He has mainly produced music for New York–based rappers, including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, R.A. the Rugged Man, Tragedy Khadafi, Wordsworth, Vast Aire, Afu-Ra, Guru, M.O.P., Inspectah Deck, Cormega, and Ghostface Killah.
Ayatollah first received mainstream recognition after producing Rawkus rapper Mos Def's 1999 single "Ms.
[1] He went on to produce Cormega's "Rap's a Hustle", from the 2001 album The Realness, and Styles P's "The Life", featuring Pharoahe Monch (2002), among others.
Ayatollah has also released numerous solo albums, starting with his 2003 debut, So Many Reasons to Rhyme.
Their debut instrumental album, Ayatollah Presents: COLOSSUS, was released digitally in June of that year,[2] and a limited vinyl pressing was issued in mid-August.