Popular South Asian music helped to bridge the gap between the sub-continent and the UK, which resulted in a vibrant British Asian culture that has thrived across different generations. Apart from helping to shape the British Asian diaspora it has helped the economy, entertained millions and been a shining beacon for the rest of the world. A very prominent community leader, Muhammad Ayyub is the founding father of British Asian music and has more than 40 years’ experience in the music industry, media, commercial radio, development of local talent and discovering artists who have gone onto be global superstars. One of the biggest success stories from the past 50 years, the proud British citizen has shown what can be achieved with hard work and dedication.
After coming to the UK in 1961, Mr Ayyub worked hard in various jobs and within five years set up his company Oriental Star Agency (OSA), which quickly went from selling electrical goods to becoming the UK’s first South Asian record label. OSA went from selling Asian music to the local community to becoming a leading recording label and becoming the first and largest distributors for Asian music in the UK. Apart from giving an important source of entertainment to the first and second generation of Asians living in the UK, the many achievements of OSA have included promoting young local talent, bringing big international South Asian artists to the UK and providing a platform for promoting niche genres such as qawwali, bhangra and traditional folk music from the sub-continent.
One of the biggest names signed by OSA included renowned legend the late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who is regarded by many experts as the greatest and most influential South Asian artists of the 20th century. Other international major names signed by the influential record label include Abida Parveen, Ghulam Ali, Alam Lohar and Shaukat Ali. British acts promoted on the OSA label who went onto be hugely influential including, Anari Sangeet Party, Bhujangy Party, Anaamika, Ajuba, Pardesi Music Machine and record-breaking singer Malkit Singh M.B.E, who is undoubtedly the most famous bhangra artist of all time with over twenty-one hit albums to his name.
Another hugely influential artist discovered by OSA was Bally Sagoo, who influenced an entire generation with his particular genre of fusion between Bollywood and Hip Hop. Sagoo’s legendary albums include Wham Bam, Star Crazy and Magic Touch, which was a collaboration with the late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Two of his albums were licensed to Sony Music for worldwide distribution.
Birmingham based OSA was such a huge success that it inspired others to set up their own record labels and their impressive back catalogue continues to entertain millions around the world.
In between becoming the most influential South Asian record label boss, the UK has ever produced, Mr Ayyub played a key part in the evolution of South Asian radio and set up the first South Asian Song Contest. He also helped the development of the live British Asian music scene, raised thousands of pounds for charitable causes and been invited to high profile events by political and royal dignitaries. He has also worked tirelessly within the community and been an ambassador for British Asian culture for nearly 50 years.
Mr Ayyub received a BSc in Physics, Mathematics and English at the Panjab University in Lahore, Pakistan in 1957. He has also volunteered as a Trustee for the UK Pakistani Cultural Foundation, He volunteered as General Secretary for the Pakistan Welfare Association, Birmingham and he was a director for the Pak UK Chamber of Commerce.
Below is Mr Ayyub’s previous Employment History
1957-1958: Maths and Science teacher at Mission High School, Gujrat, Pakistan
1958-1961: Physics demonstrator in Zamindar College, Gujrat, Pakistan
In 1961 My Ayyub first came to the UK
1962-1965: Bus conductor/driver at Birmingham City Transport
1965-1966: Final viewing inspector BSA Motor Cycle Company, Birmingham
1966: Founded Record label Oriental Star Agency in Birmingham. Still going strong today
1966-1971: Presenter at Birmingham Hospital Radio
1971-1995 Presenter at BBC Radio First Asian radio programme (moved from 15 minutes slot to 3x 1 hour slots per week) and now has expanded to 24 hour BBC Asian Network National Radio.
1995 Founder Director Radio XL, first Asian commercial radio station in Birmingham.
Here are some of Mr Ayyub’ Key Achievements
- First to promote many Asian artists in the UK.
- Raised thousands of pounds for deserving charities.
- Started, National Asian Song Contest to promote the Asian talent in the UK. 1975 to 2001. Collaborated with the BBC with proceeds from the concerts distributed to various charities. Winners have included names like Miss Rama, who later became an International Artiste with the hit song Mera Laung Gawacha on the album Star Crazy by the hit producer Bally Sagoo, and other several Asian artists such as Najma Akhtar, Balwinder Safri and Geet the Mega band to name a few.
- Promoted Birmingham Asian talent throughout the world.
- UK promoter to many leading international artists including the greatest Sufi singer of all time Ustad Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan who preached the Sufi message of love, peace & goodwill throughout the world, Bally Sagoo, Malkit Singh MBE , etc who all performed concerts throughout the world.
- Interviewed various celebrities on the radio.
- Compared numerous events, including visit by Pakistan Prime Minister to Birmingham.
- Invited by HRH Prince of Wales at Kensington Palace to Ethnic Minority Leaders event in 1983.
- Invited to Queens Garden Party in 1990 at Buckingham Palace.
- Received many awards for services to broadcasting, Asian Music and community services.
- Been awarded an MBE for services to Asian music in HRH Queen’s Birthday’s Honour’s List on 14th June 2014 and received the MBE award on the 14th of October at the investiture held at Buckingham Palace by HRH Princess Anne.
