Hisham Al Maskari, known professionally as Sham Maskari, is an

Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...

i rapper, singer and songwriter. He is the first rapper from the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

to launch an English language album in the

USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

Early life

Maskari was born in

Muscat, Oman Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the Capital (political), capital and most populated city in Oman. It is the seat of the Muscat (governorate), Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the t ...

. He is one of five children of an Omani father and British mother. Maskari's father, Hamood Al Maskari, is known as the first major nightclub DJ in Oman. At the age of 15 Sham began writing his own songs and participating in talent contests. He completed a degree in business management in

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

before pursuing a career in music.

Career

After completing his studies, Maskari broke into the music scene in Malaysia, mentored by Yasien, a Malaysian-based producer. At age 21, he relocated to the UK where he performed at various clubs across the country and collaborated with local DJs. In 2005, Maskari moved to

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

, where he partnered with producer Salim Rashaad, known professionally as Sal. He also secured financial backing from Omani businessman Munim Zawawi. With the help of Sal and Zawawi, Maskari's first single, ‘Naughty Boy’, reached number one on Radio One's top playlist. In 2008, Maskari's track ‘One and Only’ reached number one on MTV Asia/Arabia. In 2010, Maskari performed at the closing ceremony of the 2nd Asian Beach Games in Mussanah, Oman. Maskari was the first artist from the Middle East to sign with US-based publishing and distribution company Tale Music Group (TMG), releasing his second album ‘Take Your Body Over’ in

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' ...

in 2014. Throughout his career Maskari has performed with international artists including Akon, Ne-Yo,

Sean Paul Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques OD (born 9 January 1973) is a Jamaican rapper and singer who is regarded as one of dancehall's most prolific artists. Paul's singles "Get Busy" and "Temperature" topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the ...

, Jay Sean,

Shaggy Shaggy may refer to: People *Shaggy (musician) (born 1968), Jamaican American reggae rapper and singer *Shaggy 2 Dope, half of the hip hop, horrorcore band Insane Clown Posse *Shaggy Flores (born 1973), Nuyorican poet, writer and African diaspora ...

, Omarion, and Lloyd.

Artistry

Sham cites that he grew up listening to artists such as

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

, Biggie Smalls,

R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses. During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwid ...

, and

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

, all of whom later inspired his music. He describes his style as ‘a mix of singing and rap’ as well as ‘soft RnB’ and ‘feel good music.’

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maskari, Sham Living people Omani singers Omani people of British descent People from Muscat, Oman Year of birth missing (living people)