Pops Mohamed

{{Short description|South African jazz musician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Pops Mohamed (born Ismail Mohamed-Jan) is a South African multi-instrumentalist, jazz musician and producer.

Born in Benoni, Gauteng, Pops Mohamed had a career in music that was the logical outcome of an early exposure at Dorkay House to the likes of Abdullah Ibrahim and Kippie Moeketsi. Mohamed's father was a Muslim of Portuguese and Indian heritage and his mother was of Xhosa and Khoisan heritage.[http://www.theorbit.co.za/pops-mohamed "Pops Mohamed"], The Orbit. He grew up in the Indian community of Johannesburg. He started his first band The Valiants, at the age of 14. Known by fans as the "Minister of Music",[http://www.culturebase.net/artist.php?369 culturebase.net] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060616012911/http://www.culturebase.net/artist.php?369 |date=16 June 2006 }} he plays a wide variety of instruments:{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/review_print.php?id=19434|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722220823/http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/review_print.php?id=19434|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 July 2012|title=Kalamazoo - Kalamazoo 2|last=Hawkins|first=Seton|publisher=All About Jazz|accessdate=26 July 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=986|title=South Africa: Sheer Sound|last=Jacobson|first=Nils|date=22 December 2003|publisher=All About Jazz|accessdate=26 July 2011}} African mouth bow, bird whistle, berimbau, didgeridoo, guitar, keyboard, kora, and the thumb piano. He is also known for his wide range of musical styles which include kwela, pop, and soul.[http://www.sheer.co.za/pops.html "Pops Mohamed Biography"]. Sheer Sound. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050807073653/http://www.sheer.co.za/pops.html |date=August 7, 2005 }} He produced Finding One's Self, the late Moses Taiwa Molelekwa's award-winning album.

Pops has received a lifetime achievement award in 2023 pops is also known for visiting a wide number of countries

Pops has also performed regularly with and sits on the board of the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company

Pops has 3 children,7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren