Father-Son Time
The Artist Formerly Known As Loon Never Stopped Being a Father to His Son While In Prison
The former Bad Boy star’s bond with his son is tighter than ever
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
There was a time between 2000 and 2003 when Amir Junaid Muhadith, born Chauncey Hawkins and known to the world as Loon, was Sean “Diddy” Combs’ most reliable wingman. The native Harlemite, then in his mid-twenties, was the MVP of a post-Biggie-and-Mase Bad Boy Records, injecting “I Need A Girl” and its sequel with a rugged gloss that glued the pair of hits to radio. He released his eponymous debut album on the legendary-but-troubled label in 2003, but the onetime member of the group Harlem World would strike out on his own soon after.
Muhadith was raised by his grandparents in Harlem’s Esplanade Gardens, while his mother grappled with drug addiction. His father wasn’t present either. After a friend was shot outside his building, the youngster was whisked away for a brief stint living in Beverly Hills with his godfather, movie producer George Jackson, before being sent back to New York for fighting.