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A Diplomatic Mission of Muslim Hip-Hop – NYTimes.com

A Diplomatic Mission of Muslim Hip-Hop – NYTimes.com. But Native Deen’s faith places it in the history of American hip-hop more generally. Pioneering hip-hop artists like Afrika Bambaataa and Wu-Tang Clan have demonstrated in their lyrics the pervasive influence of Islam in black America. Even when rappers are not themselves Muslim, Dr. Abdul Khabeer said, many borrow ideas and terminology from orthodox Islam and from Muslim-identified groups, like the Nation of Islam and the Five-Percent Nation.

Hasidic Reggae

Yes Virginia, it’s true. Take a look at this site, just to read comments like this: “He can really rip,” agrees hip-hop producer and bassist Yossi Fine (David Bowie, Me’Shell Ndege-Ocello), who is himself part Israeli and Afro-Jamaican Jew. “He’s extremely fierce, jumping around the stage. The only difference between him and a Jamaican rapper is that he takes the lyrics from the Bible instead of from Rasta. He changes ‘Jah’ to ‘Hashem’ [Hebrew for God].” I intend to buy an album. Seems very cool. Also, here.

Hip-Hop’s Reluctant Hero – LA Times Magazine

Hip-Hop’s Reluctant Hero – LA Times Magazine. In pure Lupe Fiasco style, nothing about Lasers is obvious, starting with the title. According to the artist, it either stands for “Love Always Shines Everytime Remember 2 Smile” or it’s a reworking of the word losers where the O is replaced with an anarchy A symbol. And in keeping with the wordplay, Fiasco raps brilliantly about everything from the contradictions of fame to corporate greed to ghetto culture.