The History of Rap Music and Islam

When Africans were first stolen and brought to the of America in 1619 their cultural tradition, language, and holistic identity was forcefully eradicated. While the introduc- tion of Christianity was used to foster new religious spirit among slaves it remained a product of

Western interpretation. In 1865 the United States abolished chattel slavery and millions of

African Americans became free to explore geographic mobility within a narrow set of heavily enforced regulations. With newfound freedom came the necessity of identity. Now that African

Americans had endured and overcome slavery, who would they become? What could they achieve in a country they did not choose to become a part of? Faith provided a chance to tap into a more prosperous reality, one where the value of black life is not incessantly on trial. Black reli- gions developed throughout each region with a unique spiritual purpose and function under the guise of racial politics. Organizations such as The Nation of Islam and The Nation of Gods and

Earths repackaged and reformulated Islam to fit goals centered around black empowerment and liberation. They used religion as a launch pad toward resistance and outlined specific guidelines that opened up a path toward success in the spiritual and material world. Economic opportunity was highlighted as a staple of salvation to achieve freedom and a greater sense of possibility in the physical world. The teachings of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the lessons of The

Supreme made their way around urban spaces and garnered devoted followers.

Eventually their doctrines intertwined and found a place of reverence within the network of artists developing what would go on to become America’s most popular music genre of the 21st century. The performance of rap music is a pantomime of the fight with life, with the physical re- alities obstructing the true will of an individual. Words wielded through language replace the in- dividual and conceptualize to state meanings of intention and authority. It is a demonstration of ones prowess and assertion. The primary requirement of authenticity is to simply say what you mean and summon your truth to fit the rhythm of a break beat. From its early conception the philosophies and ideologies explicitly lifted from black Islamic teachings influenced some of the first rap records and important cultural figures. Russell Simmons, the cofounder of ’s first popular Def Jam, wrote in his autobiography “during the period when the gangs

I hung with in the '70s gave way to '80s Hip Hop culture, it was the street language, style, and consciousness of the Five Percent Nation that served as a bridge.” Both entities are re-contextu- alized collages containing different elements of their historical predecessors. At first rap was de- rived from the rhythmic patterns and sensibilities of Jazz and Blues until sampling opened the door to recycling funk and electronic music. Pioneering acts were booked to perform alongside flavor of the moment punk bands, incorporating the genre into the lineage of rebellious art. Its popularity rose as a finite resistance to the elitism of disco. went through im- mense cultural change in the 1970s and 80s with a plethora of diverse artistic perspectives com- peting for and contributing to an eclectic audience. A younger generation of African Americans found social refuge through the comfort and collectiveness of organized and characterized street gangs.

The Black Spades were a street gang that originated in 1968 and spread throughout the public housing complexes couched within borough. Their foundational codes were directly lifted from the teachings of The Five Percenter Nation. The group was founded by a man named David who was a registered member of the Nation of Islam. Under his leadership this de- rivative ideology was used to foster unity and a collective understanding of how to best wield resistance tactics in less than favorable social and economic situations. The original premise of self defense was elevated to exaggerated proportions and The Black Spades became known for their excessive use of violence and brute force. This deviated from the original goals David laid out in his early conception and the exhaustion of muscle eventually caused his presidential resig- nation.

In stepped pioneering Afrika Bambaattaa and he assumed the hierarchical po- sition of warlord. Bam’s position of power allowed him to interact and deliberate with rival street gangs at an executive level and the increasing influence of violence inspired strong policing throughout the city. His solution was to form a new group that distanced itself from traditional street gang activities and embraced the dissolving of territorial positions. His new organization, the Zulu Nation, was created in 1973 to bring gangs together and unite them under a model of righteousness and knowledge. DJ Kool Herc is often credited with being the creator of rap music and his neighborhood block parties have become narratives of mythical legend. He left Jamaica and settled in the Bronx, bringing his revolutionary musical sensibilities with him. Herc credits

The Black Spades for energizing the Hip Hop scene and said “It started coming together as far as the gangs terrorizing a lot of known discotheques back in the days. I had respect from some of the gang members because they used to go to school with me. There were the Savage Skulls,

Glory Stompers, Blue Diamonds, Black Cats and Black Spades.”

