Yusuf Al Rahman was born in Queens New York in December 1979. The first decade of his life was spent in the multi cultured neighborhood of Jackson Heights, once a hot spot for families to move and raise children, was his introduction to diverse cultures. In 1990 at the age of 10 he went to Senegal West Africa to attend secondary school and spent four years in rural Senegal. In 1994, he came back to the United States to enroll at Robert F. Wagner Jr. Institute for the Arts & Technology in Long Island City New York focusing on performing arts in the then Options Drama program taught by known actress Amy Rosenfeld. He graduated from Lincoln University, alma mater of Langston Hughes, Paul Roberson, and many other greats.

Yusuf has worked on several plays, short films, and concentrating on shooting visceral feature films. His experience includes working on short film projects as a fight choreographer, actor, writer, crew member, and/or director at Sacred Heart University’s Stamford Connecticut based FTMA master film program. In 2014 he earned his Master’s degree concentrating on film & television directing.

Since graduation, his projects have amassed 8 African Academy Award Nominations from ZAFAA in 2014 and 2016. He volunteers with the non-profit organization, Peace December, filming local talent in furtherance of his technical craftsmanship as a story teller. Storytelling has always been his passion as he intends to produce a series of feature films highlighting the many rich stories of the people from the Diaspora involving the struggles, hopes, pains, women’s issues, genital mutilations, and love.