MALIK YUSEF JONES

"Once people learn the same thing that makes you laugh makes you cry. Because Joy & pain are intrinsically linked, That the day & the night work in unison that life and death are different parts of the same cycle, That Yin & Yang are one. We grow to find, Karma can not exist without dharma " -Malik Yusef

ABOUT

Malik Yusef, the WordSmyth, is an avant-garde spoken word poet—with timely lyrics that address and bring attention to national and global issues. Born and raised in Chicago’s south side amongst a humble and sometimes troubled beginning, Malik rose out of those surroundings to become a 24x Grammy award-nominee, 6x Grammy award-winner, and 7x ASCAP award-winner for both pop and R&B. Other credits include Emmy, Peabody, and Tony awards. Some of Malik’s early influences include Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, William Shakespeare, Haki Madhubuti, Malcolm X, and Phillis Wheatley. 

Most recently, Malik co-wrote "Sandcastles" on Beyoncé’s album Lemonade, and he is featured on Kanye West’s most recent album The Life of Pablo, the Grammy-nominated track "All Day" , Ty Dolla Sign’s album Free TC, and Common’s critically acclaimed album Nobody’s Smiling. He was also a featured producer with the legendary band WAR on their first studio album in 20 years, released in June 2014. 

As one of Kanye West’s most trusted contributors, Malik co-wrote and contributed to 15/18 track on The Life of Pablo; he co-wrote eight out the ten songs on Yeezus; he is a writer and artist on Cruel Summer featuring Kanye West and the rest of his G.O.O.D. Music team. Additionally, Malik co-wrote seven songs on Kanye’s Double Platinum, 5th release and Rolling Stone's "Album of the Year" My Dark Twisted Fantasy and Malik is credited as a writer/producer/collaborator on Kanye’s critically acclaimed Film Runaway, which contains much of Malik’s music.

Malik is signed to the world’s largest music publisher, Universal Music Publishing, and is part of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label and affiliated with Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang. It is his pure talent, unparalleled work ethic, and ability to be a trusted advisor, that has allowed Malik to build and maintain incredible industry connections and relationships with the likes of JAY Z, Drake, Katy Perry, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Rihanna, The Band Perry, Wiz Khalifa, and Adam Levine. 

VIDEOS

MUSIC CREDITS

BEYONCE / SANDCASTLES 2016

LEAD WRITER OF TRACK 8 ON BEYONCE'S NEW ALBUM LEMONADE

KANYE WEST / THE LIFE OF PABLO 2016

CO-PRODUCER AND FEATURED WRITER ON EIGHT SONGS

KANYE WEST / ALL DAY 2015

GRAMMY NOMINATED / CO-PRODUCER ALONG WITH KANYE WEST, PUFF DADDY, FRENCH MONTANA, VELOUS, CHARLIE HEAT, MIKE DEAN, NOAH GOLDSTEIN, PLAIN PAT, TRAVI$ SCOTT, ALLEN RITTER, MARIO WINANS, VIC MENSA & MORE

MALIK YUSEF / H.O.M.E. (HEAL OUR MOTHER EARTH) 2014

DUBBED "THE OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE MOVEMENT" BY APPLE CEO TIM COOK THE PROJECT WAS EXECUTIVE PRODUCED FOR HIP HOP CAUCUS AND FEATURES NE-YO, COMMON CRYSTAL WATERS, SONNA RELE ANTONIQUE SMITH, KARMIN, CANDICE GLOVER & MORE

MALIK YUSEF / G.O.O.D. MORNING G.O.O.D. NIGHT 2009

SECOND STUDIO ALBUM FT. KANYE WEST, COMMON, RAHEEM DEVAUGHN, JENNIFER HUDSON, ADAM LEVINE, JOHN LEGEND, AND MR. HUDSON

MALIK YUSEF / THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE; A COLD DAY IN HELL 2003

DEBUT ALBUM FEATURING LOCAL CHICAGO TALENT INCLUDING KANYE WEST, CARL THOMAS, CHANTAY SAVAGE, MICHAEL COLEMAN, COMMON & TWISTA

COMMON / MY CITY

ONE DAY IT'LL ALL MAKE SENSE (RELATIVITY RECORDS 1997)

CARL THOMAS / TROUBLE DON'T LAST ALWAYS

EMOTIONAL (BAD BOY RECORDS 2000)

VARIOUS / THIS IS NOT A GAME

JORDAN 17 CD ROM (2002)

RHYMEFEST / MR. BLUE COLLAR

BLUE COLLAR (ALLIDO RECORDS 2006)

KANYE WEST FEATURING 88-KEYS / STAY UP

THE DEATH OF ADAM (EXTRA CREDIT) (2007)

DR. CORNEL WEST / WELCOME TO CHI

NEVER FORGET: A JOURNEY OF REVELATIONS (HIDDEN BEACH RECORDS 2007)

