The Illuminati and Rap

Peace guys, before I go into this post I must say that this is the last post of the whole blog…and it’s quite right to look at the biggest issue in rap for the past 15 years…the idea that the Devil is running rap through the Illuminati. The Illuminati is supposedly a secret society that has been around for centuries but now allegedly have taken an interest in rap music. Could be a good idea I guess, makes sense controlling what the youth listen to right?

Since early hip-hop, rappers have been speaking about this, in the Jay-Z song D'Evils, the chorus has the lyrics, ‘Illuminati want my mind, soul and body…Secret society trying to keep their eye on me’. The second line can have a sinister double meaning, with ‘eye’ hinting at the All-Seeing Eye often a trademark attributed to the Illuminati as they are watching over literally EVERYTHING! But what is peculiar is how in music videos these symbols, such as the All-Seeing Eye, are everywhere. Take a look at this Jay-Z picture for example.

You can tell the subject of the Illuminati has been all over rap by this cool graph I found!

But several artists who allegedly are apart of this secret Devil society have spoken about the allegations; Kanye said in an interview how it doesn’t make sense for rappers to be part of it when people who control energy companies would fit suitably. He also said how sometimes with lyrics and music you have to have a compromise with record label executives, so really the artists have no full creative responsibilities. And that makes sense, like why would you make things like this so obvious?

Surely the point of a secret society is to keep things secret? This issue has been spoken about for decades in rap and I’m sure it will continue.

  

And it’s unfortunately here where I must leave, it’s been good folks I hope I’ve shown you how religion and faith has been prevalent in rap – if you have any comments feel free to drop them!!

Peace!

Is Rap destroying Faith and Religion?

What’s up family, I’ve been thinking how I could write this blog differently compared to the ones before. The ones before are cool no doubt, but I’m just thinking how I could switch things up to come up with an argument for the sake of a good debate. So I was searching and I found this very interesting article. For those who can’t be asked to check it (I’d probably be one of them) it’s Bill O’Reilly talking about how rap music is destroying faith and religion. He says the following:
‘The rap industry, for example, often glorifies depraved behaviour. That sinks into the minds of some young people – the group that is most likely to reject religion’.

Everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion but for those who know rap music know that’s soo far from the truth. Let’s analyse a few rap songs that show the opposite. 

Kendrick Lamar, the leading rapper of our time, also on the left, talks about the dangers of gang culture and violence in the song ‘I’m Dying of Thirst’, about this issue he raps ‘What are we doing? Who are we fooling? Hell is hot, fire is proven to burn for eternity’. His belief in faith actually comes in to warn the youth not to fall into the trap of a destructive life. 

Another rapper, Lauryn Hill, talks about the nature of life in her song Doo Wop (That Thing), she aims some lyrics at those people who claim to be religious but are not, she says:

‘talking out your neck, saying you’re a Christian, a Muslim sleeping with the gin’

But she always finishes the song with the philosophical line, ‘how you gonna win when you ain’t right within?’ And it’s at this point you have to go back to Bill O’Reilly’s statement...how can music like this destroy faith when really it’s propagating proper faith?! But people actually believe this kind of stuff which is sad; they would argue that rap music is the devil music… which is interesting as the next post is all about the Devil running rap music through the Illuminati!!!

God Speed!!

Islam in Rap

Hey what’s up guys, sorry for the late post I’ve been sooo caught up doing my dissertation and other essays for uni but I’ve finally got around to writing this post. As the title suggests this post will be focusing on Islam in Rap. I know I’ve already touched on the 5% Nation of Islam in rap music but this is completely different.

There a loads of Muslim rappers/producers in rap music, the likes of Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, Rakim, Lupe Fiasco and Mos Def. And to be honest you can see their faith reflected in their music.

Rakim.

The man many consider the greatest rapper of all time, spoke about how his faith affects his lyrics, the brother said, ‘’I love what I live and I live Islam, so I applied it to everything I do” and if you peep his lyrics you can understand what he means. In his song R.A.K.I.M. he begins at the beginning saying how the A in his name stands for ‘Allah who I praise to the fullest’, he finishes the song with the Quranic reference too, ‘rest assure, when I rock, dance crowds and scream, Bis-Mi-Allah A-Rahman A-Rahim’.

This saying has also been heavily incorporated in the albums of Mos Def who starts by saying Bismallah ir Rahman ir Raheem. These themes of religion ran throughout his song ‘Fear Not of Man’ where he raps, ‘Angels hold a pen keep a record in time which is passing and running like a caravan trader’. Later in the song where he talks about how he sees the wealthy and wicked running the world he says, ‘God is sufficient in disposing of affairs, gunmen and stockholders try to merit my fear but God is sufficient over plans they prepared’. This in fact a running theme throughout all this albums so if you wanna check it out via Itunes and Spotify go ahead, but please no illegal downloading…

The rapper Lupe Fiasco, in respect to his faith, did a cover song of Kanye’s Jesus Walks, called Muhammad Walks. He talks about how his faith truly is but also how it’s perceived in current world affairs. He raps:

‘G’s up along with Muhammad and Jesus. In the Quran they call him Isa, don’t think Saddam is our leader. We pray for peace, but the drama intrigues us all, so we fall for the illusions of the beast – so instead of trying to teach we show our teeth’

In fact one could say that Lupe is teaching (as the above suggests) in this song how the faith has been grossly misunderstood in light of events such as 9/11. And finding no other way to teach he resorts to the medium of rap in which he can teach, and successfully teach I reckon right?

Unfortunately, that’s all I can touch on when looking at Rap and Islam, if anyone else has any links feel free to comment.

Peace.