Look up Ahmad or Ahmed in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Ahmad or Ahmed are the principal transliterations of the Arabic given name, Arabic: أحمد‎ ʾaḥmad. The name comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D, meaning "highly praised", implying "one who constantly thanks God".

Etymology[link]

One of the Islamic prophet Muhammad's many names is Ahmed, the name "Muhammad" pre-dating "Ahmed". The context by which "Ahmed" is referred to as "praised" can at times be mistaken. This has to do with the fact that since the prophet Muhammad was so highly regarded in Islam that the name "Ahmed" has come to mean "highly praised".

The name has its origins in a prophecy from Jesus Christ, mentioned once in the Quran in Surah 61: The Ranks.

61:6 And [this happened, too,] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said: "O children of Israel! Behold, I am an apostle of God unto you, [sent] to confirm the truth of whatever there still remains of the Torah, and to give [you] the glad tiding of an apostle who shall come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed." But when he [whose coming Jesus had foretold] came unto them with all evidence of the truth, they said: "This [alleged message of his] is [nothing but] spellbinding eloquence!"

Transliterations[link]

Ahmad is the most elementary transliteration. It is used commonly all over the Muslim world, although primarily in the Middle East. More recently, this transliteration has become increasing popular in the United States due to use by members of the African American community.

Ahmed is the most common variant transliteration, used especially in the context of the Ottoman Empire. This transliteration is also used throughout the Muslim world.

Ahmet is the modern Turkish transliteration. Modern Turkish uses a Latin-based alphabet, and most Arabic-derived names have standardized Turkish spellings.

The less common transliterations of Ahmad are used by Muslims outside the Middle East proper, such as in Indonesia and Russia.

Some Muslims who have the first name of Ahmad, prefer to use their second name instead of "Ahmad" as it is such a common name.

Given name[link]

Ahmad[link]

• Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, former president of Sierra Leone
• Ahmad (rapper), West Coast hip hop performer
• Ahmad (Jowzjan), a delegate to Afghanistan's Constitutional Loya Jirga
• Ahmad (Takhar), a delegate to Afghanistan's Constitutional Loya Jirga
• Ahmad Abbas, Saudi Arabian footballer
• Ahmad Abdalla, Egyptian film director
• Ahmad Shah Abdali, founder of Durrani Empire
• Ahmad Adel, Egyptian footballer
• Ahmad Ahmadi, Iranian physician
• Ahmad Alaq, Khan of eastern Moghulistan
• Ahmad A'zam, Uzbek writer
• Ahmad Bahar, Iranian politician
• Ahmad Black, American football safety for the Florida Gators
• Ahmad Bradshaw, American football running back for the New York Giants
• Ahmad Brooks, American football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers
• Ahmad Bunnag of Siam
• Ahmad Carroll, American football free agent
• Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Founder of the Hanbalite School of Law and Theology
• Ahmad ibn Fadlan, Abbasid ambassador to the Volga Bulgars
• Ahmad Fanakati, financial officer of Kublai Khan's Yuan Dynasty
• Ahmad Hardi, Kurdish poet
• Ahmad Hawkins, American football defensive back for the Alabama Vipers
• Ahmad Jamal, American jazz pianist
• Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, President of Sierra Leone
• Ahmad Kasravi, Iranian linguists and historian
• Ahmad Maher (disambiguation), various people
• Ahmad Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum
• Ahmad Shah Massoud, an Afghan military leader Deputy Justice on the Supreme Court of Afghanistan
• Ahmad Miller, former defensive tackle for the National Football League
• Ahmad Merritt, American football free agent
• Ahmad Nivins, American basketball player
• Ahmad ibn Rustah, Persian chronicler born in Isfahan, Persia
• Ahmad Rashād, sportcscaster and former football player
• Ahmad Shah (disambiguation), various people
• Ahmad Shamlou, Persian poet and writer
• Ahmad Shukeiri, first Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization
• Ahmad Sohrab, Persian author
• Ahmad Tajuddin, 27th Sultan of Brunei
• Ahmad Tekuder (d. 1284), leader of the Mongol Ilkhanate
• Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar
• Ahmad Treaudo, American football cornerback for the California Redwoods
• Ahmad Shah Qajar, Last Shah of the Qajar dynasty
• Ahmad Zarruq, Shadhili Sufi Sheikh

Ahmed[link]