In its early days the Zulu Nation clashed with the already established organization of

Black islamic teachings known as The Nation of The Gods and The Earths or The Five Percenter Nation. The NGE took stark issue with the Zulu Nation’s improper juxtaposition of Elijah

Muhammad’s teachings and their Infinity Lessons. They disapproved of characterized “street thugs” and criminals positioning themselves as enlightened performers of the 120 lessons, better known as the Supreme Mathematics. The persistence of NGE enforcers led to physical con- frontations and the ultimate conversion of some of the Zulu Nation’s more disingenuous mem- bers. Five Percenter followers believe that the world’s population can be separated into three fractions; Ten percent of people are fully aware of the grand truth of existence but they gravitate toward an elite status and propagate a theory of a “mystery God” to the eighty-five percent of individuals whom they consider ignorant and under their control. The remaining five percent are educated and righteous voyeurs tasked with enlightening the eighty five percent. Ones path to entering the collective of truth is explicitly outlined by The Supreme Mathematics, which is a set of 120 lessons designed to educate and reverse the systematic brainwashing bestowed upon eighty five percent of the population. Their goal was not to join the elites but supersede them and destroy their structure of oppression. The mathematics were created as a set of principles estab- lished by Allah the Father. These guides state that five percenters can interpret numbers and let- ters as spiritual messages from Allah. An official interpretation of the breakdown illustrates that

“the percentages presented are not meant to be exact but are instead meant to represent the pub- lic, the religious and political rulers, and the few truly enlightened people on earth, respectively.

The numbers used point out common traits to identify the members of these three groups and can be fully understood using the language of Supreme Mathematics.”

An offshoot of the NGE was created in 1976 and existed under the moniker “God Body.”

God Body was a specific sect of teachings created for existing members of the NGE in prison with goals of strategically combating the rival latin gangs who targeted members of the nation with violence due to their peaceful and lack of militarily competence. Many Ciphers of

God Body also participated heavily in the drug trade to fund themselves in order to buy arms to protect themselves from raging crews during the major crack era that hit NYC in the late 80’s.

The organization spread throughout prison, where members of every street gang were confined in a melting pot of “” and loyalties. While the documentation of incarcerated Black Spades and God Body members interacting and sharing ideas may not principally exist it is illogical to believe the forced connection and engagement did not birth unforeseen results of union. Damiek

Allah, a member of the NGE, joined the organization in 1986 and described his initial attraction to the organization by saying “when I first saw Gods standing in a cipher and building I was at- tracted to the confidence and electricity they gave off by their wisdom and movements. The kids were young like me but wiser and more aware of their surroundings.” While members of the Na- tion of Islam follow restrictive laws which prohibit them from drinking, smoking, gambling, or eating swine NGE members are allowed to do these things because they are considered the Gods of their own Universe. The looser constraints of the NGE presented an attractive path of right- eousness for a younger generation of modern African Americans living in urban conditions.

Afrika Islam was a Bronx disc jockey who became a direct artistic and spiritual appren- tice under Afrika Bambaattaa. In 1981 he was the first DJ to have his own radio show titled Zulu

Beats, which was beamed straight to the masses from WHBI 105.9 F.M. Throughout the com- munity his reputation was one of admiration and authority while his technique of spinning four turn tables at once made him a technical master of this new musical style. Radio was a primary tool of communication in those days and Afrika Islam can be credited with expanding rap’s lis- tenership while using an alias that deliberately invokes his religious affiliation to Islamic teach- ings. On their official website the Zulu Nation articulates its goals and beliefs by declaring “we believe that racism and hate are trying to rule the lives of Human Beings on this Planet so-called

Earth and that only belief in the Supreme One and truth will destroy this disease called racism and hate.” The religious teachings of Islam are tactics and tools used to ultimately overcome a physical human created system of inescapable racism. When rap music emerged and became a new vessel to voice and act on these concerns the teachings of The Supreme Mathematics were central to the philosophies that dictated the contents of the music’s message.

Lyrical dexterity and intimacy evolved throughout the mid 80s and the original chants urging crowd participation were replaced with declarations of wisdom and knowledge illustrating the problems and solutions of marginalized African Americans. Out of this shift emerged a young rapper named who revolutionized language in the same way T La Rock’s “It’s Yours” changed lyrical structure in 1984 and how Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five introduced socially conscious subject matter with their 1982 single “The Message.” He was initially intro- duced to the NOI while still attending high school in 1986 and later joined The NGE and adopted the name Rakim Allah. His seemingly cool and calm exterior was the result of deep spiritual un- derstanding and the performance of his personal wisdom installed by the Supreme Mathematics.

