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Ahmad Ali Lewis (born October 12, 1975), simply known as Ahmad (often stylized AHMAD), is an American rapper, songwriter,
motivational speaker A motivational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. Such speakers may attempt to challenge or transform their audiences. The speech itself is popularly known as a pep talk. Motivational speakers c ...
and author from
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. He is perhaps best known for the 1994 single " Back in the Day". Ahmad is also a former member and founder of the hip-hop fusion band 4th Avenue Jones.


Life and career

Ahmad made his recording debut in 1993 on the soundtrack of The Meteor Man with the song "Who Can." Released when Ahmad was 18, "Back in the Day" the remix version (produced by Maurice Thompson of Barr 9 Productions) hit No. 26 on the US pop charts and No. 19 on the U.S. R&B charts on the strength of its
hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
, sung over a sample of the
Teddy Pendergrass Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010) was an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter. He was born in Kingstree, South Carolina. Pendergrass spent most of his life in the Philadelphia area, and initially rose to musi ...
song "Love TKO." It also reached No. 64 in the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. It was the first single off his first album, '' Ahmad''. The remix of "Back in the Day" is also featured on the soundtrack of '' The Wood'', a 1999 motion picture. Ahmad secured his first recording contract as a senior in high school and earned a gold record for his chart-topping hit. He later formed the hip-hop fusion band 4th Avenue Jones. He went back to school and enrolled in Long Beach City College in 2006; after graduating he was accepted by
Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is conside ...
, to acquire bachelor's degrees in sociology and African American studies. Lewis was married to his former 4th Avenue Jones bandmate, Tena Jones, from 1998-2007. Their son, Yeshuwa Ali, was born in 2004.


Discography


Albums

Solo * 1994: '' Ahmad'' (Giant/Reprise/Warner Bros. Records) * 2010: '' The Death of Me'' (WeCLAP) With 4th Avenue Jones * 2000: ''No Plan B'' (Lookalive Records) * 2002: ''No Plan B pt. 2'' (Lookalive/Interscope Records) * 2002: ''Gumbo'' (Lookalive Records) * 2003: ''Hiprocksoul'' (Lookalive Records) * 2004: ''Respect'' (Lookalive Records) * 2005: ''Stereo: The Evolution of Hiprocksoul'' (Lookalive/Gotee/EMI Records)


Singles

* 1994: " Back in the Day" (US No. 26; UK No. 64) With 4th Avenue Jones: * 2000: "Respect" * 2002: "Move On" * 2005: "Stereo" Videos: * 1994: "Back In the Day" * 1994: "You Gotta Be" * 1996: "Come Widdit'" * 2001: "Respect" * 2002: "Move On" * 2005: "Stereo"


Appearances

* 1993: "Who Can?" (from "The Meteor Man" (soundtrack)) * 1994: "That's How It Is" (from "Jason's Lyric" (soundtrack)) * 1994: "Come Widdit" feat. Ras Kass, Saafir (from ''Street Fighter'' (soundtrack)) * 1995: "Only If You Want It" (from ''Pump Ya Fist'') * 1999: "Back in the Day (Remix)" (from ''The Wood'' (soundtrack)) * 1999: "The Guest List" (from ''Something For Everyone To Hate'' (Sackcloth Fashion album)) * 2000: "Fresh Coast" (from ''Dust'' (Sup The Chemist album)) * 2004: "Give It Here" feat. Pep Love (from ''All Balls Don't Bounce'' revisited (2LP) (Aceyalone album) * 2006: "Hard Hit" (from ''The Movement'' (D.I.T.C. album) * 2006: "Fight Here" feat. Afrobots, DJ Vajra (from ''5 Sparrows For 2 Cents'' (The Procussions album)) * 2006: "More" (from ''Pro Pain'' (Mars ILL album))


References


External links


Stanford Magazine – 'This Is the Rebirth' – January/February 2009
* https://web.archive.org/web/20090307084039/http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2009/03/05/20930202.aspx
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation – Ahmad Ali Lewis isn't a Typical Stanford Undergrad – Nor is he a Typical Rapper
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmad 1975 births Living people Giant Records (Warner) artists African-American male rappers American male rappers Rappers from Los Angeles West Coast hip hop musicians African-American songwriters Songwriters from California 20th-century American rappers 21st-century American rappers 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American musicians American male songwriters