• Ahmed I, sultan of the Ottoman Empire
• Ahmed II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire
• Ahmed III, sultan of the Ottoman Empire
• Ahmed Ahmed, Egyptian American actor and comedian
• Ahmed Arif (1927–1991), Turkish poet
• Ahmed Baduri, Eritean diplomat
• Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, former President of Iraq
• Ahmed Ben Bella, the first President of Algeria
• Ahmed Sheikh Ali "Burale", Somali writer and politician
• Ahmed Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress
• Ahmed al-Ghamdi (1979–2001), Saudi hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175
• Ahmed al-Haznawi (1980–2001), Saudi hijacker of United Airlines Flight 93
• Ahmed Hulusi, Turkish writer and Sufi
• Ahmed Imamovic, Bosnian film director
• Ahmed Khadr, Egyptian-Canadian senior associate and financier

of al-Qaeda

• Ahmed Kidwai, Up and Coming Canadian Entrepreneur
• Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi, Mujaddid of 14th century of Islam
• Ahmed Köprülü, Ottoman Grand Vizier of the Köprülü family
• Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirati politician
• Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirati businessman
• Ahmed Mohiuddin, a noted Pakistani biologist
• Ahmed Nadeem, cricketer
• Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan, founder and chairman of Etihad Airways
• Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Emirati businessman
• Ahmed al-Nami (1977–2001), Saudi hijacker of United Airlines Flight 93
• Ahmed Nazif (born 1952), Egyptian politician
• Ahmed Nizam, Indian cricketer
• Ahmed Patel, Indian politician
• Ahmed Plummer, former NFL player
• Ahmed Rushdi, Pakistani singer
• Ahmed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, member of the royal family of Saudi Arabia
• Ahmed Sanjar, a ruler of the Seljuk Turks
• Ahmed Santos, Mexican newspaper columnist
• Ahmed Şerafettin, Turkish football manager
• Ahmed Sheikh, Palestinian journalist
• Ahmed Talbi, Moroccan footballer
• Ahmed Sékou Touré, African political leader and president of the Republic of Guinea
• Ahmed Yassin, former leader of Palestinian Hamas
• Ahmed Yesevi, a leader of Sufi mysticism
• Ahmed H. Zewail, the winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on femtochemistry

Ahmet[link]

• Ahmet Alkan, Turkish economist
• Ahmet Almaz, Turkish journalist
• Ahmet Bilek, Turkish Olympic champion
• Ahmet Davutoğlu, Turkish diplomat and political scientist
• Ahmet Dursun, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Enünlü, Turkish bodybuilder
• Ahmet Ertegun, Turkish American founder and president of Atlantic Records
• Ahmet Gülhan, Turkish wrestler
• Ahmet Güvenç, Turkish rock musician
• Ahmet İzzet, Ottoman general
• Ahmet Kanneci, Turkish guitar virtuoso
• Ahmet Kireççi, Turkish sports wrestler
• Ahmet Koç, Turkish musician
• Ahmet Kuru, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Öcal, Belgian footballer
• Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Cevdet Pasha, Ottoman statesman
• Ahmet Peker (born 1989), Turkish wrestler
• Ahmet Polat, Turkish photographer
• Ahmet Sağlam, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Necdet Sezer, tenth President of the Republic of Turkey
• Ahmet Burak Solakel, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, Turkish writer
• Ahmet Türk, Turkish politician
• Ahmet Fikri Tüzer, Turkish politician
• Ahmet Ümit, Turkish author
• Ahmet Uzun, Turkish Cypriot politician
• Ahmet Vardar, Turkish journalist
• Ahmet Yıldırım, Turkish footballer
• Ahmet Yıldız, Turkish scientist
• Ahmet Zappa, American musician, actor and novelist

Other spellings[link]

• Achmad Jufriyanto, Indonesian footballer
• Achmad Nawir, Dutch East Indies footballer
• Achmad Saba'a, Arab-Israeli footballer
• Achmat Dangor, South African writer
• Achmed Abdullah, Russian writer
• Achmed Akkabi, Moroccan-Dutch presenter and actor
• Achmed Labasanov, Russian mixed martial artist
• Achmet (oneiromancer), Occultist
• Ahmat Acyl, Chadian Arab insurgent leader
• Ahmat Brahim, Chadian footballer
• Ahmat Taboye, Chadian writer

This page or section lists people that share the same given name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.

Surname[link]

• Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, former President of Somalia
• Adnan Ahmed, football player
• Aneel Ahmad, film director
• Dajan Ahmet, Estonian actor
• Hocine Aït Ahmed, Algerian politician
• Iajuddin Ahmed, the Former President of Bangladesh
• Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait
• Kafeel Ahmed (died 2007), one of the perpetrators of the 2007 Glasgow International Airport attack
• K. S. Nissar Ahmed, popular Kannada poet and writer from India
• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of Iran
• Matthew Ahmat, Australian rules footballer
• Matthew Ahmet, British wushu practitioner
• Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Messiah claimant from India, founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement of Islam
• Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih II of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih III of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mısırlı Ahmet, Turkish virtuoso darbuka player
• Nazir Ahmed, Baron Ahmed, British peer and politician
• Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir, President of Sudan
• Rangzieb Ahmed, British terrorist, director of Al-Qaeda in the United Kingdom
• Robert Ahmat, Australian rules footballer
• Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait
• Tariq Ahmad, Baron Ahmad, British peer and politician
• Zackie Achmat, South African activist

This page or section lists people with the surname Ahmad, or Ahmed. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.

