With the military takeover of Egypt on June 30, 1989, and the subsequent reign of terror conducted by the National Islamic Front, Yousif el-Mosili (born Yousif Osman Mohamed) was one of the few composers to address the oppressive conditions in his homeland. The recipient of a master's degree in music from the Institute of Arabian Music in Cairo, el-Mosili was instrumental in the modernization of the songwriting tradition of Sudan. As a producer, he has overseen more then three dozen recordings by Sudanese singers and musicians.
With the National Islamic Front's crackdown on political commentary, which culminated with the stabbing death of songwriter Khojali Osman, el-Mosili was forced into exile. He later resided in Southern California, where he was enrolled in a Ph.D. program at U.C.L.A.