One isn't sure where it comes from, but as all true hip-hop fans know, there is something about Islam that naturally speaks to rap music and hip-hop. Somehow, the hip-hop creed of personal strength, self-respect, and opposing the whole world no matter how outnumbered of you are, finds great strength in the established principles of Islam that he stand for the same kind of personal strength. It might be unnerving to some, but the latest hip hop news is full of new artists, most of whom came of age after the September 11 attacks, rebelliously standing up for what they believe in, in a refreshingly stylistic and vociferously unapologetic manner often promoting American Islam, promoting in the best traditions of the hip-hop art, the feelings of everyday life that an American Arab or other American Muslim faces. Islamic hip-hop raps about personal growth, spiritual commitment, and social change.
Hamza is one such popular Islamic rapper, who made the hip hop news recently for starring in a documentary on PBS, called New Muslim Cool. The theme you see in Islamic hip-hop is, depending on how you see it, disturbingly familiar. Just as Gangsta rap does, Islamic hip-hop seems preoccupied with death, prison, drugs, and harsh betrayal. However, in keeping with Islamic restraint, they rarely bring in vulgar jewelry, cars or women into their rants. Familiar themes include sounding off against corporate soullessness, praise for God and berating the war in Iraq.
A part of what Islamic rap tries to do is show with its lost youth how music and religion can give them something to anchor themselves to life with. The way samples of Martin Luther King's or Malcolm X's speeches often make it into hip-hop background music, samples of Louis Farrakhan's speeches often make it into both hip-hop news and hip-hop music. The only problem is, that Islamic rap often tries to "go back to the roots" when it deals with religion. You'd see it right away at any Islamic rap concert; where in a regular rap concert you'd see a lot of skimpy dressing and beer, at an Islamic rap concerts, you would see only men, and fruit juice or milk shakes.
The strict religious code on drink, extends to the music itself. There has been hip hop news made recently about how Islamic high priests have let it be heard how they did not approve of music that represents religion. You have heard of how the Taliban shoots up music shops in Afghanistan. Islamists had to stand against music. Conservative Islam sees music as corrupting and evil. Mos Def and Everlast are two such Orthodox Muslims, who find themselves in a dilemma. As a general rule, Islamic hip-hop doesn't really find much of a following. The less they bring religion into it, the better it appears to be for their popularity.
But still, Islamic hip-hop is a nascent artform; it still needs to find its niche, and make sure that the hip-hop news, reflects the hard work it does to grow.