Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Young talk with Paul Salfen about their delight in the “Noir, orchestral, ethereal” score for Apple TV’s “Sugar”.
“Sugar” is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel.
Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Composer
DJ/Producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad is a hip-hop icon. As one-third of legendary hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, his influence and impact on the musical landscape is still felt today. The soft-spoken and contemplative Brooklyn native began a life of music at an early age, spending years DJing parties in his Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood before co-founding Tribe in 1985. The group’s socially conscious lyrics and unique production style is as innovative today as it was two decades ago.
In 2017, Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) formed the band, The Midnight Hour. In addition to musical releases and touring, they’ve teamed to score a myriad of television and film projects: Marvel’s “Luke Cage” (Netflix), “Raising Kanan” (Starz), “The Equalizer” (CBS), “Reasonable Doubt” (Hulu), “Run This Town” (2019), “Washington Black” (2023), “Boogie” (2021), and “Bitchin’, The Sound and Fury of Rick James” (2021).
Adrian Younge, Composer
Adrian Younge is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, composer, and orchestrator who has produced for entertainment greats such as Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Wu Tang Clan.
In 2007, Younge relinquished his position as a professor of law to find himself at the center of the “Black Dynamite” phenomenon. He served as the film’s editor and composer. Hailed as a modern blaxploitation masterpiece, the soundtrack was listed in the top 10 best soundtracks of the year by the LA Times.
In 2011, Younge created the album, Something About April, showcasing a dark mix of psychedelic soul and cinematic instrumentals. In 2013, the project was sampled twice by Timbaland for Jay-Z’s Magna Carta… Holy Grail, solidifying Younge as a new sound in hip hop. Younge’s work has also been sampled by various artists including No I.D., DJ Premier, Schoolboy Q, and more. Younge owns and operates Linear Labs, a recording studio and label. Linear Labs reflects his dedication to the art of analog recording, utilizing analog tape and live instrumentation exclusively. Under the label, he’s produced projects for artists such as Ghostface Killah, Souls of Mischief, and The Delfonics.
In 2017, Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) formed the band, The Midnight Hour. In addition to musical releases and touring, they’ve teamed to score a myriad of television and film projects: Marvel’s “Luke Cage” (Netflix), “Raising Kanan” (Starz), “The Equalizer” (CBS), “Reasonable Doubt” (Hulu), “Run This Town” (2019), “Washington Black” (2023), “Boogie” (2021), and “Bitchin’, The Sound and Fury of Rick James” (2021). Younge has also scored “Black Dynamite” (2009), “Black Dynamite animated series” (2012), “California King” (2023), “The Big Payback” (2023), “Queens” (ABC), “All Rise” (OWN), and “Human Footprint” (PBS).
