In 1974, Kashif was recruited as a keyboard player and vocalist to join the funk band B. T. Express, whose credits included the hits Express and Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied), among others. Seeking a more challenging musical assignment in 1978, Kashif exited B. T. Express and landed a job as a keyboardist for R&B musician Stephanie Mills.
In 1981 Kashif wrote and produced the hit I’m in Love for Evelyn “Champagne” King, which was a shift in sound from King’s Shame to a minimalist becoming Kashif’s signature sound. The song revitalized King’s career and branded Kashif as one of the most sought-after producers of the day. Over the next ten years, he created hits including So Fine for Howard Johnson, Love Come Down, Betcha She Don’t Love You, and Back to Love, among many others.
In 1983, Kashif signed with Arista Records as a solo artist. Introduced to Arista by Milton Allen, the artist development director, his self-titled debut album Kashif (1983) spawned the hits I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On), Stone Love, Help Yourself to My Love, Say Something Love, and the instrumental track The Mood. With this release, Kashif was well received as an innovator in music, as R&B artists were only beginning to experiment with synthesizers and other electronic instruments. In 1984, his second album, Send Me Your Love resulted in two Grammy nominations, Edgartown Groove, featuring Al Jarreau, and the instrumental Call Me Tonight along with the hits Baby Don’t Break Your Baby’s Heart and Are You the Woman.
Kashif can be heard on releases by Kenny G, George Benson, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Johnny Kemp, Melba Moore, Dionne Warwick, Giorge Pettus, Stacy Lattisaw, Meli’sa Morgan, Exposé, the Wootens, Freda Payne, Whitney Houston, and others.
In 1985, he received another Grammy nomination for another instrumental entitled The Movie Song. He also wrote and produced Inside Love for his musical idol, George Benson. It was during this time that he met and launched the career of then unknown Kenny G with Hi How Ya Doin and Tribeca.
In 1985, Kashif teamed up with then newcomer, Whitney Houston. The result was the hit You Give Good Love. Kashif also produced and was her duet partner on Thinking About You, a single track from Houston’s debut album. The album became the bestselling debut album by a female artist. Kashif also produced Where You Are on Houston’s second album entitled Whitney.
His other albums include Condition of the Heart (1985), Love Changes (1987) and Kashif (1989). On the Love Changes album, Exposé provided background vocals. 1989’s Kashif included the cover of the Four Tops’ hit Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got).
In 1987, he produced Love Changes, a #2 R&B hit in which Me’lisa Morgan was his duet partner and that name was taken from his bestselling album, which had the same name. The track also appears on Meli’sa Morgan’s album Good Love. Also contained on that album was another duet that yielded yet another international hit, the song Reservations For Two with Dionne Warwick. Between 1987 and 1989, Kashif continued to churn out the hits for Jermaine Jackson, The Stylistics, Melba Moore, George Benson, Stacy Lattisaw, and many others