Bilal
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Bilal (born Bilal Sayeed Oliver on August 23, 1979, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA) is a soul musician and member of the musical collective known as Soulquarians. In 2001, his debut album — 1st Born Second — was released on the Interscope record label.
Bilal’s classical training at the Mannes Music Conservatory in New York was instrumental to his conversance with Jazz, voice, and big band arrangements. It has also been reported that he is capable of performing opera in seven languages and writes both music and lyrics.
In 1995, Bilal encountered Faulu Mtume, and his brother, Damu Mtume (sons to James Mtume and founders of Moyo Entertainment) at a barber’s shop in Philadelphia. His plans to produce film scores was shelved after he handed the brothers a demo recording; they were so impressed that they successfully convinced him to record commercially.
Bilal has also frequently collaborated and performed with several neo-soul and alternative hip hop artists, including Common, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, and The Roots. He also covered Radiohead’s “High & Dry” for the 2006 Radiohead tribute, Exit Music: Songs With Radio Heads. Bilal appears in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party.
His sophomore full-length recording, Love for Sale is rumored to have been shelved after being leaked on the internet. Despite no official release as of yet, Love for Sale has become an underground classic.
Bilal’s classical training at the Mannes Music Conservatory in New York was instrumental to his conversance with Jazz, voice, and big band arrangements. It has also been reported that he is capable of performing opera in seven languages and writes both music and lyrics.
In 1995, Bilal encountered Faulu Mtume, and his brother, Damu Mtume (sons to James Mtume and founders of Moyo Entertainment) at a barber’s shop in Philadelphia. His plans to produce film scores was shelved after he handed the brothers a demo recording; they were so impressed that they successfully convinced him to record commercially.
Bilal has also frequently collaborated and performed with several neo-soul and alternative hip hop artists, including Common, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, and The Roots. He also covered Radiohead’s “High & Dry” for the 2006 Radiohead tribute, Exit Music: Songs With Radio Heads. Bilal appears in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party.
His sophomore full-length recording, Love for Sale is rumored to have been shelved after being leaked on the internet. Despite no official release as of yet, Love for Sale has become an underground classic.
Shouts:
162 shouts
Top Albums
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1st Born Second
Bilal
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Airtight's Revenge
Bilal Buy- Download Album
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Fast Lane
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Levels E.P.
Bilal Buy- Download Album
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Shoutbox
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RussellJones wrote:
sometimes....
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Vhien wrote:
He kilt it so hard. THAT'S WHEN I SETTLE UP DA SCORRREEEEeeeeee. The performance on Fallon show was so funkin' dope.
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MsGreenEyes wrote:
bilal KILLED that new track with the roots!
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mrsean20 wrote:
love love love
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i_love_mangos wrote:
Damn me wants to see him live *sighs*
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Vhien wrote:
I wish I wasn't me sometimes... <3
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yungskreezy wrote:
im obsessed
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RenanGuerreiroC wrote:
bilal kkkkkkkkkkk
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killabee_16 wrote:
me and bilal.....we like......on the same.............wave length. :D
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celer2008 wrote:
Hm... Only halfway through the album I noticed that the singer is male.
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AtarashiSoul wrote:
"Levels" just takes me there.
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ESHARPTON wrote:
me and bilal.....we like......on the same.............wave length.
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ItzelColinDogez wrote:
<3
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crispolly wrote:
LOL @ the name
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bochka69 wrote:
bilal's first album is the shit
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AnnikaFIN wrote:
I'm sorry <3
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InsertScaryName wrote:
it's such a shame that Love For Sale wasn't released.. it's surely one of the best unreleased albums. I mean.. something to hold on to, you're all i need, lord don't let it, all for love and so on are all songs that *deserve* more listens
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mrsean20 wrote:
OMG i love him eternally
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keithcrossmusic wrote:
"For You" is one of the illest jointz ever!
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PurpleAfropuffs wrote:
I just love this cat. :-)
Videos
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Play
Soul Sista
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Play
Love It
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Play
's Levels Directed by Flying…
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Play
ROBOTS (Official Video)
1 shout
Events
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Feb
28
Robert Glasper
Highline Ballroom, New York, United States
5 going
1 shout
- Mar 1 Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Bilal World Cafe Live, Philadelphia PA, United States
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Apr
6
Robert Glasper "Experiment" invite Bilal
Le Trianon, Paris, France
1 going
News
hey space
13 Apr 2007 | from blog.myspace.com/theonlybilal
hey space its really me , i know ya'll been waiting for the
album, and some of ya'll have heard the bootlegged, but much love
to the people that are continuing to wait for the official, oh yeah
…
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13 Apr 2007 | from blog.myspace.com/theonlybilal -
13 Apr 2007 | from blog.myspace.com/theonlybilal -
13 Apr 2007 | from blog.myspace.com/theonlybilal
Listening Now
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Recent Activity
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jamreg84, ToriPatton, PkCayce and 32 other people added Bilal to their libraries. yesterday evening
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clrnfm updated the Japanese wiki page for Bilal. (diff) last week
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jessicapril, msandreab, Dreamhunter333 and 3 other people added Bilal to their libraries. last week
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strangeemy added Bilal to the lineup of Robert Glasper "Experiment" invite Bilal at Le Trianon. last week
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Koketsomabotja, megarymega, Im890ax and 4 other people added Bilal to their libraries. last month
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yookyook added Bilal to the lineup of Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Bilal at Enwave Theatre. last month
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mrgreggaeflavas and dreski131 added Bilal to their libraries. last month
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bmcg added Bilal to the lineup of Robert Glasper at Barbican Centre. last month
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abdrlkader, BETICHOU, msmith58 and 27 other people added Bilal to their libraries. last month
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worldcafelive added Bilal to the lineup of Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Bilal at World Cafe Live. last month
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