Fictional characters[link]

• Ahmed Johnson, American former professional wrestler
• Prince Ahmed, prince in the Arabian Nights

Ahmad Zahir
Ahmad Zahir years before his death
Background information
Birth name	Ahmad Zahir
Born	(1946-06-14)14 June 1946 Laghman, Afghanistan
Died	14 June 1979(1979-06-14) (aged 33) Salang, Parwan Province, Afghanistan
Genres	Rock, pop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, composer
Instruments	Harmonium, piano, accordion, Farfisa, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, combo organ
Years active	1967–1979
Labels	Afghan Music, Aj Musik, EMI, Music Center

Ahmad Shirpacha Zahir (Persian: احمد ظاهر‎ – Aḥmad Zāhir; 14 June 1946 – 14 June 1979) was a singer, songwriter, and composer from Afghanistan. He is widely considered an icon of Afghan music and is sometimes called the "King of Afghan music". His songs are mostly in Persian and based on well-recognized Persian poems, although a few are in Pashto and English.^[1] Zahir composed and performed rock and pop music, in a similar style to Elvis Presley. Today, he is regarded as one of the greatest persons in Afghan culture and history.

Biography[link]

Zahir was born on 14 June 1946 (Jauza 24, 1325 of the Jalali calendar) in Laghman, Afghanistan.^[2] His father, Abdul Zahir, was a royal court doctor, minister of health, Prime Minister of Afghanistan between 1971 and 1972,^[3] speaker of the parliament and an influential figure in King Zahir Shah's era who helped write the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan. Zahir grew up in Kabul and belonged to the Pashtun ethnic background.^[2][4][5]

Zahir attended Habibia High School in Kabul in the early 1960s. He sang and played the accordion in a band mainly consisting of his friends and classmates including Omar Sultan on guitar, Farid Zaland on congas and Kabir Howaida on piano. The band later became known as the amateur band of Habibia High School and performed in local concerts during celebratory occasions like Nowruz, Eid ul-Fitr,^{[disambiguation needed ]} and Afghan Independence Day.^[6]

He later attended and graduated from Daru' l-Malimeen ("Teachers' College") in Kabul, then continued his higher education for two more years in India to get a degree as an English instructor. Eventually, however, he decided that music was his true calling. Zahir began his solo career composing songs based on well-recognized Persian poems. His first recorded song, "Gar Kuni Yak Nizara", was his own composition, sung in the pilu raga. He continued writing and recording songs such as "Azeezam Ba Yaadat", "Ahista-ahista", "Akhir Ay Darya", "Hama Yaranam", "Agar Sabza Boodam", "Guftam Ke Mekhwaham Tura", "Shabe Ze Shabha" and "Parween-e Man".^[6]

Zahir worked with mentors such as Ismail Azami (saxophonist), Nangalai (trumpeter), Abdullah Etemadi (drummer), and other musicians including Salim Sarmast, Naynawaz, Taranasaz, and Mas'hour Jamal. He recorded over 22 albums in the 1970s. His songs were noted for their mellifluous tone, poetic style, compelling depth, and passionate emotional evocation.^{[citation needed]} His lyrics covered a wide range of subjects. Many of his songs contained autobiographical elements or political criticism of Afghanistan's government.^[7] As a result many of his recordings were destroyed by the government.

The Zahir professionally was on the scene of Afghan Music for only 10 years at the most; however, Zahir managed to record more than 30 albums. This was and is unheard of in any music industry around the world. All of these albums were successful and widely accepted (to this date) by everyone. The kings managed to complete these recordings almost 40 years ago with almost no technology of today's world, and all was done in live recordings. It is said the kings recorded his Arian Music Album 1 in one day, that had more than 12 songs. Zahir only recorded two music videos during his career.

Death[link]

Zahir died on 14 June 1979, on his 33rd birthday. There are many mixed views from critics for why he was killed, but according to his son Rishad Zahir, Zahir "was assassinated by the order of a communist general^{[verification needed]} named Daud Taroon, who used one of Zahir's best friends as an accomplice to carry out his orders". Zahir's political stance was at odds with the Marxist government of the time^[6] who claimed that he had died in a car accident.^[7] Other critics state that he was shot twice by someone, who then crashed Zahir's car on a wall, and put him inside the vehicle, pretending that he had a car accident.

A large crowd of mourners attended Zahir's funeral in Kabul, clogging the city streets and bringing daily activities to a halt.^[7]

After his death Zahir became a national hero and his image was mythologized by the Afghan people.^[8] Because of his privileged family background, Zahir helped to establish music as a more respected profession which in turn led to the founding of The Kabul Music School in 1974.^[9]

Discography[link]

Afghan music albums[link]

• Vol. 1 – Dilak am (1973)
• Vol. 2 – Bahar (1973)
• Vol. 3 – Shab ha ye zulmane (1974)
• Vol. 4 – Mother (1974)
• Vol. 5 – Awara (1975)
• Vol. 6 – Ghulam-e Qamar (1975)
• Vol. 7 – Sultan Qalbaam (1976)
• Vol. 8 – Az Ghamat Hy Nazaneen (1976)
• Vol. 9 – Gulbadaan (1971)
• Vol. 10 – Yaare Bewafa (1977)
• Vol. 11 – Lylee (1977)
• Vol. 12 – Ahmad Zahir and Jila (1978)
• Vol. 13 – Ahange Zindagee (1978)
• Vol. 14 – Shab-e Hijraan (1979) (posthumous release)

Note: Audio cassette versions of many of Zahir's Afghan Music albums are missing some songs that are present on the original vinyl records.

