Ahmad
Ahmad Ali Lewis (born October 12, 1975), simply known as Ahmad (often stylized in all caps), is an American rapper, songwriter, motivational speaker and author. He is known for the 1994 single "Back in the Day". Also a former member and founder of the hip-hop fusion band 4th Avenue Jones.
Also recorded as Ahmad Ali Lewis · Ahmad Jones
Ahmad

The Other Side · YouTube: https– View/save archived versions on archive.org 15:31 · CC BY 3.0
- Name
- Ahmad
- Birth Name
- Ahmad Ali Lewis
- Born
- 12 October 1975
- Birthplace
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Rapper
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- hip-hop
- Education
- Palisades Charter High School · Long Beach City College
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Ahmad Ali Lewis (born October 12, 1975), simply known as Ahmad (often stylized in all caps), is an American rapper, songwriter, motivational speaker and author. He is known for the 1994 single "Back in the Day". Also a former member and founder of the hip-hop fusion band 4th Avenue Jones.
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Note VALÉORINE
Ahmad (born 1976) is a musician, rapper and singer, among other activities, of American nationality. The musician was born in Los Angeles. Ahmad was educated at Long Beach City College and Palisades Charter High School. The work spans hip-hop.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
gnd · 1247177270 · museum · 11110476468 · wikidata · Q3606969
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Ahmad • Birth Name — Ahmad Ali Lewis • Born — 12 October 1975 • Birthplace — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Instrument — Vocals • Genre — Hip hop • Occupation — Rapper • Years Active — 1993–present • Label — * Giant/Reprise/Warner Bros. Records • Interscope/Universal Records • Lookalive/Gotee/EMI • WeCLAP • Past Member Of — 4th Avenue Jones
Career
Career
Ahmad made his recording debut in 1993 on the soundtrack of The Meteor Man with the song "Who Can". Released when Ahmad was 18, "Back in the Day" the remix version (produced by Maurice Thompson of Barr 9 Productions) hit No. 26 on the US pop charts and No. 19 on the U.S. R&B charts on the strength of its hook, sung over a sample of the Teddy Pendergrass song "Love TKO". It also reached No. 64 in the UK Singles Chart. It was the first single off his first album, Ahmad. The remix of "Back in the Day" is also featured on the soundtrack of The Wood, a 1999 motion picture. Ahmad secured his first recording contract as a senior in high school and earned a gold record for his chart-topping hit. He later formed the hip-hop fusion band 4th Avenue Jones. He went back to school and enrolled in Long Beach City College in 2006; after graduating he was accepted by Stanford University, to acquire bachelor's degrees in sociology and African American studies. Lewis was married to his former 4th Avenue Jones bandmate, Tena Jones, from 1998 to 2007. Their son, Yeshuwa Ali, was born in 2004. Lewis is a practicing Christian.
Albums
Albums
Solo • 1994: Ahmad (Giant/Reprise/Warner Bros. Records) • 2010: The Death of Me (WeCLAP) With 4th Avenue Jones • 2000: No Plan B (Lookalive Records) • 2002: No Plan B pt. 2 (Lookalive/Interscope Records) • 2002: Gumbo (Lookalive Records) • 2003: Hiprocksoul (Lookalive Records) • 2004: Respect (Lookalive Records) • 2005: Stereo: The Evolution of Hiprocksoul (Lookalive/Gotee/EMI Records)
Singles
Singles
• 1994: "Back in the Day" (US No. 26; UK No. 64) With 4th Avenue Jones: • 2000: "Respect" • 2002: "Move On" • 2005: "Stereo" Videos: • 1994: "Back In the Day" • 1994: "You Gotta Be" • 1996: "Come Widdit'" • 2001: "Respect" • 2002: "Move On" • 2005: "Stereo"
Appearances
Appearances
• 1993: "Who Can?" (from "The Meteor Man" (soundtrack)) • 1994: "That's How It Is" (from "Jason's Lyric" (soundtrack)) • 1994: "Come Widdit" feat. Ras Kass, Saafir (from Street Fighter (soundtrack)) • 1995: "Only If You Want It" (from Pump Ya Fist) • 1999: "Back in the Day (Remix)" (from The Wood (soundtrack)) • 1999: "The Guest List" (from Something For Everyone To Hate (Sackcloth Fashion album)) • 2000: "Fresh Coast" (from Dust (Sup The Chemist album)) • 2004: "Give It Here" feat. Pep Love (from All Balls Don't Bounce revisited (2LP) (Aceyalone album) • 2006: "Hard Hit" (from The Movement (D.I.T.C. album) • 2006: "Fight Here" feat. Afrobots, DJ Vajra (from 5 Sparrows For 2 Cents (The Procussions album)) • 2006: "More" (from Pro Pain (Mars ILL album))
Identity
Identity
Ahmad is recorded with the occupation songwriter. Recorded with the occupation musician. Recorded with the occupation rapper. Recorded with the occupation singer. Classed in the genre hip-hop. Recorded as having studied at Palisades Charter High School and Long Beach City College.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1976
Ahmad was born on 12 October 1976.
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- OpenStreetMap gazetteer entry for Ahmad, Sardarpur Tahsil, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, India
Scholarly · OpenStreetMap Foundation
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 1247177270, Ahmad, Ahmad.
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3606969: Ahmad
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Johnny Loftus. Ahmad. AllMusic.
- 2.Gold & Platinum: Ahmad. Recording Industry Association of America.
- 3.Gordon, Larry. He's no gangsta; he's a scholar. August 19, 2008.
- 4.He's no gangsta; he's a scholar. Los Angeles Times. 2008-08-19.
- 5.Roberts, David. British Hit Singles & Albums. Guinness World Records Limited. 17. 2006. 978-1-904994-10-7.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
OpenStreetMap gazetteer entry for Ahmad, Sardarpur Tahsil, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, IndiaOpenStreetMap Foundation
Institutional witnessauthority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 1247177270, Ahmad, Ahmad.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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