Earlier this month, prolific Toronto poet and recording artist Mustafa revealed the artwork and track listing for his forthcoming EP debut, When Smoke Rises.
He spoke on the project via an Instagram post which also featured the artwork and back cover:
“My debut project, When Smoke Rises, will be out everywhere on MAY 28TH! Pre-save link in my bio. I’ve dreamt about this announcement for so long, and here we are. When Smoke Rises is about losing someone you love and retracing what of you they left with, it’s reimagining & beautifying the violence of ones departure. The burial can be beautiful too, if you listen closely. Regent Park forever.”
The artwork for When Smoke Rises features Mustafa sitting next to his friend and fellow Toronto rapper, Smoke Dawg. He’s one of several friends Mustafa has lost in recent years to violence. Born Jahvante Jahqwane Sheldon Smart, Smoke Dawg was one of the biggest artists coming out of Toronto when his life was senselessly cut short in a shooting on June 30, 2018. The shooting also claimed the life of Prime Boys manager Ernest “Kosi” Modekwe aka Koba Prime.
So far, three songs off When Smoke Rises have been released including the new heartfelt single, “Ali,” which has already racked up over 1.1 million streams on Spotify. The song is a tribute to 18-year-old Ali Reizeig, who was the victim of a deadly shooting in 2017.
“Described as ‘inner city folk music,’ When Smoke Rises takes musical inspiration from the likes of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Richie Havens, channeled through the lens of Mustafa’s modern day Toronto.” – SKRRRT CENTRAL
When Smoke Rises–featuring Sampha and production by James Blake, Jamie XX, and Frank Dukes, is available now to pre-save, pre-order, and pre-add via your favourite digital streaming platform via Regent Park Songs.
You can follow @MustafaThePoet on Instagram.
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