Ariana music albums[link]

• Vol. 1 – Daard-e Dil (1972)
• Vol. 2 – Mosum-e Gul (1977)

Note: The original Ariana Music record albums contain many hidden tracks.

Music center albums[link]

• Vol. 1 – Ashiq rooyat Mon (1973)
• Vol. 2 – Neshe Gashdum (1976)
• Vol. 3 – Lylee Jaan (1977)
• Vol. 4 – Ahmad Zahir Ba Sitara Haa (1977)
• Vol. 5 – To Baamanee (1978)

Private albums[link]

• Shamali
• Hindi Songs
• Afghanistan Songs
• Agar Bahar Byayad
• Ahmad Zahir & Nainawaaz
• Almase-Sharq
• Gulhaayi-Jawedan
• Gulhayi Nafaramoshshuda
• Khateraha
• Khudaat-Medani Guleman
• Laily-Laily-Jan
• Raaze-Penhan
• Soorodhayie-Jawedan
• Yaad-Mandaha
• Zindani

Other discography information[link]

• He has over 10 private recording albums from 1965–1978.
• He only recorded 2 music videos in Radio Kabul TV: "Laylee Jaan" in 1976 and "Khuda Buwat Yarret" in 1977.
• Zahir recorded several songs in Radio Kabul and Radio Afghanistan studios which later came out as albums. Eight of these albums have been released.

References[link]

• "Review of Anthology of World Music: The Music of Afghanistan". Delusions of Adequacy Reviews. http://www.adequacy.net/review.php?reviewID=3579. Retrieved 28 January 2006. ^{[dead link]}
• "Ahmad Zahir". http://saaztube.com/Ahmad_Zahir.txt. Retrieved 23 March 2012. 
• Sakata, Hiromi Lorraine (1983). Music in the Mind: The Concepts of Music and Musician in Afghanistan. Kent State University Press. ISBN 0-87338-265-X. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ahmad Zahir

• AhmadZahir.com Official website

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (December 2010)

Ahmad Dhani
Background information
Birth name	Dhani Ahmad Prasetyo
Born	(1972-05-26) May 26, 1972 (age 40) Surabaya, Indonesia,
Genres	Rock Pop Alternative
Occupations	Musician, Entrepreneur
Instruments	Voice Guitar Keyboard
Years active	1986–present
Associated acts	Dewa 19 Mulan Jameela Agnes Monica T.R.I.A.D. Mahadewa
Website	[www.ahmaddhani.com] Ahmad Dhani's signature

Dhani Ahmad Prasetyo (born May 26, 1972 in Surabaya), better known as Ahmad Dhani or Dhani Manaf, is an Indonesian rock musician, songwriter, arranger, and producer. Described as a "rock star",^[1] Dhani is the frontman of Dewa 19 and Ahmad Band, and also a member of inter-continental band The Rock. He is also the owner and chairman of Republic Cinta Management.

Throughout his career, Dhani has scored many hits and also has been a talent promoter for the careers of other artist including Maia Ahmad, Agnes Monica, Alexa Key and Mulan Jameela, and has written songs for these artists and others. He has won numerous awards including the IMA best musical arrangement and best producer and many other awards as the member of Dewa 19. His influence in the industry made him one of the most influential musician in Southeast Asia.

Early life[link]

Ahmad Dhani was the first child of three children of the marriage between Eddy Abdul Manaf, an Indonesian Diplomat with Joyce Theresia Pamela Kohler, an Indonesian of Jewish descent. His grandfather, Jan Pieter Friederich Kohler was a German and born in Indonesia 1883. Dhani stepbrother, Dadang S. Manaf is an acknowledged Indonesian musician and is a big influence on Dhani musical interest since his childhood. Dhani's father bought him a keyboard when he was young and paid for musical lessons, highly persuading him and hoping Dhani would excel in classical music.

Career[link]

Dewa 19[link]

Dhani's musical talent began to show when he still in secondary school. Along with his friends Andra Junaidi, Erwin Prasetya, and Henry Juniarso, he formed the band Dewa 19 {ofter referred to as Dewa} in 1986 of which Dhani act as a vocalist and keyboardist. Highly interested in music, Dhani often skipped school just to hang out with his friends and play musical instruments at Henry's house in the area of Airlangga University complex.

