Biography

El Khatib is of Palestinian and Filipino descent. He grew up in San Francisco, where he became an avid skateboarder

Skateboarding

Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...

. He performed music on the side while working as creative director at skateboard fashion label HUF.

In 2010 he released two singles on Innovative Leisure, a subsidiary of Stones Throw Records

Stones Throw Records

Stones Throw Records is an independent hip hop record label based in Los Angeles, California. It was started in 1996 by DJ/Producer Peanut Butter Wolf in part to release the music he made with Charizma who was killed at the age of 20....

. His debut album, Will the Guns Come Out, was released on September 27, 2011. The album features eight original songs and three covers.

He describes his songs as being for anyone who has ever been shot or hit by a train. His musical style includes elements of garage rock, blues, and doo-wop.

During live performances, El Khatib is accompanied by drummer Nicky Fleming-Yaryan, a friend from high school. They performed at the South by Southwest

South by Southwest

South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...

 festival in March 2011, and at Bonnaroo

Bonnaroo Music Festival

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an annual four day music festival created and produced by Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment, held at Great Stage Park on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. It hosted its tenth annual event June 9–12, 2011...

 in June 2011. They have opened for Florence and the Machine

Florence and the Machine

Florence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul...

.

His version of the Funkadelic song "I Got a Thing" was used by Nike

Nike, Inc.

Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...

 in a high-profile television commercial.
His version of the Cramps song "Human fly" was used by Nissan in a high-profile television commercial.