KANYE WEST, ADAM LEVINE, AND JOHN LEGEND / PROMISED LAND

LEAD WRITER OF TRACK 8 ON BEYONCE'S NEW ALBUM LEMONADE

KINDRED & THE FAMILY SOUL / ALWAYS BE ARRIVING

ARRIVAL (HIDDEN BEACH RECORDS 2008)

CARL THOMAS / KNOW IT'S ALRIGHT

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT (BAD BOY RECORDS 2004)

MALIK YUSEF FT. COMMON & KANYE WEST / WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO RIDE

COACH CARTER SOUNDTRACK (CAPITOL RECORDS 2005)

MALIK YUSEF FT. COMMON & KANYE WEST / WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO RIDE

COACH CARTER SOUNDTRACK (CAPITOL RECORDS 2005)

KANYE WEST FT. THE GAME / CRACK MUSIC

LATE REGISTRATION (ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS 2005)

SHAWNNA ST. AVANT, MALIK YUSEF & BUDDY GUY: CHICAGO / CHICAGO

CHIP THE RIPPER FT. CYHI THE PRYNCE & MALIK YUSEF / WE AIN'T PLAYIN

RAHEEM DEVAUGHN / WOMAN I DESIRE

LOVE BEHIND THE MELODY (JIVE RECORDS 2008)

KANYE WEST & MALIK YUSEF, JOHN LEGEND & COMMON / MAGIC MAN

(G.O.O.D. MUSIC 2009)

MALIK YUSEF / GMGN: DECONSTRUCTED

FEATURES INCLUDE KANYE WEST, BIG SEAN, CYHI THE PRYNCE, KRS-ONE, COMMON, JOHN LEGEND, TWISTA, ADAM LEVINE, NIKKI HAYES, LOREN RICHE, GLC & MORE (G.O.O.D. MUSIC 2014)

JOHN LEGEND AND THE ROOTS FT. MALIK YUSEF / THE LITTLE GHETTO BOY

KINDRED AND THE FAMILY SOUL FT. MALIK YUSEF / THE ARRIVAL

DO OR DIE FT. MALIK YUSEF - GUETTO BL CHANNEL LIVE / AROUND HERE

(FEAT. METHOD MAN, ROWD RHAZ & MALIK YUSEF

TRIZONNA MCCLENDON FT. MALIK YUSEF / GIDDY

LEGIT BALLAZ FT. MALIK YUSEF & JV / LEGIT BALLIN

THE MICROPHONE MISFITZ / SHOUTOUTS

FEAT. MALIK YUSEF, SHIRLEY KING, DAS EFX, AMIR SULAIMAN, BROTHER ALI, MANIFEST

KINDRED AND THE FAMILY SOUL FT. MALIK YUSEF / POETRY INTERLUDE

THE DREAM MAKER (MGMT 101) FT. MALIK YUSEF / ABSTRACT MINDSTATE

MITCHBAL & FRIENDS / 2 01 POET

RHYMEFEST FT. MALIK YUSEF / PUPPET MASTER

MUSIC CREDITS

BEYONCE / SANDCASTLES 2016

LEAD WRITER OF TRACK 8 ON BEYONCE'S NEW ALBUM LEMONADE

KANYE WEST / THE LIFE OF PABLO 2016

CO-PRODUCER AND FEATURED WRITER ON EIGHT SONGS

KANYE WEST / ALL DAY 2015

GRAMMY NOMINATED / CO-PRODUCER ALONG WITH KANYE WEST, PUFF DADDY, FRENCH MONTANA, VELOUS, CHARLIE HEAT, MIKE DEAN, NOAH GOLDSTEIN, PLAIN PAT, TRAVI$ SCOTT, ALLEN RITTER, MARIO WINANS, VIC MENSA & MORE

KANYE WEST, ADAM LEVINE, AND JOHN LEGEND / PROMISED LAND

LEAD WRITER OF TRACK 8 ON BEYONCE'S NEW ALBUM LEMONADE

KINDRED & THE FAMILY SOUL / ALWAYS BE ARRIVING

ARRIVAL (HIDDEN BEACH RECORDS 2008)

CARL THOMAS / KNOW IT'S ALRIGHT

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT (BAD BOY RECORDS 2004)

MALIK YUSEF / H.O.M.E. (HEAL OUR MOTHER EARTH) 2014

DUBBED "THE OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE MOVEMENT" BY APPLE CEO TIM COOK THE PROJECT WAS EXECUTIVE PRODUCED FOR HIP HOP CAUCUS AND FEATURES NE-YO, COMMON CRYSTAL WATERS, SONNA RELE ANTONIQUE SMITH, KARMIN, CANDICE GLOVER & MORE

MALIK YUSEF FT. COMMON & KANYE WEST / WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO RIDE

COACH CARTER SOUNDTRACK (CAPITOL RECORDS 2005)

