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Written By
Folake Ajao
Abdul Quam Tadese grew up between Yoruba, Houston hip-hop, and Arabic music. He's now forging a musical identity that incorporates all of that.
When AQT (Abdul Quam Tadese) talks about music, he goes straight back to his childhood sounds. Fuji, of course, particularly the music of Wasiu Ayinde. The 50 Cent and Jay-Z hip-hop records. Brandy for R&B and the Backstreet Boys for pop. Arabic music, through the Islamic education he received, also helped develop an ear already absorbing a wide range of musical styles.
Born in Brooklyn and raised primarily in Houston , AQT was a product of his Yoruba roots, shaped by a diverse American environment. He learned Arabic through Islamic school, and basketball and the sounds of Houston were equally important in shaping his view of the world. "I always say I grew up as a hybrid," he says. It was a very multicultural upbringing, and that was absolutely part of who he became as an artist.
Nigeria is still at the heart of that identity. His Yoruba roots gave him early exposure to Fuji, and he still has a real appreciation for it, particularly KWAM 1's work. More recently, he's been drawn to the fusion of Yoruba and Fuji into contemporary music, and he can relate to it because it's a sound and culture he's already very familiar with. His interest in Arabic music is very personal. He learned the language, went to Islamic school, and traveled to the Middle East as a kid, so the music and culture were already part of his life.
These experiences continue to shape how AQT thinks about music. He's very much attuned to the details that make a record a record, the harmonies, the vocal layers, the ad-libs, the melody. Brandy taught him about harmonies, and Akon taught him about the power of a voice you can immediately recognize. That's what he's striving for with his own music. No matter what he's doing, whether it's Afro, Fuji, trap, or R&B, he wants you to hear the voice and instantly know it's him. That's the aim really, to create an AQT sound that can cross genres and still be recognizably AQT.
His path into music wasn't one of family tradition. He loved music, but the decision to go pro came down to his own ambition. Before music was really his thing, basketball was. "I'll be honest, I'd love to have made it to the league lmaoo. I'm a hooper for real," he says with a laugh about the career that could have been. Kobe Bryant is still a massive influence on his mindset, especially the discipline, confidence, and competitive hunger he embodies. AQT takes that same approach to his career, always thinking about how to get better and what it is he needs to do to win.
Even as a young man, he felt he would achieve something significant, but he didn't always know which route it would take. He eventually chose music, along with a strong interest in the business side and the infrastructure that would make a creative career viable. He was thinking about how to go from being a musician to actually doing something that would last. As he puts it, "When I lock in on something, I go all the way." That is the standard he holds himself to, especially when it comes to building a career that isn't just about making records.
His interest in the business side of music grew as he made contacts, got into the industry, and saw how a creative endeavor could be a viable business. He wants to build something that will last, and that same ambition is clearly there in his 'Money Vision' freestyle. On the record, he's got "I be on the phone with my accountant, we be talking straight M's," which is a very accurate reflection of his interest in the financial side of things and the amount of capital it takes to be in the game at that level.
'Money Vision' also speaks to his musical influences. Going back to Future's 2014 mixtape Monster (specifically the track 'My Savages') brought AQT back into a melodic trap mode. Around that time, he watched Gunna work with African artists, which inspired him to imagine a future collaboration of his own. "Respectfully, I know Gunna gon' see me, we're gonna make a hit one day." That freestyle captures exactly where he is right now, on the move, doing Fashion Week, and experiencing all the new things that come along. The constant refrain of "We gon' get to that money" is a clear indication of his determination to keep on moving towards that bigger vision.
The recording process was absolutely instinctive. AQT says he just picked up the energy of the beat and recorded the freestyle as he went, no hours of line-by-line revision involved. That's how he generally works; it really starts with the melody. "I'm a frequency person. Melodies come to me naturally. I do melodies in my sleep." When he hears an instrumental, he can hear several different songs forming around it. He'll follow the melody first, build the structure around that and then go and work the words. He admits the words can be the trickier bit.
Knowing when a record is ready is a balance between instinct and reacting to the outside world. AQT has his own instincts, but he'll also play the record for people to get a reaction. When he feels the record is ready, he'll release it rather than spend all that time trying to make it absolutely perfect. "You can overthink a record trying to get it right," he says. "At a certain point you just have to trust what you've made and get it out into the world."
His view of the music business has also changed because of his experience, and that, in turn, has changed how he sees himself. He admits he used to look for approval in certain places, but now he's much more focused on faith, self-belief, and personal responsibility. "Put your trust in God, believe in yourself and go," he says; that's the mindset he's arrived at as he's got older. His faith is still a very important part of his life, and it helps him keep his head as his aspirations grow.
He's just as straightforward about the financial side of doing music at a high level. Money moves mountains, he says. You need investment and strategy if you're going to have a career that actually lasts. His appeal to the potential investor is very direct: "I'm looking for y'all. Get me. Let's get to this money." That's the gist of it really: that musical talent needs a business model behind it if you're going to be a viable artist and you're going to be able to compete beyond your local market.
AQT is very aware that his public persona doesn't necessarily reflect how seriously he takes his work. Fashion, travel, and the general enjoyment of life are all part of his makeup, and he's not fussed about how he presents himself. He remembers being spotted for his style at school long before music became his main focus. "I'll always say the industry is basically high school on steroids," he observes. "You can be very much in the public eye for your look and your attitude before you've actually done any work at all."
Behind that cheeky attitude is an artist who spends a lot of time mulling over the details of music. He's very much aware of how a melody sits on a beat, how a voice carries over a record, and what makes a sound unique. He's had to learn the business side to keep his head above water, but he'll be the first to say music is still why he does it.
The audience also perceives him differently in different parts of the world. The American audience may see one version of AQT, while the Nigerian audience may see a completely different one. Neither of those
necessarily represents the full picture of the man as he is, having lived and experienced so many different things in so many different places. He describes himself as an enigma and admits that people are still trying to work out who the man is behind the lifestyle and the music.
For the moment, he's happy with that. The issue is making music that speaks to his identity without having to go into every detail. The sounds of his childhood are still with him and inform his work in that respect. The business world has taught him about what happens after the record is out. AQT wants his music to cross over to other genres and audiences, while still keeping a distinct voice. That's the challenge, and that's the ambition. It will all come down to how well he can translate his ideas into records people return to, and to a business that can support the work.
As he continues to develop his sound and broaden his ambitions, AQT is very much focused on what's next. "The journey continues," he says.
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