Malik Hakim on THE ART OF LOVING (EP): Inside His Creative Process and Story
Interview by Leslie Knox
Article By KBR
How does impactful creativity begin? “It all starts as a feeling.”
Describing his sound as “melodic” and a “good type of vibe,” Malik Hakim is a vocalist and music engineer based in Phoenix, Arizona. Malik released THE ART LOVING EP on all major platforms in the spring of 2026.
Leslie Knox and KBR from Contagion Media met with Malik Hakim for an intimate conversation and portrait session centered on his music journey. He shares vulnerable details about his life, artistry, inspirations, and creative process.
Leslie: Tell us about yourself as a musician, your journey, and how you got started.
Photo of Malik Hakim by KBR, Assisting by Leslie Knox | contagion Media
Malik: My name is Malik Hakim. I’m a recording artist engineer. I do a lot in the artistic realm. I started all this back in high school when I was on the basketball team. We had a group chat and we would do rap battles and roast each other. I did some cool rhyme schemes and one of my teammates was like, “Why is Malik pretty good at this?” But this was super early, the beginning stage. The start of everything.
Leslie: What came after that?
Malik: After that, I got a SoundCloud, started using Audacity and an old beat-up microphone with an early mid-90s mixing console, and started making music. That was really fun because I was expressing myself in a way that I hadn't before. I've always felt like it was hard for me to communicate with people socially, so having an outlet like a microphone and music to do that was very fulfilling during that time. I've been doing that since, and I haven't really ever looked back. It's been something I've been honing in on, developing, and creating a better craft with. And I still love it.
Leslie: How would you describe your artistic style?
Malik: As far as artistic style, I really lean toward more of a melodic, feeling-good type of vibe. If I had to think of any artists, I'd say Earl Sweatshirt and Surf Gang. They do a lot of creative, abstract music with older sampled songs that are groovy and funky. So that's the type of style I would say I'm in right now. It always changes.
Leslie: What is the type of vision that inspires you to create?
Malik: The vision I have for myself is making people feel heard. Making people feel like they have meaning because they do, and getting them to realize that they have power in their voice. If that's something they discover through my voice, then by all means. I want people to feel less alone and feel like they can connect themselves to things. When I go into conversations, I'm like, “How can I connect with this person? Where do our similarities lie?” I love sharing my truth. I love being vulnerable and open and telling people deep secrets about me in hopes that other people can connect to it.
Photo of Malik Hakim by KBR, Assisting by Leslie Knox | Contagion Media
Leslie: Is there anything specific that inspires you?
Malik: I'm glad you mentioned that. I get inspired by the world that I see through the lens that I'm carrying — TV shows, anime shows. I love Naruto. That was one of my favorite shows ever. I feel like in that story, you see yourself in some of the characters and personalities. Those little things inspire me to create.
Outside of that, movies inspire me. I love romcoms. I just watched a drama with my girlfriend and it was very inspiring because of the love and how fast the scenes were moving by.
I love traveling to different places and seeing different cultures. I've been to Mexico and Canada. Seeing how different people move and how fast it is on the east coast of the United States inspires me.
On a deeper level, the culture that I am as an African American person. There are certain things that I experience in life that others may not, and they would benefit from that insight. The culture of my family too. We grew up not really communicating much, and I know it's not always like that in a lot of families. So being able to share my upbringing and experience really inspires me.
Leslie: Can you tell us about your creative process?
Photo of Malik Hakim by KBR, Assisting by Leslie Knox | Contagion Media
Malik: The creative process starts with me realizing what I'm experiencing and writing about it instantly, no matter where I'm at. “Take Your Time” was a song I created and part of my Meta Versus Two album. I was inspired by the mountains I was seeing while driving through Flagstaff. It had this beautiful landscape. I was at a certain time in my life where I was frustrated with myself, but also reflective because I was like, “Look at the beauty in everything.” But internally, I was going through this struggle. I immediately pulled over on the side of the road and started writing on my phone. That was the start of that creative process. It all starts with an idea.
With THE ART OF LOVING, that was an initial feeling. In some of the music, you hear me talking to myself about love, and those are voice memos that I recorded on my phone, not with the intention of adding them to the song, but with the intention of expressing how I was feeling in the moment. Growing up how I did, we don’t usually express ourselves in that way. So I'm trying to learn how to recognize how I feel. I was battling selfishness and greed, but also realizing that I’m in a relationship with another person and need to start being more open, thoughtful, and considerate. That was the start of that process. It always looks different.
On a casual note, a lot of it is just being in the studio with my friends and other artists and talking about how we're feeling. If any of those feelings evoke emotion that we feel like we could turn into a song, that's the start of it. Then we start writing and coming up with ideas. A lot of the songs that I write start with conversations.
Once we have an idea down, we go to the studio, write them, and record. After we record them, we mix and master them, which entails making them sound better and trying to get a sonic sound that's pleasing to us. Then we send it out, get ready for a release, and start rolling things out.
Leslie: What are five songs that you're into right now that you would put on a playlist that you would listen to every day?
Malik: I would start with Kanye. I love Kanye. I’d probably go with “Celebration.” I love the spirit of it and the uplifting elements in it. I’d go with another Kanye song, “Punch Drunk Love.” Another one would be “I Gotta Go,” one of my songs. I’d go with Sam Cooke’s “Good Loving.” Then another one of my good friends, Henry James, came out with a song called “Play My Favorite Song.” I’d go with that too.
Photo of Malik Hakim by KBR, Assisting by Leslie Knox | Contagion Media
Leslie: Can you tell us about your first project ever?