He incorporated these teachings into his rhymes and isolated phrases commonly associated with five percenter discourse. On his 1986 hit record “Paid In Full” Rakim announces himself by claiming “Yo I'm doing the knowledge E.” The coded expression “do the knowledge” is an ur- gent call instructing an individual to study and practice the teachings enclosed within the 120 lessons. On the same song he goes on to say “I drop science like a scientist/My melodies in code” Members of the NGE often referred to themselves as scientists to highlight their serious and dedicated quest for proof while codes which reveal a universal truth representing spiritual messages from Allah. Rakim’s approach to craft guided his quiet storm of confidence and cap- tured listeners who were used to the high energy of populous and accessible stars like LL Cool J and Run DMC. He inspired a caste of spiritually focused artists that imitated his incorporation of religious ideas of righteousness into their rhymes.

The intrinsic and acceptable use of knowledge and social commentary in rap ushered in a new era of afrocentric ideals. In 1988 a New Jersey rapper performing under the obviously Islam influenced name Lakim Shabazz took the model of intersecting religion with rap and inflated it to produce his debut record “Pure Righteousness.” The album can be viewed as a central artifact of the cultural movement fusing black religion into an artistic outlet. Shabazz’s lyrics play like an infomercial educating the listener on the process of religious transformation. On the title track he raps “Peace as I unleash, style of the wild, tell a lyrical masterpiece. Swift as a summer's breeze,

The knowledge I possess is power of self and it gives me the strength to go the length.” The idea of knowledge of self is representative of a knowledge of god because under 5 percenter philoso- phy every individual member is their own god shaping and sculpting a specific reality. Lord

Jammar, a member of the conscious rap group Brand Nubian, spoke on this necessity of knowl- edge in an interview with NPR and said "There's something about us and how we're respected on the street that enables us to do certain work in the community, I know there is no mystery to

God. This is not faith or belief this is knowledge. And once you have knowledge, it takes away any fear.” To know something is to be disillusioned by its elements and qualities of deception and fantasy. Five percenters believe that if an individual can understand themselves their precise direction in life will become ecstatically clear.

Shabazz goes on to arrange his language into a set of steps which illustrate the “right” route by “See I'm righteous, you wonder how I got to this. Think about it, form a hy- pothesis, an educated guess upon who can manifest. Ejaculate lyrics into the mic at your re- quest.Well it's me, G-O-D. I’m God, my number is 7.” In the Supreme Mathematics God is em- bodied by the number seven because the numerically ordered teachings define the divine spiritu- al entity as “the Original Asiatic Blackman, the Asiatic Blackman is God, a Wiseman's Equality

Born to Build or Destroy infinity. I is self, self is the true reality, Son of Man God.” It is a call for empowerment of the self which will thus creative a higher connection with the infinite truth. In a musical genre designed to project the self as an authoritative messenger the presentation of indi- vidually circumstance knowledge became a highly regarded skill signifying mastership and con- scious control.

As rap music expanded out of its original borough desperate participants from outer re- gions entered the fray with new stylistic sensibilities and ideas. The 3,142 unit complex of

Queensbridge is the largest public housing development in North America. The area’s contribu- tion to the second and third wave of rap’s biggest superstars is undeniable and historical Hip Hop magazine XXL ran a profile describing the musical endurance and artistic renaissance birthed from such clustered and claustrophobic conditions. In the piece journalist Brendan Frederick wrote “hip-hop at its best is the voice of specific blocks, capturing the distinct tone and timbre of an artist’s environment. Since the 1980s, New York City’s Queensbridge Housing Project has been documented perhaps better than any other geographic location. Starting with super producer ’s dominant in the ’80s all the way through ’90s mainstays like ,

Cormega and , the Bridge has produced the highest per-capita talent of any hood.” The lineage begins with DJ, producer, and cultural facilitator Marley Marl, who’s debut record titled

“In Control Volume One” followed in the established footsteps of artists incorporating coded five percenter language into their personas and catalogs. On 1988 song “The Rebel” he featured a six- teen year old up incoming rapper named Tragedy, who would later go on to rename himself

Tragedy Khadafi. He is perhaps the most important and consistent figure in Queensbridge histo- ry.