Early in his Dewa career, Dhani begin to put an interest in jazz music which is then followed by the change in the name of Dewa into Downbeat. Together with Downbeat, Dhani won the Youth Jazz Festival in East Java, and became the first winner of Festival '90, a high school band competition at the Djarum Super Fiesta Musical. But finally back to focus on Rock genre and flying the flag of Dewa with the addition of a new vocalist Ari Lasso.

Since there is no adequate studio in Surabaya, in 1991 Ahmad Dhani moved to Jakarta to look for a record company for Dewa 19. With minimum investment, Dhani step into the national capital city, roaming from one record company to another using public buses. Having been rejected by a number of labels, eventually Dhani's talent was recognized and Dewa is recruited by Jan Djuhana from Team Records. Their first album Dewa 19 (1992) became a huge success with a number of hits such as "Kangen" and "Kita Tidak Sedang Bercinta Lagi". The album was the best-selling album of 1993 and Dewa was awarded as best newcomer in the Indonesian Music Awards.

Since its inception, Dhani has helped to produce eleven albums for the band including Dewa 19 (1992), Format Masa Depan (1994), Terbaik Terbaik (1995), Pandawa Lima (1997), The Best Of Dewa 19 (1999), Bintang Lima (2000), Cintailah Cinta (2002), Atas Nama Cinta I & II (2004), Laskar Cinta (2004), Republik Cinta (2006), dan Kerajaan Cinta (2007). Although it has been through several changes of personnel, Dewa 19 still is a one of the biggest forces in the Indonesian music arena mainly with Dhani as their driving force.

His album Warriors of Love (Laskar Cinta) reportedly "challenged militant ideology" and was "massively popular" in Indonesia.^[1]

Personal life[link]

Dhani married Maia Estianty in 1994, after a long relationship when both are still in secondary school at SMA Negeri 2 Surabaya. They have 3 children from their marriage of which Dhani named after Islamic prominent Sufi leader whom he admires, namely Ahmad Al Gazali, El Jalaluddin Rumi, and Ahmad Abdul Qadir Jilani. Since late 2006, Dhani and his wife had been in an affair of 'accused alleges' that led to the divorce suit filed by Maia Estianty. Their households officially ended on September 23, 2008 through the decisions of judges in South Jakarta Sharia Court. Dhani had since married Mulan Jameela, a singer and former member of the disbanded duo pop group Ratu of which Maia was the other member.

He is highly influnced by the British rock band Queen.

References[link]

External links[link]

• "Republic Cinta Management"
• "Ahmad Dhani Meets With Children at Rumah Belajar", US Department of State
• "Eddy Abdul Manaf Interview"
• "Ahmad Dhani, Yahudi, dan Lagu Cinta"

Cinta Laura Kiehl (better known as Cinta Laura [ˈtʃinta ˈlaura]; born August 17, 1993) is a German-Indonesian actress, electropop singer and model in Indonesia. Beginning her career in 2007, she has starred in several TV series, movies and endorsed several local and international brands. Since the start of her career, she has won several awards for acting and singing, two of which are from the "Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards Indonesia" and "SCTV Awards". Her debut single, Oh Baby was from the soundtrack of her film, "Oh Baby".

Biography[link]

Cinta Laura Kiehl, proudly states that she's the citizen of the world. Born to a German father and Indonesian mother, Michael and Herdina Kiehl, a successful German hotelier and Indonesian lawyer, Cinta Laura spent most of her childhood moving around the world, and therefore affects her accent too America for local hearing and taste. In May 2006, Cinta won an acting and modeling and boldstar competition by MD Entertainment, who offered her a main role in a new TV series called Cinderella in 2007. Because of her father's job, Laura traveled around the world, moving from country to country every two years, english being her first language. Before her debut on Indonesia's television screens, she was taught bahasa Indonesia sufficiently. She also starred in the film, “Oh Baby” by MD Entertainment in 2008. Her debut single, Oh Baby was from the soundtrack of the film. Since the start of her career, she has won several awards for acting and singing, two of which are from the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards Indonesia. She was also awarded in "Aktris Ngetop" (Best Actress) at the SCTV Awards in 2007.^[1]

Her first wide screen Oh Baby which shows an average dance skill is not critically acclaimed, however the OST has been haunting particularly those of teenyboppers, not only in Indonesia but also neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Brunei. And to the surprise of many, Cinta Laura is selected by AXN channel to be the regional icon for their new program "Dance Off".

