A. Haqq Islam

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A. Haqq Islam is an American music executive and businessman. He is founder and former CEO of University Music Entertainment and University Records, which is home to award-winning, multi-platinum-selling artists, Dru Hill, Sisqo, [1] and Mya. [2]

Contents

Music career

As the company's CEO, Islam negotiated multi-million dollar deals with Fortune 500 companies. He steered the careers of a roster of talent that included artists, producers and songwriters, accounting for over $50 million record sales worldwide, while producing ten number one songs.

Islam began his career learning the fundamentals of R&B music, artist development and the music business in recording studios of New York City. First starting as a show promoter in Washington, DC., Islam subsequently formed his own label – University Records, and landed signings of soon to become platinum artists Dru Hill, Mya and Sisqo.

Through joint venture deals with Interscope and Def Jam, University Records went on to produce ten Number 1 singles and twenty Top Ten singles. University Records artists have been nominated for and have won every major music award, including: The American Music Awards, Billboard Awards, Soul Train Awards and The Grammys.

In 2019, Islam founded CONTRA WORLDWIDE RECORDINGS. CONTRA produced music for a series of films broadcast on the BET network including Tyler Perry's "Sistas" in December 2019 and has been nominated for a 2020 NAACP Award. [3] CONTRA’s first artist is Casey808, a Hip Hop artist out of Hawaii.

Islam has taught Entertainment Business Education at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC where he created the Business of Music Visiting Lecture Series to train students about the behind-the-scenes aspects of the entertainment business. The lecture series also traveled to several colleges and universities, featured guests included Rockafella Records co-founder Damon Dash, Legendary R&B Group Earth Wind & Fire, R&B artist, Ledesi, Film Producer; Lisa Cortez, Legendary Music Producer Kenny Gamble of Gamble and Huff.

Other ventures

Islam is co-founder and CEO of The Rucker Park Prep summer basketball league for young men 8–16 years of age which take place in the historic Holcomb Rucker Park in Harlem, [4] NY. He is still working in entertainment with current film and television projects in development with his company Jegna Filmworks.

Islam is also a Real Estate Developer with several projects underway in Newark, NJ. As a partner in the Davidson, Abraham & Associates Company (DAA), Islam works as a liaison between city governments to move projects forward.

Personal life

A native of Queens, NY, Islam is a graduate of Howard University with a BA in Political Science and completed coursework at Howard towards a Master’s Degree in International Relations. [5]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mya (singer)</span> American singer and actress (born 1979)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dru Hill</span> American contemporary R&B group

Dru Hill is an American R&B group, whose repertoire included soul, hip hop soul and gospel music. The group was founded in Baltimore in 1992 by Tamir "Nokio the N-Tity" Ruffin, and as of 2023, is still active. Dru Hill recorded seven top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B number-one hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise" and "How Deep Is Your Love". Its original members were lead singer Mark "Sisqó" Andrews, Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin, Larry "Jazz" Anthony and James "Woody" Green. The group achieved popularity in the mid 1990s.

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<i>Unleash the Dragon</i> 1999 studio album by Sisqó

Unleash the Dragon is the debut solo studio album by American R&B singer Sisqó of Dru Hill, released on November 30, 1999, on Def Soul. Sisqó recorded the album during Dru Hill's hiatus. It includes the hit songs "Got to Get It", "Incomplete", and "Thong Song". Previously, Sisqo had been the lead singer of the group Dru Hill. Recorded under Island Records, the group released two multi-platinum albums to date: Dru Hill (1996) and Enter the Dru (1998). In 2003, the album was certified quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of five million copies in the United States.

<i>Return of Dragon</i> 2001 studio album by Sisqó

Return of Dragon is the second solo studio album by American R&B recording artist Sisqó of Dru Hill, released on June 19, 2001 on Def Soul Recordings. The album did very well on the charts but its singles, "Can I Live" and "Dance for Me", were commercial disappointments compared to his debut album, Unleash the Dragon (1999). Despite the fact that Sisqó announced a third single, "Dream", this never materialized due to the commercial failure of the album. The song "Without You" was originally planned to be featured on Dru Hill's third album, Dru World Order but tensions grew between the group while working on the album and it was put on hold. Return of Dragon was later certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for excess of one million copies. Return of Dragon would be Sisqó's last album until Last Dragon (2015). As he return back to his group, following the release of this album, Sisqo was dropped from Def Soul Recordings and his group two years later.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Incomplete (Sisqó song)</span> 2000 single by Sisqó

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<i>Mya</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Mya

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<i>Enter the Dru</i> 1998 studio album by Dru Hill

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<i>Dru World Order</i> 2002 studio album by Dru Hill

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">My First Night with You</span> 1999 single by Mýa

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<i>Last Dragon</i> 2015 studio album by Sisqó

Last Dragon is the third solo studio album by American R&B recording artist Sisqó of Dru Hill. The album was released on February 10, 2015, via Massenburg Media and Dragon Music. In 2012, during a performance in Doha, Sisqó announced he was working on his third album. On December 10, Sisqó announced on his Twitter account that those who pre-order Last Dragon will be entitled to an instant download of the track "Round & Round". Sisqó expressed an interest in working with R. Kelly on the album

Darryl "Day" Pearson is an American record producer, songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known for writing and producing "It's All About Me", a Mya/Sisqó single that peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, "Part Time Lover", as well as "Trippin' ", a collaboration between Total and Missy Elliott that climbed to #7 on the Hot 100 in 1998. His 1998 contributions to albums from Total, Mya, and others resulted in a top 10 placement on Billboard's "Hot R&B Producers" 1998 Year-End Chart. Pearson has also produced or written songs for Usher, Beyoncé, and Sam Smith, among others.

References

  1. "From Baltimore to the big time for R&B; outfit Music: Dru Hill climbs on the strength of hard work ... and one very lucky break".
  2. "Mya R&B Haven".
  3. "Haqq Islam, Industry Veteran Behind Dru Hill & Mya, Launches Contra Recordings". Billboard .
  4. "Rucker Park Prep Meet the Team".
  5. "Haqq Islam Bio".