Name Benjamin Philippe Years active 1999–present | Role Television Personality | |
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Full Name Benjamin Quddus Philippe Born July 10, 1980 (age 44) ( 1980-07-10 ) Toronto, Ontario Occupation VJ, TV personality/Host Nominations Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Personality Movies and TV shows Total Request Live, Jem and the Holograms, Dance on Sunset, Uptown Girls, Duets Profiles | ||
Benjamin Quddus Philippe (born July 10, 1980 in Toronto, Ontario), known professionally as Quddus, is a Canadian television personality and actor, best known as the host of MTV's Total Request Live and ABC's singing competition show Duets.
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Early years
Quddus was born in Toronto to a Haitian father and Dutch mother. His distinct look propelled his modeling career at an early age.
Career
Quddus' professional career in broadcasting began in 2000 as a host and co-writer of VOX, a groundbreaking youth culture show on TVOntario which went on to win a Gemini Award.
Total Request Live
From 2001 to 2006, Quddus hosted Total Request Live, at the time MTV's biggest show. Quddus conducted daily interviews with stars such as Will Smith, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Jake Gyllenhaal, Alicia Keys, Ben Affleck and Denzel Washington, and his work on Total Request Live led to both Usher and Britney Spears requesting him to host their Showtime concert specials.
After TRL
Since leaving MTV, Quddus has hosted TV One Access and Nickelodeon's Dance on Sunset. He was also a correspondent for Access Hollywood and has appeared on CSI: Miami, the CW's Half & Half, Girlfriends, as well as the indie film Life is Hot in Cracktown.
Quddus served as an A&R consultant for MySpace Records, where he discovered and signed R&B singer Mateo. He has directed music videos for Mateo and Erin Christine. He also hosted The MySpace Music Feed, AOL and the Jonas Brothers' joint venture, Cambio Connect, and created his own website and video series, TheQside.com.
Charity
Quddus lends his time to the non-profit organization Generosity Water, volunteers at "A Place Called Home" in South Los Angeles, and went to Haiti on an aid mission.