On “The Rebel” Khadafi raps “I massacrate kids turning flesh to dust and knocking all boots is a definite must. Cause I'm , Trag, Tragedy, Tragic. There are many ways to ex- plain my magic. The explanatory category best fits me cause my lyrics are called sweet poetry.”

This signified another shift in the evolution of lyrical form and function, he summons the intelli- gent and intricate structure of poetry introduced by Rakim but substitutes the value of knowledge in favor of power and dominance. His declarations of violence are darker and sharper then Boo- gie Down Production’s conscious criminal anecdotes and embraces the freedom in a search for supremacy without moral consequence. This style was received as cathartically authentic to the true desires of an oppressed group.

In the same song he introduced the term “” which would later be contextualized by seventeen year old Queensbridge rapper Nas on his critically acclaimed debut album. In an interview addressing the topic Khadafi said “when certain terms came out Hip Hop became the voice of a generation and was able to magnify those terms because a particular artist had a voice to do it.” The pacing, flow, and language of Nas’ raps on Illmatic must be seen as a smooth re- purposing of the foundation Khadfi embedded into the genre. Illmatic was also celebrated for its authenticity and prophetic project window perspective. Nas was telling the listener who, what, where, why, and how he saw events unfolding throughout his environment while positioning himself as a necessary villain, not combating his own community but rather the larger structures which confined and determined his existence. The record “Life’s a Bitch” features fellow

Queensbridge affiliate AZ, whose name is derived from “The Asiatic Blackman” of the 120 lessons. His verse perfectly summarizes the great lyrical shift of the 1990s, where street narra- tives became directed toward intense physical conflict and confrontation: “We were beginners in the hood as Five Percenters but something must’ve got in us, cause all of us turned to sinners.”

The storied structure of Illmatic’s rhymes never felt forced but truly imperative to the full articu- lation of struggle. Throughout the record Nas refers to nameless peers as simply “God” and in- terpolated the coded communication of five percenter members to imply he too was intrenched with a pursuit of spiritual righteousness. His song “The World Is Yours” mimics the empowering potential of manifesting ones true knowledge of self. The direct expansion of official islamic names and teachings was becoming condensed and codified but the underlying thesis uplifting and guiding that language remained a central part of rap’s ethos.

Tragedy Khadafi’s appearance on Marley Marl’s record garnered neighborhood attention and he was quickly perceived as an artist with a promising career ahead of him. At age sixteen he was incarcerated for robbery just months after recording “The Rebel.” While spending three years behind bars at Elmira Correctional Facility he transformed his identity by becoming a five percenter and in 1990 returned under the name . The philosophy he absorbed while faced with incarceration became a central force in the rebirth of his career. In 1995 he be- gan recruiting upcoming artists to join his newly established record label “25 to life.” Khadafi drew inspiration from liberation figures like Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and Che Guev- era, who he labeled as “real gangsters.” He saw himself as a reporter who could interpret the true activities of the streets. In his self produced documentary Khadafi outlined his perspective by saying “if we come on some third world shit we’ll fuck the game up. This ain’t no third world this is the hood, ain’t slugs (bullets) flying over you? They flying over me!” Through his vision the crime infested streets of Queensbridge were no different then the war torn areas within the middle east. He saw the social neglect plaguing these two areas as the same, and sought to ex- pose America’s hypocrisy through sharpening this analogy.

CNN stands for Cable News Network but it also stands for Capone n Noreaga, a duo of

Queensbridge rappers who found a great mentor in Khadafi. They referred to themselves as

“desert men” and founded a concept album centered around the relationship between third world conditions and their own residential areas. “” was released in 1997 and sampled television broadcasts detailing international atrocities in order to re-contextualize the issues tak- ing place in Queensbridge and the greater black America. The religious aspects of muslim culture and teachings were reprioritized in order to highlight the political struggles impacting the origi- nal geographical hotspots of Islam. CNN developed a coded map in which Queensbridge became

Kuwait, The Bronx was Bosnia, and Brooklyn became Baghdad. The War Report’s structure re- vealed a deeper cross cultural fascination between rebelling African Americans and international areas of poverty and deep spirituality.

