Shareef
6 Courses • 7 StudentsBiography
Born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn, Shareef Islam, also known as Azteknique or TekMaschine, is a veteran music producer, engineer, and composer whose work spans hip-hop, R&B, and film/TV scoring. Over the course of his career, Shareef has collaborated with a wide array of legendary artists including AZ, Big Daddy Kane, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, De La Soul, Mos Def, Onyx, and Jay-Z, among many others. His production work includes collaborations with Rampage, The Bush Babees, and SuperStar (ICONZ), and he’s engineered and remixed tracks for iconic names like D’Angelo, TLC, Brandy, Missy Elliott, Raphael Saadiq, and Onyx.
In the studio, Shareef served as assistant engineer for Busta Rhymes and the Flipmode Squad, while also building a reputation for his skills in drum programming, keyboard performance, and bass guitar. His production credits extend beyond the music industry into television, with original compositions and licensed music featured on major networks including VH1, A&E, Sony/Fox, and Style Network. Notable placements include Clean House, Kimora Lee Simmons: Life in the Fab Lane, VH1’s Best Week Ever, The Bobby Brown Story, and the sitcom Brothers starring Michael Strahan, CCH Pounder, Carl Weathers, and Darryl “Chill” Mitchell, for which Shareef composed the original score.
A creative force across both analog and digital realms, Shareef is also the co-creator and host of the acclaimed internet series “Reclaiming the Mix with Maschine” and “The Beat Bang Theory”, platforms through which he continues to educate and inspire the next generation of beatmakers and producers.
Combining street-level authenticity with professional studio expertise, Shareef Islam remains a vital figure in the evolution of hip-hop and urban music culture.