Aside from her professional and academic life, Laura also holds a charity foundation called the “Soekarseno Peduli”, aimed at rebuilding dilapidated schools in Bogor, Indonesia. The foundation has cooperated with several multinational companies and NGO's, aiding more than 4000 children since 2003. After the success of her debut single, Oh Baby, Laura had collaborated with Duo Maia in the song Penghianat Cinta, and Afgansyah Reza in the song Let’s Get the Beat. In January 2010, she released her first studio album, Cinta Laura. The album has sold a million copies and received a record breaking 13 times platinum from sales in Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.^[2]

In early 2011, Laura collaborated with the winner of Australian Idol 2003, Guy Sebastian in a version of his song, Who's That Girl.^[3][4] She also graduated from the Jakarta International School with honors and is attending Columbia University, New York for her undergraduate studies in psychology and political science.^[5] Recently, she has been cast in a Hollywood movie called “The Philosophers”, making her debut appearance in an international movie.^{[6] [7]}

Filmography[link]

Discography[link]

Album[link]

Advertisement[link]

• Pucelle (2008–2011)
• Marimas (2008)
• XL (2008)
• Samsung (2008)
• Extra Joss Anggur (2008)
• EF English First (2009)
• Honda Beat (2009)
• Polongmas Polongku (2009)
• Kia Picanto (2010)
• Segar Dingin (2010–2011)
• Ardiles (2010–2011)
• Richeese (2010–2011)
• Sasha (2011)

Awards and Nomination[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Blogseleb.com
• Facebook.com

LeBron James

James with the Heat
No. 6 – Miami Heat
Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1984-12-30) December 30, 1984 (age 27) Akron, Ohio, United States
Nationality	American
High school	St. Vincent – St. Mary High School
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Pro career	2003–present
Career history
2003–2010	Cleveland Cavaliers
2010–present	Miami Heat
Career highlights and awards
3× NBA Most Valuable Player (2009–2010, 2012) NBA Rookie of the Year (2004) 8× NBA All-Star (2005–2012) NBA scoring champion (2008) 6× All-NBA First Team (2006, 2008–2012) 2× All-NBA Second Team (2005, 2007) 4× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2009–2012) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004) 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008) Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2003)
Stats at NBA.com
Medals Men's Basketball Competitor for the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Team competition Bronze 2004 Athens Team competition FIBA World Championship Bronze 2006 Japan Team competition FIBA Americas Championship Gold 2007 Las Vegas Team competition

LeBron Raymone James (/ləˈbrɒn/; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a sophomore at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School. He was selected with the number one pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Listed as a small forward, James has set numerous youngest player records since joining the league. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003–04, was named the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2009, 2010, and 2012^[1] and has been both an All-NBA selection and an All-Star every season since 2005. In 2010, a much-publicized free agency process ended with James signing with the Miami Heat.

James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to consecutive playoff appearances from 2006 through 2010. In 2007, the Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs. In 2011, James and the Miami Heat advanced to the NBA Finals but lost to the Dallas Mavericks. James has been a member of the USA national team, winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and gold at the 2008 Olympics.

High school career[link]

James attended St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in Akron, where he starred as a two-sport athlete, playing basketball and football. A distinguished wide receiver, James was named first-team all-state in his sophomore year and led the Fighting Irish to the state semifinals in his junior year.^[2] His football career came to an end before his senior year when he broke his wrist during an AAU basketball game.^[3] Many sports analysts, football critics, and former and current players have speculated on whether he could have played in the NFL.^[4]

James was a starter for St. Vincent-St. Mary's varsity basketball team from day one. During his freshman year, he averaged 21 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, eventually leading the Irish to the OHSAA Division III state title. The next year, he upped his averages to 25.2 points and 7.2 rebounds, while also contributing 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game.^[2] The Irish finished the season 26-1 and repeated as state champions. For his outstanding play, James was named Ohio's Mr. Basketball and was selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team, becoming the first ever sophomore to do either.^[5]

James' junior year saw his popularity explode onto a national level. Prior to the start of the season, he appeared in SLAM Magazine and was lauded as possibly "the best high school basketball player in America right now" by writer Ryan Jones.^[6] With averages of 29 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.3 steals per game, he was again named Ohio's Mr. Basketball and selected to the All-USA First Team. Additionally, he was named the 2001-2002 boys' basketball Gatorade National Player of the Year. Unfortunately, St. Vincent-St. Mary did not defend its state championship from the year before, losing to Roger Bacon High School in the OHSAA Division II championship game. Following the loss, James seriously considered declaring for the 2002 NBA Draft, petitioning for an adjustment to the NBA's draft eligibility rules which required prospective players to have at least graduated from high school.^[7] Although the petition was unsuccessful, it only further raised his exposure.

By the time James' senior year began, he had already appeared on the covers of ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated. His unprecedented level of fame forced St. Vincent-St. Mary to move their practices to James A. Rhodes Arena at the University of Akron.^[8] The Irish's regular season games were frequently attended by celebrities such as Shaquille O'Neal, with some being televised nationally on ESPN2 and regionally on pay-per-view.^[9] For the season, James averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals per game.^[5] He was named Ohio's Mr. Basketball and selected to the All-USA First Team for an unprecedented third consecutive year. He participated in three three year-end high school basketball all-star games - the EA Sports Roundball Classic, the Jordan Capital Classic, and the McDonald's All-American Game -, losing his NCAA eligibility and making it official he would enter the 2003 NBA Draft.^[10] James finished his high school basketball career with 2,657 points, 892 rebounds and 523 assists.^[5] On January 31, 2012, he was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans.^[11]