The spiritual codes of the Wu Tang Clan were established on the narrow streets of Staten

Island and their unpredictable style is a synthesis of kung fu films, five percenter knowledge, and an authentic appreciation for rebellious activity. The impetus behind their obsession with combat was the adaptation and manipulation of different fighting techniques to create the ultimate and unpredictable warrior. All of the pieces of previous predecessors or "masters" were reconfigured to fit the rugged and slashing style of a crew that weren't afraid of violence, authority, and impo- liteness. They weren't pop music in a traditional sense because they represented an ignored and undesired mass. Wu Tang Clan were the quintessential example of rough and tumble rap music forcing itself down the throat of American media. The RZA was the group’s founder and lead producer tasked with establishing business blueprints and developing an original sound. In his autobiography he goes into great detail when recollecting his introduction to spirituality and five percenter teachings. The book begins with the quote “All praise due to Allah, lord of all the worlds” which reinforces his commitment to and appreciation for Islam.

The RZA was first introduced to the NGE by his cousin Daddy-O who went by the

“righteous name” Born Knowledge. In the autobiography he says “I was living like that because of what Daddy-O told me, I had faith that my mind could transform my surroundings” This process of transformation and adaptability is exactly what drew so many African Americans to offshoot divisions of Islam that spoke to the direct issues within their communities. The project of maintaining and managing conditions that are not conducive to success inspired philosophical realignment. The RZA touches on the intertextual necessity of religion and rap by declaring

“Hip Hop was the vessel but allah was the message.” His approach to both music and spirituality mimicked the structure of traditional education. These two entities were simply pathways that guided a devoted follower toward a higher and more infinite truth; “To a lot of guys in the ghet- to, this was their education.” The opportunities provided through traditional academic structures did not prepare African American youth for the harsh realities of street life and many people viewed the NGE as a kind of school outside of academia. The RZA lived through this dichotomy and used his spiritual awakening to focus inward; “So even if you’re in hell, by seeking the 120 lessons you let your mind lead you to heaven. The lessons are a map to realization, they lead you to it in steps.” This idea is consistent with some of Islam’s most original themes and functions.

An individual can connect with the infinite by substituting their conception of an identity with a holistic commitment to engaging with God. The RZA believed the teachings of the NGE were the path to spiritual and emotional substitution, where infinite understanding neutralized the physical effects of external conflict. He took this philosophy and embedded it into what would become the most famous rap group in the world.

In the 21st century rap music has gone from a communally organized outlet of artistic expression to a commodified industry flourishing through the exploitation of capitalist ventures.

With record executives applying pressure on their artists to follow trends and participate in popu- larly understood subject matter the freedom to explore deep and rather “niche” topics like the five percenter nation no longer exists at the culture’s forefront. New Orleans rapper Jay Electron- ica is one of the more mysterious rappers looming largely outside of popular discourse. His me- teoric rise from homelessness to dating billionaire Kate Rothschild is peculiar in itself but the fact he’s signed to Jay-Z’s label, Roc Nation, despite never releasing an album is even more puz- zling. Electronica is something of an industry nomad littering an online trail of standout tracks in no particular pattern to protect and project a non image. His identity has been complicated fur- ther by his well documented affiliation with the NOI. In 2014 he headlined the Brooklyn Hip

Hop Festival and performed in a traditional military Fruit of Islam uniform. While on stage he was accompanied by several stoic NOI security enforcers. This caused great controversy both inside and outside the organization. Some members of the NOI community felt he acted irre- sponsibly by using profane language while wearing the uniform. Louis Farrakkahn is perhaps the most famous black muslim in America and he’s overseen the NOI since being appointed national muslim representative by Elijah Muhammad. When he came to Electronica’s defense through an open letter published in the Nation’s newspaper, Final Call newspaper, he wrote “Is Brother Jay perfect in his representation? Of course not. Are we 100 percent in our representation? Of course not. As persons who have accepted righteousness as our standard of intellectual and moral con- duct are considered ‘those who are striving to be upright,’ then there is much room in all of us for improvement.” This was a direct acknowledgment and even endorsement of rap music by the leader of the NOI, the country’s largest contingent of black religion. Finally there was clear evi- dence of an inherently present connection between the two entities.

Rap music and Islamic teachings have been in conversation with one another since before the music was even conceived. In a sense the entertainment money machine that is the music in- dustry became the vehicle of economic empowerment early NOI leaders called for. The ethics of agreement within that industry are certainly exploitative in their practice but even still, rap music became a way for young African Americans to get paid and lift their families out of generations of poverty. The original ideas that guided the music into the hearts of so many must not be for- gotten. Islam and the quest for knowledge of self funneled its expression through an unforeseen channel of artistic tools.