Malik: The first project I ever created was called Letting Go. It was a project I created because I was in an emotional, depressed state where I was trying to find myself and figure out who I am. I came to a lot of realizations that we really have to let go of things, feelings, love, trauma, and anxiety. So I decided to write about it. A lot of elements of love.
Leslie: That's really cool. Do you have a dream project? What would it look like and why?
Malik: I have several, but one I’d love to share would be creating a camp where artists I'm familiar with or artists that are local all get together at an Airbnb and write music together. We’d be in a giant two-story house with studios in every room. All my artistic friends, photographers, videographers, and creatives would all get together and create music together. I think that would be so dope to see. Being a part of that and collaborating is so fulfilling to me. That’s a dream project I have, and I know one day it’s going to happen.
Leslie: That's so cool. I think there's something about the collaborative process, especially when you're all together at once.
Malik: So cool.
Leslie: I do want to ask you about your song “Stay.” Tell me a little bit about your inspiration, your process, and what you went through creating that song.
Malik: The inspiration of that song tied into the inspiration of the entire EP. It has a lot to deal with the reality of love and being in love. We're sold a lot of fairy tales with Disney and Pixar love movies, but then we actually get into a relationship and see what it's really like. It's really a reflection of who we are as individuals.
A lot of times when we're with our partner, there are things we may not like about them, but on a deeper level, it's a lot of things we don't really like about ourselves. “Stay” was inspired by the hardship you go through and the willingness to still want to be there. The willingness to stay in the relationship, be with your partner, and be open and share the moments that you may struggle with yourself.
It's funny because the meaning and emotion I had while writing the song wasn't necessarily what I started with. I started with the vibe and the feeling. A lot of times when I'm recording, I’ll just turn on the mic, hit record, and say whatever. I'm trying to find a vibe to ride in the song. Then I go back and build out the lyrics.
The beginning was just a lot of mumbling while trying to find the flow. Then I was like, “I don't even have the words for this, so just stay.” That was the original idea. It slowly developed into lyrics and then into the actual song “Stay.” I'm proud of that.
Leslie: Can you describe the song in maybe three words? The overall vibe and emotion you want others to get from it?
Photo of Malik Hakim by KBR, Assisting by Leslie Knox | Contagion Media
Malik: Humility, vulnerability, and acceptance. Accepting that feeling and not trying to fight it. Not trying to fight pride or ego. Accepting that this is where you want to be and who you want to be with.
Leslie: Yeah, I love that. Are you into reading?
Malik: Yeah, I love books and reading. One of my favorite books is The Alchemist. It’s a story-driven book about a shepherd who takes care of sheep, and it’s very symbolic in the way the story is told. I don’t want to give spoilers, but I highly recommend that book. Books inspire me.
Leslie: Is there anyone in particular who inspires you creatively? Other artists, friends, family, mentors?
Malik: Yeah, 100%. I have so many artistic friends. My producer Zack, who goes by June Tenth, is a huge inspiration. His growth happened so quickly, and he's so determined and into his work. Another producer and DJ would be Winston T. He's very talented and has a lot of great ideas. Henry James too. Great music, great artist, plays bass guitar. Josh is another one. He's a pianist, does keyboard work, and is also a content creator. Those are the people in my circle that really inspire me because I’m in the same room and same space with them.
Leslie: Where would you want to be a year from now and then maybe five years from now?
Malik: Short-term, I’d love to have built an established fanbase, probably 50 to 100 superfans. People who are really devoted and love the work that I do.
Five years from now, I’d love to be receiving the fruits of my labor. Going on tours, traveling the world, sharing my music, being financially free, and being able to create without worrying about a 9-to-5.
Photo of Malik Hakim by KBR, Assisting by Leslie Knox | Contagion Media
Leslie: Do you have a favorite work that you've created so far?
Malik: My favorite work that I’ve created so far would probably be the last EP that I created. It was five different songs reflecting on the relationship I was in. I chose that EP because it was the most vulnerable I’ve ever been in my work.
After doing that, I realized the power it has because people reached out to me saying they loved it and felt connected to the music. I was no longer just thinking about myself when writing music. I was also thinking about the people it could touch and reach. That means a lot to me.
It was also a huge elevation in production and recording, and the first time I released music with the majority of the beats being collaborations with people I know.
Leslie: Do you have anything else you want to say to your fans?
Malik: Expect a lot of new music from me this year. Expect great music from me, and expect to be impressed and surprised at what comes next.
A Few Words From Malik’s Producer, June Tenth
We also spoke with producer Zack, professionally known as June Tenth, for insight into the project’s creative process. June Tenth is also a key part behind Malik’s evolution, reinforcing its impact without shifting its center. “I think he absolutely killed it conceptually and structurally,” he shared with us. “I’m very proud of him.”
When we asked June Tenth about his favorite track on THE ART OF STILL LOVING (EP), he shared…”I have to say THE ART OF LOVE. This song, for me, as someone who’s gotten to watch his progression and growth up close, is ultimately a milestone in terms of his growth from my perspective. Honorable mention to “STAY,” I think that’s the greatest beat ever made and he killed it!
Transforming Emotion Into Music
With a music journey fueled by emotion, introspection, and collaboration, Malik Hakim is carving out a sound that feels both personal and relatable. Whether reflecting on relationships, identity, or growth, his music captures moments that listeners can connect to on a deeper level. As new releases continue to unfold, THE ART OF LOVING stands as a defining moment in Malik Hakim’s evolving sound — shaped by emotion, collaboration, and a growing clarity in his voice as an artist. You can listen to music by Malik Hakim on all major platforms. Artists inspired by Malik’s journey can also collaborate with Contagion Media, a creative agency focused on helping musicians and creatives amplify their presence through content creation, branding, and marketing strategy.
Published by KBR on May 22, 2026
