Islam and Hip-Hop in the United States

Political and social events have often had a powerful influence on the music industry’s focus and what it promotes or criticizes. With increased scrutiny of Islam and Muslims leading to fierce debate and media propagation along with recent policies and political events having directed more and more attention to Islamic influences in the United States, the intersection between Islam and Hip-Hop in the United States has evolved and grown to include socio-political motifs that reflect the turmoil and unrest throughout history.

Within the connection of Hip-Hop and Islam, the ideas of Critical Race Theory help explain ideas prominent in both music and religion. As for background on Critical Race Theory (CRT), Delgado explains that CRT began as a broad coalition of activists and scholars, like professors and lawyers, who were interested in studying and transforming the relationship among race, racism, and power. Delgado goes on to explain some pertinent tenants to CRT. The first is how racism is really difficult to address and cure, especially with colorblind tactics used to erase historical oppression. The second tenant revolves around the social and economic domination of whites, especially in the US, and the difficultly for whites to admit to racism due to admitting the benefits have and continue to receive. Lastly, Delgado explains the importance of story-telling, so that the “unique voice of color” is able to express the impact of systematic racism. 

These tenants provide the background in the intersectionality of race and Islam regarding CRT. Specifically, there are concepts pertaining to the challenging of whiteness/ideal western values and the ongoing racialization of Blacks and Muslims/Black Muslims.

Before discussing the concepts mentioned above and their relationship to CRT, it’s important to note the historical intersectionality between race and Islam. This is shown through the story of Bilal, a former black slave and convert to Islam, who Prophet Muhammad appointed as the first Muazzin, or Caller To The Prayers. Despite race, Prophet Muhammad recognized the devout faith Bilal had to Allah, promoting the Prophet to free Bilal and give him an important role in Islam. So we can see that the intersectionality of race and Islam goes back to the roots of the religion. The historical intersectionality also comes about the history of the Nation of Islam and The Five Percent Nation, both having rappers become members and convert to Islam in order to align to the social message preached in their lyrics.

When thinking about these concepts of challenging whiteness/ideal western values and faith as well as the racialization of Blacks and Muslims, there are two sources we should look to. First, Sawar 2017 and Khabeer 2012, who explain how the concept of whiteness and western ideas has shaped new racism centered on Islam, while still continuing the oppression Blacks in the US have endured, messages that find themselves in the lyrics of rap artists. As a result, Blacks, Muslims, and Black Muslims can relate to the social messages in Hip-Hop, and relate to the struggles that both intertwined communities endure.

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