Aggies crowded into N.C. A&T’s Harrison Auditorium for the SUAB Aggies Got Talent Show on Sept. 20. Many competed, but one rose above to be crowned the victor– Najm Muhammad.
Muhammad, a freshman animal science major, claimed the title as victor with a rousing display of his skills on the saxophone.
The smooth saxophonist was born in Long Island, New York but resides in Atlanta.
“It felt good to be where I was, but my main focus was just playing,” he said. “If you know the information then you can just review it and present it, that’s what I did.”
Early Music Career
Muhammad won the hearts of the crowd with Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” on the saxophone. But his journey started long before he touched the stage.
At the tender age of 10, his grandmother gave him an old saxophone. He was curious about the shiny object and graciously accepted the challenge of learning the instrument.
“I was always just admiring this shiny object and it was just the significance of being asked to do something,” Muhammad said.
The saxophone presented challenges for Muhammad. He contemplated dropping the instrument for a few days. Then, discovered he had a greater chance of success in music than sports. After some persuasion from his parents and instructors he found his way back playing.
“My mom and my aunt were both pissed off, they were stressing me out and I was regretting my decision of quitting,” Muhammad said about his struggle with loving the saxophone.
Muhammad began performing paid opportunities at 14 when a friend recommended he fill a slot for another musician. At the time his rate was $150 an hour.
Muhammad estimates he’s had nearly 200 performances and now has a rate of $350 an hour for gigs. His most memorable of those gigs was performing at a Juneteenth festival in 2022 with saxophone legend Ryan Kilgore.
Kilgore took a liking to Muhammad after he gave the young sax player a chance to be front and center during their Juneteenth performance. Mentorship has been key to Muhammad’s success in music.
“Those first introductions in the musical world I will always keep in my mind,” Muhammad said.
These early experiences prepared him for success. In 2022, he won two talent shows for a combined prize of $1,600.
“The first show was the most meaningful to me because it’s like I finally felt like I had done something that was meaningful, like I finally felt I did something significant,” he said.
The Future for the Aggie
Astarslight Entertainment created by Muhammad is his other means of displaying his talent. He offers bookings to play weddings, birthdays, and other events.
“The more I level up the more I’m going to have to charge,” he said, explaining the price for his expertise.
Muhammed established a strong stage presence at the Harrison auditorium event. In addition to his instrument he presented himself in a gold suit.
“I thought the winner was great and I think him winning first place was well deserved,” said Navaeh Hodge, freshman biology major who attended the performance.
He will continue sharing his musical talents with the world through performances and growing his entertainment company. Muhammad released an EP Feb. 23, 2024 titled “Genesis” on Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube, Amazon Music, Instagram, Tiktok, and available on CD.
The young saxophonist expressed thanks and gratitude to his family, God, and his mentors along the way for believing in him and building him up.
