Mostafa, a Bellingham-based artist, hit the Nectar stage as an opener for Talib Kweli on Saturday, July 27th. Performing tracks off his latest album, L.B.O.L, he had the crowd bobbing to his  instrumental freestyle to “Simon Says” by Pharoahe Monch. Before the show, Dan’s Tunes got a chance to catch up with Mostafa and learn more about his trajectory through music. 

Q: Where are you from? 

Mostafa: Cairo, Egypt originally. I live in Bellingham, Washington now. I kinda grew up all over the place then ended up in Bellingham.

Q: How long have you been making music? 

Mostafa: I’ve been touring for eight years. I’ve been writing and making songs since I was 10 years old.

Q: What got you into music?

Mostafa: Music got me into music! But, to get deeper than that, I was always traveling around a lot, with a lot of time to myself, going through the struggles of being a first generation immigrant.

Q: Where’d you get your name?

Mostafa: It’s my last name.

Q: What influenced you to use your last name? 

Mostafa: People started calling me that when I was really young, so it’s something I always went by. While doing music, I don’t feel like I’m creating a new character; I’m just being myself. So I stuck with what I always was — what everyone always called me. 

Q: What do you think your mantra is for making music? 

Mostafa: With music, my main mantra is to connect to people on a personal level and help people who feel alone while going through different struggles.

Q: Tell me a little bit about your latest album, L.B.O.L.

Mostafa: The album is called L.B.O.L., which stands for “Little Bit Of Love.” It’s got a 24-page book in it with lyrics and art. Its a project I’m really proud of. I think it shows a lot of growth for me personally. 

Q: What are some of your favorite places to go to in Seattle and perform at? 

Mostafa: Nectar Lounge. They bring through a lot of talent. Neumos, Vermillion, and High Dive.

Q: Who are your top artists? 

Mostafa: The top ones right now are Black Thought, Talib Kweli, 2Pac, and Biggie.

Q: Are there any local artists you want to work with? 

Mostafa: We got a pretty good family of local artists that we network with out here.  

Q: Should we be expecting another album? 

Mostafa: I plan to tour more before the next album. We’re planning on hitting the Midwest and South in November, and the East coast well. So maybe the middle of next year!