Quddus (MTV)
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Quddus Philippe, popularly known as simply Quddus, (born July 10, 1980) is a Canadian
MTV
VJ and former host of the MTV show, Total Request Live
. He was also the host of Dance on Sunset
with Nick 6 which included: Johnny Erasme, Shane Harper, Aubree Storm, Ashley Galvan, Karen Chuang, and Hefa Tuita. Also on the show was Tony Testa, the choreographer. The show has been cancelled. Currently he is the lead host of Cambio Connect, the daily flagship web series on Cambio.com a new entertainment site by AOL
and The Jonas Group.
Born in Toronto, Ontario of a Haiti
an father and Dutch
mother, Quddus was named after a prominent early Baha'i figure (his name means "the most holy" in Arabic and Persian). He began a career in music as co-host and programmer of a campus radio
show on CHUO-FM
while studying philosophy at the University of Ottawa
. Quddus became known in the Ottawa hip-hop
scene for his mixtapes and for his abilities behind the turntables
. In 1999, he signed with Elite Model Management
. Quddus returned to Toronto, where he co-wrote and hosted the TV Ontario youth culture program VOX, and acted in commercials for McDonald's
and Honda
. Quddus' work on VOX eventually earned him a Gemini
.
In 2000, Quddus entered the MuchMusic VJ Search contest in the hopes of replacing the then-departing MuchMusic
VJ Bill Welychka
. He eventually finished third behind winner Bradford How
. One year later, Quddus landed a job at MTV, where he remained as one of the hosts for Total Request Live until early 2006.
Off the camera, Quddus is involved in the community, being a volunteer at both the Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA
. He also enjoys composing poetry
and playing basketball
in his spare time.
Quddus is featured in the book "About Face" shot by celebrity photographer John Russo, published by Pixie Press Worldwide.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
VJ and former host of the MTV show, Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
. He was also the host of Dance on Sunset
Dance on Sunset
Dance on Sunset is a dance and music series hosted by Quddus on Nickelodeon that featured dance routines, called the "Fresh-Squeezed Dance", designed to be performed by its pre-teen and teen-age viewers. Choreographer Tony Testa and the show's dance troupe, the Nick 6, demonstrated each routine...
with Nick 6 which included: Johnny Erasme, Shane Harper, Aubree Storm, Ashley Galvan, Karen Chuang, and Hefa Tuita. Also on the show was Tony Testa, the choreographer. The show has been cancelled. Currently he is the lead host of Cambio Connect, the daily flagship web series on Cambio.com a new entertainment site by AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
and The Jonas Group.
Born in Toronto, Ontario of a Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an father and Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
mother, Quddus was named after a prominent early Baha'i figure (his name means "the most holy" in Arabic and Persian). He began a career in music as co-host and programmer of a campus radio
Campus radio
Campus radio is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively by students, or may include programmers from the wider community in which the radio station is based...
show on CHUO-FM
CHUO-FM
CHUO-FM is a Canadian community-based campus radio radio station, broadcasting at 89.1 FM in Ottawa, on Rogers digital cable on channel 943, via Real Audio stream and in MP3...
while studying philosophy at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. Quddus became known in the Ottawa hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
scene for his mixtapes and for his abilities behind the turntables
Turntablism
Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph turntables and a DJ mixer.The word 'turntablist' was coined in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference between a DJ who just plays records, and one who performs by touching and moving the records, stylus and mixer...
. In 1999, he signed with Elite Model Management
Elite Model Management
Elite Model Management is a large modeling agency based in New York and Paris. It is a subsidiary of Elite World S.A.-History:Founded in France in 1972 by John Casablancas and Alain Kittler, it was rebought in 1990 by Nicholas Farrae. Elite World S.A. is the parent company of Elite Model...
. Quddus returned to Toronto, where he co-wrote and hosted the TV Ontario youth culture program VOX, and acted in commercials for McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
and Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
. Quddus' work on VOX eventually earned him a Gemini
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
.
In 2000, Quddus entered the MuchMusic VJ Search contest in the hopes of replacing the then-departing MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
VJ Bill Welychka
Bill Welychka
Bill Welychka is a Canadian television personality.Welychka joined CHUM Limited in 1988 as a video editor for MuchMusic...
. He eventually finished third behind winner Bradford How
Bradford How
Bradford How was a MuchMusic VJ from 2000 to 2003. He won the 2000 MuchMusic VJ Search, and became one of the channel's most well-liked video jockeys. After stints hosting Electric Circus and Gonna Meet A Rockstar, among other shows, he left MuchMusic on October 30, 2003 to pursue other ambitions...
. One year later, Quddus landed a job at MTV, where he remained as one of the hosts for Total Request Live until early 2006.
Off the camera, Quddus is involved in the community, being a volunteer at both the Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. He also enjoys composing poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and playing basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in his spare time.
Quddus is featured in the book "About Face" shot by celebrity photographer John Russo, published by Pixie Press Worldwide.