Too Phat is a prominent Malaysian hip-hop duo composed of Joe Flizzow, born Johan Ishak on November 16, 1975, in Johor Bahru, and Malique Ibrahim, born on August 21, 1977, in Kuala Lumpur.
Career
The duo's journey began in the late 1990s when Joe Flizzow, Malique Ibrahim, and Kevin Felix, known as Doctah'K, formed a musical trio that later transitioned into a duo under the Positive Tone label. Their breakthrough came in 1999 with their debut singles, "Li'l Fingaz" and "Too Phat Baby," which gained significant airplay on local radio stations.
Following the success of these singles, Too Phat began working on their album titled whuttadilly?. Their second album, Plan B, achieved remarkable success, selling over 45,000 copies and earning double platinum status in Malaysia. Capitalizing on their rising fame, Positive Tone, a subsidiary of EMI International, released a reissue of Plan B called Plan B Platinum Edition, which included two new tracks, "Clap to This" and "Last Song." The album also featured contributions from the Phat Family Crew and DJ T-Bone.
A notable moment in their career was the release of the music video for "Just a Friend," which was produced in collaboration with Maxis Hotlink and premiered on the Malaysian television channel NTV7. The video included cameos from local artists such as M. Nasir, Fauziah Latiff, and Ferhad, as well as Malaysian athlete Watson Nyambek. It controversially addressed issues surrounding homosexuality, a subject often considered taboo in conservative Malaysia, making "Just a Friend" the first music video by a local act to air on national television. Too Phat has also collaborated with American hip-hop artist Warren G.
In 2005, they released their latest album, Rebirth Into Reality, which featured various hip-hop artists from East Asia. The album's lead single, "Dua Dunia," included contributions from award-winning Malaysian singer Siti Nurhaliza.
Solo Career
Following their last public performance for Kanye West in 2007, both members pursued solo careers. Malique released his solo album OK in 2008, followed by K.O The Mixtape, a collaboration with DJ Fuzz in 2009, and TKO: Pejamkan Mata under his label Qarma Musiq. He also announced plans to release a new English-language album in 2017.
Joe Flizzow launched his solo career with the album President, released on December 31, 2008, under Warner Music Malaysia, followed by Havoc on November 7, 2013.
In 2015, Joe Flizzow's song "Apa Khabar," featuring SonaOne, won the top prize at the Anugerah Juara Lagu Award (AJL). The song reflects his nostalgic memories of Malique, eliciting mixed reactions from the public, with some fans praising the homage while others criticized the hip-hop/R&B genre's win, which traditionally has not been widely celebrated in Malaysia.
Recent Developments
As of 2016, Joe Flizzow focused his projects primarily on Kartel Records, a label he founded in 2005, which has signed several local and R&B artists, including notable names like Altimet and SonaOne. Malique, on the other hand, has maintained a more private life since his days with Too Phat. Despite releasing successful collaborations such as "Mantera Beradu" (feat. M. Nasir, 2008), "Senyum" (feat. Najwa, 2010), "Aku Maafkan Kamu" (feat. Jamal Abdilah, 2011), and "Teman Pengganti" (feat. Black, 2012), he has chosen to limit his public appearances. In a 2011 interview, he expressed his comfort with selling his music without public exposure, indicating no plans to alter this approach. In December 2016, it was announced that his new solo album, titled TKO, would be released under Qarma Music, alongside his intention to produce an English album in 2017.
Awards and Achievements
Too Phat has received numerous accolades, including:
- 2002: Best Engineered Album and Best Local English Album for Plan B
- 2003: Anugerah Kembara Prestigious Award
- 2004: Best Group in a Vocal Performance in an Album for 360° and Best Local English Album
- 2006: Best Local English Album for Rebirth Into Reality and Best Album Cover for the same album
- ERA Radio Awards: Choice Local English Artiste (2001-2004)
- Nominee for MTV Asia Awards (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005)
Additionally, they have participated in notable events such as the HP Inter-Action podcast concert in five countries (2006), and served as the opening act for Kanye West's Touch The Sky Tour in Malaysia (2006), among other tours and festivals.