MALIK YUSEF / G.O.O.D. MORNING G.O.O.D. NIGHT 2009

SECOND STUDIO ALBUM FT. KANYE WEST, COMMON, RAHEEM DEVAUGHN, JENNIFER HUDSON, ADAM LEVINE, JOHN LEGEND, AND MR. HUDSON

MALIK YUSEF FT. COMMON & KANYE WEST / WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO RIDE

COACH CARTER SOUNDTRACK (CAPITOL RECORDS 2005)

KANYE WEST FT. THE GAME / CRACK MUSIC

LATE REGISTRATION (ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS 2005)

MALIK YUSEF / THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE; A COLD DAY IN HELL 2003

DEBUT ALBUM FEATURING LOCAL CHICAGO TALENT INCLUDING KANYE WEST, CARL THOMAS, CHANTAY SAVAGE, MICHAEL COLEMAN, COMMON & TWISTA

SHAWNNA ST. AVANT, MALIK YUSEF & BUDDY GUY: CHICAGO / CHICAGO

COMMON / MY CITY

ONE DAY IT'LL ALL MAKE SENSE (RELATIVITY RECORDS 1997)

CARL THOMAS / TROUBLE DON'T LAST ALWAYS

EMOTIONAL (BAD BOY RECORDS 2000)

VARIOUS / THIS IS NOT A GAME

JORDAN 17 CD ROM (2002)

RHYMEFEST / MR. BLUE COLLAR

BLUE COLLAR (ALLIDO RECORDS 2006)

KANYE WEST FEATURING 88-KEYS / STAY UP

THE DEATH OF ADAM (EXTRA CREDIT) (2007)

DR. CORNEL WEST / WELCOME TO CHI

NEVER FORGET: A JOURNEY OF REVELATIONS (HIDDEN BEACH RECORDS 2007)

DO OR DIE FT. MALIK YUSEF - GUETTO BL CHANNEL LIVE / AROUND HERE

(FEAT. METHOD MAN, ROWD RHAZ & MALIK YUSEF

TRIZONNA MCCLENDON FT. MALIK YUSEF / GIDDY

LEGIT BALLAZ FT. MALIK YUSEF & JV / LEGIT BALLIN

THE MICROPHONE MISFITZ / SHOUTOUTS

FEAT. MALIK YUSEF, SHIRLEY KING, DAS EFX, AMIR SULAIMAN, BROTHER ALI, MANIFEST

CHIP THE RIPPER FT. CYHI THE PRYNCE & MALIK YUSEF / WE AIN'T PLAYIN

RAHEEM DEVAUGHN / WOMAN I DESIRE

LOVE BEHIND THE MELODY (JIVE RECORDS 2008)

KANYE WEST & MALIK YUSEF, JOHN LEGEND & COMMON / MAGIC MAN

(G.O.O.D. MUSIC 2009)

MALIK YUSEF / GMGN: DECONSTRUCTED

FEATURES INCLUDE KANYE WEST, BIG SEAN, CYHI THE PRYNCE, KRS-ONE, COMMON, JOHN LEGEND, TWISTA, ADAM LEVINE, NIKKI HAYES, LOREN RICHE, GLC & MORE (G.O.O.D. MUSIC 2014)

JOHN LEGEND AND THE ROOTS FT. MALIK YUSEF / THE LITTLE GHETTO BOY

KINDRED AND THE FAMILY SOUL FT. MALIK YUSEF / THE ARRIVAL

KINDRED AND THE FAMILY SOUL FT. MALIK YUSEF / POETRY INTERLUDE

THE DREAM MAKER (MGMT 101) FT. MALIK YUSEF / ABSTRACT MINDSTATE

MITCHBAL & FRIENDS / 2 01 POET

RHYMEFEST FT. MALIK YUSEF / PUPPET MASTER

REALLY DOE FT. MALIK YUSEF & GLC / FABRICS

THE WORD FAMOUS TONY WILLIAMS FT. MALIK YUSEF & JOY STARR / RISE AND SHINE

JOHN LEGEND, TEYANA TAYLOR, CYHI THE PRINCE & MALIK YUSEF / SIN CITY

MALIK YUSEF / STOMP U

(PRODUCED BY @GRANTPARKBEATS)

CHIP THE RIPPER FT. CYHI THE PRYNCE & MALIK YUSEF / WE AIN'T PLAYIN

REALLY DOE FT. MALIK YUSEF & GLC / FABRICS

JYJ FT. KANYE WEST & MALIK YUSEF - THE BEGINNING / AYY GIRL

(C-JES / WARNER 2010)

COMMON / NOBODY'S SMILING

NOBODY'S SMILING (DEF-JAM RECORDINGS / ATRIUM RECORDS 2014)

TY DOLLA $IGN FT. R.KELLY & MALIK YUSEF / ACTRESS

KANYE WEST / ALL DAY

PRESS

CLIPPINGS