MI week 13

Tuesday (13a)

African American Islamic music - hip hop

Consider: what are the differences between north American localizations of Islam between two different communities: voluntary Muslim immigrants (the largest number of which come from south Asia - Pakistan and India) and converts (often drawn to Sufism, or mainstream Islam), vs. the descendants of involuntary immigrants - black slaves brought from Africa to provide free labor to whites? If the former group seems to shape new directions in various mainstream "white" genres, such as punk (e.g. Taqwacore), or rock, folk, and metal, the latter shapes the Islamic dimension of hip hop.

Michael Muhammad Knight was inspired by Malcolm X's autobiography. For this week, rather than read, I think it's more powerful to learn about Malcolm X, from his conversion to the Nation of Islam, to his turning away, towards Sunni Islam, and finally his assassination, through video. Likewise for the Five Percenters, or Nation of Gods and Earths.

I've selected two videos:

• NOI and Malcolm X: as portrayed from an outsider (etic) documentary perspective (PBS). Watch Eyes on the Prize—America’s Civil Rights Movement 1954–1985 from 6:01 to 33:30 start here.
• NGE: from an insider (emic) perspective: Lord Jamar, of Brand Nubian:
  • Part 1
  • Part 2

Due

Same assignment as for last Thursday - submit the assignment on eClass 12b if you haven't already.

Read Islam in the Mix: Lessons of the Five Percent, by anthropologist Ted Swedenburg (University of Arkansas) [Note: unfortunately many of his links are broken, but you can google to get the same or similar information]. Locate two examples of Islamic hip hop online. Explain how each conveys an Islamic orientation, based on lyrics or images or other features, and how they contrast. (You may locate examples from Swedenburg's article if you wish, or may broaden the search to hip hop worldwide.) 1 page total. Submit via eClass under (12b).

Some links related to Swedenburg's article

• Allah U Akbar, Brand Nubian. [1]
• It was written: The Message, Nas [2]
• Fu-Gee-La, The Fugees [3]
• gods earths and 85ers, Poor Righteous Teachers [4]
• In The Ghetto, Eric B. & Rakim [5]
• Party for Your Right to Fight, Public Enemy [6]
• Ain't No Mystery, Brand Nubian (with lyrics) [7]
• True Fresh MC, The Genius [8]
• On and on, Erykah Badu [9]
• Dog It, Digable Planets [10]

A broader sampling of Islamic hip hop (including Nation of Islam, NGE, and Sunni - along with nashid and Islamic pop generally) can be located here: Muslim Hip Hop

Class

You'll present your examples.

Note: starting Thursday 13b we'll have presentations. Please attend to hear the results of your colleagues researches, and provide them with your own feedback!