Tislam The Great

Tislams Journey into Hiphop started at the age of 10. While in Queens, NY visiting family he had the pleasure to witness his first live performance by his soon to be favorite artist Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest. At a local gathering in the basketball court Q-Tip was on stage freestyling and happen to put the young Tislam into his rhyme. From that point on he was set on his path to become one of Baltimores best freestlyers and artist to date.

As Tislam continues though life in Baltimore, he begins to mold his freestyling skills. Through out grade school his love for music was shown with is dedication to playing the clarinet. While at N.Y.I.T. he was able to work at the radio station where he provided the music for a Hiphop show. This also was when he first displayed his skills as an artist. From this point on you could not see Tislam with out a pen and a pad. Unfortunately, he had to return to Baltimore due to funds. Only after one year was he back on the grind.

Tislam came from his attribute acquired from becoming a part of The Nation of God and Earth. Tislam is also an acronym, which means Truth I Study Learn And Master. The Great was added after reaching a point of greatness in his life. For the next up and coming years, he continued to hit every spot possible in order to be seen. From your hard core rap shows to your poetry cafs. His style is filled with knowledge, real life experiences with a raw forward up front metaphorical lingo. A Tribe Called Quest, WU-Tang Clan, J-Live, Mobb Deep, Madlib, KMD, KRS-ONE and many more have influenced him.

He has helped run many organizations and clubs that feature HipHop. He is now a local up rising artist. He has done shows at the Sonar, Ottobar, Feltchers, Baltimore Live, Five Season, Gallery 409, Java head cafe, Yours, Mines, and Ours Cafe, The Heritage (The old Odells), Ashanti Land, Maryland Art Place, Organic Soul Tuesdays, Hard Rock Cafe in Down Town Baltimore, The Tunnel, The B-Spot, G..s Black house in Philly, and Jazz Café and NOVA Community College.

Tislam has closed out and hosted a show for KRS-ONE once and open for KRS-ONE another time. In addition has opened for Stones Throw Records, De La Soul, MF Doom, Little Brother, Slum Village, Phat Kat, Evidence, Mr. Lif, Akrobatic, Vast Aire, Cannibal OX, DJ Fraks One and Murs all from Definitive Jux label, J-Live, Jean Grae, Q-Unique, One Be Lo, Diverse, Tone Deff, Pack FM and Craig G. In addition, Tislam in July 2005 has even had the chance to perform in Toronto, Canada for Styles In Progress Festival 2005 and a private show in Welland, Canada at Club Social. While in Canada, he appeared on CKLN 88.1 FM and a Las Vegas radio show called The Ryff.

Tislam has become a producer, promoter, mentor, artist developer, and a booking agent and currently working on being a web master. He has three EP..s and is working on his solo album, and a group album with E.Q. He is the Baltimore representative for The Temple of HipHop via KRS-ONE. In addition, he is the CEO of God Sense Product Promote, apart of Metropolis Media a publishing company and 1/3 of Unison Collective. Here He also does many fundraising and benefit events for his community.

Tislam was apart of a compilation called Strength In Numbers which was a benefit CD for the sniper victims in the Tri-state area and the Dawson family of which 7 where killed in a fire do to not conforming with the drug dealers of there neighbor hood. Tislam has performed at many community festivals and events such as Truxtun Park (Community Action Festival), Band Together, The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History Saturdays Child Series, and many more.

Tislam is currently promoting for Stones Throw Records and several local clubs, venues and events. He works with The Village Learning Place a community library and learning center that provides free access to information, resources and educational programs to promote literacy, cultural awareness and lifelong learning. His plans for the future are to continue forward in life positively. If picked up by an independent or commercial label that is fine as long as he touches the hearts and minds of the world with out conforming to the formula of today.