Despite his accomplishments, James' senior year was a tumultuous one. For his 18th birthday, he accepted a Hummer H2 from his mother, Gloria, who secured a loan for the vehicle utilizing LeBron's future earning power.^[12] This prompted an investigation by the OHSAA because under their guidelines, no amateur may accept any gift valued over $100 as a reward for athletic performance.^[13] Later in the season, James accepted two throwback jerseys worth $845 from an urban clothing store in exchange for his posing for pictures, officially violating OHSAA violations and resulting in him being stripped of his high school sports eligibility.^[13] James appealed the ruling and his penalty was eventually dropped to a two game suspension, allowing him to play the remainder of the season. The Irish were also forced to forfeit one of their wins, their only official loss that season.^[14]

NBA career[link]

Cleveland Cavaliers (2003–2010)[link]

Rookie season[link]

James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the number one overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. In his first professional game he recorded 25 points, setting an NBA record for most points scored by a prep-to-pro player in his debut outing.^[15] He also added 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals with a 60% field goal percentage.^[16] Originally, he was scheduled to compete in the 2004 Slam Dunk Contest but was forced to withdraw because of an ankle injury.^[17] In a late season match-up with the New Jersey Nets, he scored a season-high 41 points, becoming the youngest player in league history to score at least 40 points in a game.^[18] James was eventually named the 2003–04 NBA Rookie of the Year, finishing with averages of 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game.^[19] He also became the first Cavalier to receive the honor and joined Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in their rookie season (Tyreke Evans has since joined this group). Despite James' award-worthy play and an 18-game improvement over the previous season, the Cavaliers failed to make the the playoffs.^[20]

2004–05 season[link]

In the 2004–05 season, James was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game and recorded 13 points, 6 assists, and 8 rebounds, as the Eastern All-Stars defeated the Western All-Stars 125–115.^[21] During the season, James became the youngest player in league history to record a triple-double and make the All-NBA Team.^[2] He averaged 27.2 points, 7.2 assists, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game.^[19] The Cavaliers failed to reach the playoffs again and finished with a 42–40 regular season record.^[22]

2005–06 season[link]

In the 2005–06 season, James was elected to his second straight All-Star Game appearance and led the Eastern All-Stars to a 122–120 victory, with 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. He became the youngest All-Star MVP at 21 years, 51 days.^[23] He was named NBA Player of the Week for an unprecedented three consecutive weeks and concluded the season with five honors.^[24] He scored 35 or more points in nine consecutive games, joining Jordan and Kobe Bryant as the only players since 1970 to accomplish the feat.^[24] For the season, James averaged 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game,^[19] and became the youngest player in NBA history to average at least 30 points. He became the fourth player in NBA history to average more than 30 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in a single season.^[25] The Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time since 1998,^[26] and improved from a record of 17–65 in 2002–03 to 50–32 in 2005–06.^[27]

Following the regular season, James was named as one of the candidates for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Although he finished second to Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns in MVP voting, he was awarded co-MVP honors with Nash by The Sporting News; an award given by the publication that is based on the voting of thirty NBA general managers.^[28]

James made his playoff debut against the Washington Wizards in 2006. He recorded a triple-double with 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, as the Cavaliers defeated the Wizards 97–86.^[29] He joined Johnny McCarthy and Magic Johnson as the only players in NBA history to register a triple-double in their playoff debut.^[29] For the series, James averaged 35.7 points, as the Cavaliers defeated the Wizards in six games.^[30] In the process, James set a new record for turnovers in a 6-game series, with 34. In the second round of the playoffs, James and the Cavaliers lost in seven games to the defending Eastern Conference champion and divisional rival Detroit Pistons. James averaged 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in the playoffs.^[19]

At the end of the season, James negotiated a three-year contract extension, with a player option for a fourth year. The contract was worth $60 million and began at the start of the 2007–08 season.^[31] Although it was for fewer years and less money than the maximum he could sign, it allowed him the option of seeking a new contract worth more money as an unrestricted free agent following the 2010 season.^[31] He had discussed this with fellow members of his 2003 draft class, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, who also re-signed with their respective teams while allowing them to be unrestricted agents in 2010.^[32]

2006–07 season[link]

James in April 2007

James was elected to his third consecutive All-Star game appearance during the 2006–07 season. He played a game high 32 minutes and finished with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.^[33] In the regular season, the Cavaliers tied the previous season's record with 50 wins and clinched the second seed of the Eastern Conference on the last day of the season.^[34] For the season, James averaged 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.^[2] He joined Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average 27 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists per game for three consecutive years.^[35]

In the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, James led the Cavaliers to their first sweep in franchise history over the Washington Wizards in four games.^[36] It was the first time the franchise had won consecutive road playoff games.^[36] For the series, James averaged 27.8 points, 7.5 assists, and 8.5 rebounds.^[19] In the second round of the playoffs, James led the Cavaliers to a 4–2 series victory over the New Jersey Nets.^[37] He averaged 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.6 assists in the series,^[19] as the Cavaliers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 15 years.^[37]

