worshiped at the same masjid and they all grew up in North West London, NW10. A Guevara would bring the group to radio appearances and live shows and they began distributing demos. The demos gained attention of Tim Westwood who started promoting the group on his Capital Rap show. S.O.S started sharing the stage with other UK rap luminaries such as Outlaw aka The Outlaw posse, Ty, London Posse, The Brotherhood, Hardnoise, Smith & Mighty, Silver Bullet, Scratch Perverts, Hijack, Unanimous decision, Estelle, Braintax, Krispy 3, Mr 45, Out da 'Ville, Stereo MCs, Tha Kaliphz, Blak Radical MkII, Blade, Mud Family, Phi Life Cipher, Moorish Delta 7. Often doing the same shows and supporting the same tours, as the acclaimed UK hip-hop artists, they were soon invited onto the international arena. A Guevara introduced by a mutual friend to Trevor Jackson, who at the time already a successful designer and was transitioning to music production. Both openly shared a mutual dislike for commercial rap and what Urban radio was promoting. A Guevara penned a diss track, Trevor produced it and promoted it. Within two weeks, KRS ONE's BDP crew in NYC was supporting a show where the one of the rap groups mentioned in the diss track were also preforming and physically threw them off the stage and took the show over, shouting out ‘Aqil and S.O.S for keeping up with real Hip-hop and not that p***y shit’. Westwood, added the diss track to his chart list and this created a lot of attention for Aqil as an individual artist. However, when Trevor offered him an extension to the single deal, he only agreed for it to be a group project under S.O.S.

Their first EP release 'Raise the flag / Bustin' Loose, received a lot of positive reviews and caught the attention of popular US hip-hop artists such as Public Enemy, EPMD, Lords of the Underground, Wreckx n Effect, and Onyx. Who all asked S.O.S to support their UK and European shows.

Other popular US acts such as Ultramagnetic MCs, Busta Rhymes, Black Moon, Pete Rock, De la Soul, Afrika Bambaataa, ATQC, Das EFX, Redman, Gravediggaz, featured on S.O.S music and had the group support their some of their US tour dates. Their vocal topics ranged from Black empowerment, political commentary, Islamic ideologies, Alien life and clever wordplay. The content was quite removed from most other UK acts, and as such they weren’t always recognised or respected in some quarters for this. By 1996 the group had recording 16 tracks and captured critical acclaim in both UK and the US Billboard charts.

The Source, then respected Hip Hop magazine gave favourable reviews to both their music and their stage shows, ‘The realest and illest hop-hop!!! cant believe little ol’ London made them guys. Where’s their album??’

1996 brings the release of another single, 'Landmine situation / Scroll of the fake assassins' followed swiftly by the long player, '1.4.4 or bust, the replenishing' which was released to critical acclaim in both UK and even Billboard and The Source, the respected Hip Hop magazine gave favourable reviews to both their music and their stage shows. Between 96 and 97, the group went on tour with DJs Semtex and the legendary Stretch Armstrong (who was partner to Bobito Garcia) to promote the album across the UK. They had recorded an album in demo mode, but weren't able to get the project released, as Downlow, the label they had signed the first album had folded. The group never actually officially disbanded, but no recordings since the unreleased demo LP been done. They remain close friends and family. Cherok is now a respected Photographer. A Guevara & Bam work under the production umbrella of Burnt Brasse and work closely with Spider Johnson, who has produced and worked with numerous artists himself such as; Lee Scratch Perry, Madness, ArA, Fallacy, Skeme and Big P, Skibadee, Kano, Estelle, UK Apache and Shy FX.

POST S.O.S
A Guevara continued working in music, and spent time with revered producer Jon Douglas and supported the writing and production for a number of his acts such as; George Micheal, All Saints, Tina Turner, Kylie Minogue, Sugarbabes,. Including providing backing vocals to many artists Jon worked with.

Aqil wrote and performed rap verses for; of Kylie Minogue 2003 ('Chocolate'), and Lisa Moorish / George Micheal ('Im your man' remake feat George Micheal) 1996,.. A Guevara’s management experience began when he started working on the group that the world came to know as Miz-Teeq. Aqil knew the father of group lead Sabrina Washington, as he was a well-known player with the 'Ruff cut' band. Following his usual development formula he taught Sabrina and the group and then entered them for a talent show with Mean Fiddler, A Guevara had organised for local talent. The girls came first, and another act A Guevara was mentoring at the time, Fallacy, came second. From there, he recorded a few demos with the girls (Pre Alesha Dixon) at the radio station studios of Harlesden’s 'Time FM'\BeatFM before the friendly parting of ways.

A Guevara has also chaired sessions discussing Hip Hop as an art form and its inception at various colleges and universities across the UK, in patrnership with reknowned fine art creator Faisal Abdu' Allah.

A Guevara started working with Fallacy in 2001, halfway through the 'Blackmarket boy' album sessions.

The Wordplay/Virgin records, album release in 2002 spawned the classic tracks 'Groundbreaker', 'Big n Bashy', among others. At this time Aqil (solo) supported the Wu Tang clan’s 2001 ‘The W’ European tour, and provided a verse on the track ' Make money'(Feat. Bronz n' Blak) on the RZA's 'World according to RZA' album (Virgin).

A Guevara has worked in several media platforms including Radio / TV / News. Notably, various stints on local pirate stations such as already mentioned Time FM, Juice FM,& Bang FM. Aqil worked the first official rap show with Steve Wren on Choice FM, and had done numerous sessions on Radio 1 as well as later on 1xtra. There have been a few TV appearances, mainly as part of Scientists of sound, but also appearing alongside Afrika Bambaataa on shows on France and Germany, hosting a battle rap show on a now defunct digital TV channel which was aired Xmas day 2008 and was their top rated show for three months (BCTV) in the London/ south region.

Aqil contributed articles and interviews / reviews for Blues and soul, the Voice, Hip Hop connection, and The Source. Often being brought in as a consultant to review artists and Hip-hop music.

Current
Aqil has been managing son Khaliyl Cameron-Hanson’s football career, for the past 4 years. Khaliyl is due to commence his 2nd year of a 3-year football scholarship in Iowa state.