Spek releases Voo Doo Kid

Spek’s journey is a hip-hop fairy tale infused with global wanderlust and unexpected twists. It all started in Montreal’s gritty east end, where, at just 14, he grabbed a mic with big dreams and razor-sharp lyricism. A chance encounter at an autograph session led him to the legendary Dream Warriors, right as their jazz-infused hits like My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style were redefining rap. By 17, he had a record deal with EMI, swapping classrooms for world tours. London became his creative playground in the late ‘90s, where he toured Europe with jazz-rap pioneers Us3, jammed with Jamiroquai’s inner circle, and helped shape the ‘Asian Underground’ movement alongside Nitin Sawhney. His voice became part of Beyond Skin, a groundbreaking album that earned accolades from Sting and Madonna, a Mercury Prize nomination, and a performance on Later... with Jools Holland. Yet, Spek refused to stay in one lane, pivoting into an acoustic-hip-hop fusion that wowed critics. His debut album, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, was hailed as "like Prince and De La Soul in a mucky mud wrestle—exceptional." With hits topping MTV UK’s charts and a Juno Awards hosting gig under his belt, Spek was a force to be reckoned with.

Then came another reinvention. In 2006, he left the spotlight for Dubai’s sweltering deserts, determined to build a music industry where one barely existed. By 2011, he founded PopArabia, revolutionizing music rights in the Middle East. In 2015, he took his talents to New York, becoming Senior VP of Creative and A&R at Reservoir Media, where he signed rising stars like J.I.D. Despite his corporate success, his artistry never faded—he reunited with Sawhney at Royal Albert Hall and contributed to Immigrants (2020) and Identity (2023). Now, with Voo Doo Kid, Spek returns to his roots, blending dusty breakbeats, acoustic guitars, and dreamy vocals into a nostalgic yet forward-thinking sound. "Before Dream Warriors, I was Spek The Voo Doo Kid—this album reflects that era," he shares. "I wanted to capture hip-hop’s golden age but infuse it with my influences—ELO, Bowie, Radiohead, The Sundays—to create something uniquely me." Voo Doo Kid is a time machine with a mind of its own, a love letter to hip-hop’s past wrapped in Spek’s boundary-pushing vision.