In the Eastern Conference Finals, James led the Cavaliers from an 0–2 deficit against the Detroit Pistons to win the series in six games. His performance in Game 5 was especially memorable. James recorded a franchise-record 48 points on 54.5% field goal shooting, to go with 9 rebounds and 7 assists. In addition, James scored 29 of Cleveland's last 30 points, including the team's final 25 points in a double-overtime victory. He concluded the night with a game-winning lay-up with 2 seconds left.^[38] NBA analyst Marv Albert referred to James' performance as "one of the greatest moments in postseason history," while color commentator Steve Kerr called it "Jordan-esque."^[39]

In the 2007 NBA Finals, James averaged 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists, as the Cavaliers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs, losing 4 consecutive games.^[2] For the postseason, James averaged 25.1 points, 8.0 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game.^[19] He set a franchise record for double-doubles in a playoff season with eight and became the first Cavalier and the first non-guard in NBA history to have at least seven assists in eight consecutive playoff games.^[2]

2007–08 season[link]

James drives to the basket in a game in April 2008.

In the 2007–08 season, James continued his dominant play, earning his fourth consecutive All-Star Game appearance^[40] and once again positioning himself as one of the front runners for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. He won the 2008 All-Star Game MVP with 27 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals as the Eastern Conference All-Stars defeated their Western counterparts, 134–128.^[41]

On February 19, 2008, James recorded his fifth triple-double of the 2007–08 season by putting up 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists against the Houston Rockets. It was the fifteenth triple-double of his career. He is the third youngest player to post 15 triple-doubles, behind Robertson and Johnson.^[42] He scored his sixth triple-double of the season and sixteenth of his career against the Indiana Pacers the very next game. It was the second time during the season that he had a triple-double in back-to-back games. The last player to accomplish that feat was Johnson in 1988.^[43] James finished the season with seven triple-doubles, breaking his personal and team records for triple-doubles in a season and 17 career triple-doubles broke his team record as well.^[44]

James taking part in his pre-game ritual of tossing crushed chalk in the air.

On February 27, 2008, against the Boston Celtics, James became the youngest person to score 10,000 points in his career at 23 years and 59 days, achieving the feat in style with a slam-dunk over 11-time All-Star Kevin Garnett, eclipsing the old mark by more than a year. James did so in 368 games, the ninth fastest in league history.^[45][46] On March 5, 2008, James scored 50 points with 8 rebounds and 10 assists on the New York Knicks, becoming only the third player since the ABA-NBA merger to record a 50-point 10-assist game.^[47] On March 21, 2008, James scored 29 points against the Toronto Raptors, taking him past Brad Daugherty's all-time Cavaliers scoring record of 10,389 points. Daugherty achieved this record over the course of 548 games, while James took only 380 games to score 10,414 points.^[48]

All told, James propelled Cleveland to a 45–37 record, good for second place in the Central Division and the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Prior to Cleveland's first-round series versus the Washington Wizards, Wizards guard Deshawn Stevenson said James was "overrated," prompting James to say that he would not return the insult, as that would be "almost like Jay-Z [responding to a negative comment] made by Soulja Boy."^[49] In response, Soulja Boy himself made an appearance at Game 3 of the series (played in Washington) in support of the Wizards, and his music was played over the PA system.^[50] James would later say that he meant no disrespect to Soulja Boy with his comment, and that his young son is a big fan of the rapper. Jay-Z responded by producing a freestyle version of the Too Short single "Blow the Whistle", named "Playoff", in which he "disses" Stevenson and Soulja Boy on James' behalf.^[51][52] The Cavaliers won the series against the Wizards in 6 games (4–2). The Cavaliers were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the next round (4–3). During the decisive seventh game, which was played in Boston, James scored 45 points, but opponent Paul Pierce's 41 led the Celtics to a narrow victory.

2008–09 season[link]

In the 2008–09 season James continued to improve facets of his game while setting new career highs. He had 23 chase-down blocks (93 blocks in total, a career-high) and improved his free-throw shooting (78.0%, a career-high, with league-leading 594 free-throws made).^[53][54] He was the NBA Player of the Month four times, making him the second player in NBA history to do that after Kevin Garnett did so in his 2003–04 MVP season.^[55] In addition, he became the fourth player in NBA history to lead his team in all five major statistical categories (total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks) in one season.^[56]

James defending Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics in October 2008

After a win on March 25 against the New Jersey Nets the Cleveland Cavaliers improved their record to 58–13 exceeding their previous franchise best of 57–25 set in the 1988–89 and 1991–92 NBA seasons. They ended the regular season with a league best of 66–16 after losing their final home game to the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime. The Cavaliers had a chance to tie the 1985–86 Boston Celtics for the all-time best NBA home record but ended at 39–2 after home losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and 76ers.

James dribbles the ball in a game in April 2009.