Hashim

A blurted declaration of "It's tiiiiiiiiiime!" or "Just feel it!" voiced in robotic cadence during any gathering centered on vintage electro selections would prompt instant recognition among participants, even when the precise title "Al Naafiysh (The Soul)" and its creator Hashim stayed unidentified. Comparable to Man Parrish's "Hip-Hop Be Bop," Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock," Cybotron's "Clear," and Newcleus' "Jam on It," the track stands as a quintessential early-'80s electro-funk recording whose broader familiarity might have grown had it borne the alternate name "It's Time."

Hashim served as the alias for Jerry Calliste Jr., whose entry into music began at age 12 through DJ duties, followed by party promotion while still in his teens during the early '80s. His graffiti design for a Tommy Boy banner later secured him temporary custodial duties at the label's headquarters. After self-teaching keyboard skills on an inexpensive Casio, Calliste created "Al Naafiysh" and enlisted Aldo and Amado Marin to issue the single. Although 99's Ed Bahlman first expressed interest in releasing it, Calliste instead finalized an agreement with Aldo Marin, who was then launching Cutting Records; the single appeared as Cutting's inaugural output in November 1983, after which Calliste assumed the role of vice president.

Hashim's visibility and ongoing in-house productions propelled Cutting to prominence among American dance independents, with output from 2 in a Room ("Wiggle It"), Nitro Deluxe, and Masters at Work reinforcing its stature. Calliste eventually departed Cutting to focus on promotion work and subsequently established Bassmint Music, an Ohio-based online label and retail outlet. Occasional returns to his own recordings occurred over time, resulting in numerous samples of his productions across later tracks. Tommy Boy, the label that had initially declined "Al Naafiysh," ultimately featured the song in its 1995 Perfect Beats compilation series.