2026

By 2026, Muhammad’s music had reached one of the largest stages of his career while remaining unmistakably rooted in St. Louis.

He created original music for HBO’s U.S. Against the World: Four Years with the U.S. Men’s National Team, including the title track, “Strikers Shuffle,” and “Brother Nem (Get Up).” The documentary was shaped in close collaboration with the team at Bruton Stroube, longtime creative partners whose production and post-production work helped carry the story from St. Louis to a global audience.

I photographed the cover artwork for all three songs. What began as another creative session between us became imagery connected to HBO, the U.S. Men’s National Team, and the 2026 World Cup. Seeing those photographs appear across streaming platforms and editorial coverage was meaningful, but traveling to the World Cup and hearing Muhammad’s music during the opening match made the scale of the moment feel real.

It was difficult not to think back to our first interview in 2019. We had begun with corrupted SD cards, a second chance, and a conversation inside his car. Seven years later, the work we had built together was present at one of the largest sporting events in the world.

At the same time, Muhammad continued his Engaged City fellowship at Washington University, his partnership with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and the community work surrounding MVSTERCAMP. Even as the audience grew, his focus remained on using each opportunity to create access for others.

The World Cup chapter will continue through a larger project featuring the documentary songs, additional tracks, and another photograph from our cover sessions. Beyond it is LOGOFF, including “Outta Body,” with plans for us to create a visual for every song.

Looking back, 2026 represents both an arrival and another beginning. The music traveled farther than it ever had before, but the friendship, city, and shared purpose behind it remained the same.