For Sisters Only June5, 2009!!
Mustafa Davis. Amir Sulaiman.Dunya
"There is a Devil"*TYSON* Directed by Mustafa Davis
New Muslim Cool in the Wold Beat Center-May 2009
Sister Makeda, known throughout San Diego as Reggae Makossa on Radio 91X Sundays at 8pm, opened her home, the World Beat Center, to the community of LICC. Makeda is one who respects and honors culture and religion which made it very easy to approach her with the idea for a San Diego screening of New Muslim Cool.
Muslims and non-Muslims enjoyed vegetarian patties and pizza, live Cuban Music, and free Starbucks coffee which is always great! 
Muslim children brought with them their non-Muslim friends and family. Non-Muslims who came found New Muslim friendship. Together we watched an ex-drug dealer's road to redemption. Non-Muslims were able to see that Muslims have the same struggles. Also we were able to witness that divorce and homelessness did not stop this brother's effort to help others discover and walk their own road to redemption.
Hamza offered a Question and Answer session with the viewers. He spoke briefly on the fact the our Prophet, Peace be upon Him, did not only help Muslims, but those who were not Muslim as well. That we need to look at people as human beings not as Muslim, Jew, Christian, Black, White and Latino. My favorite quote from Hamza was, "We cannot offer a sandwich in one hand and a pamphlet in the other."
New Muslim Cool in Rohr Park- May 2009
LICC is a community of diversity in background, culture and ethnicity. It is no wonder that most visitors feel they are amongst family. This small community is grounded by deen and dawah who ask no financial compensation for their efforts.
Chef Asadullah killing it at the grill with his secret sauce. He grilled chicken and hot dogs with the blessing of Bismillah. The community came together to create a mestizo of side dishes from mangoes to baked beans. No one diets at an LICC Bar *B *Q! 
The sisters tried to maintain their composure as "You Got the Right Stuff" by New Kids on the Block played on the Ipod. All giggles as their hands gestured "The Rebok" and any other dance that was associated with that video. (its on Youtube!!). Why did everyone get excited when "Thriller" came on? They had mentioned a video with Filipino prisoners learning the dance routine? Idunno... anyway back to Rohr Park... 
,as usual,and babies chasing after bubbles. It was a Muslim Cool Day in Rohr Park.New Muslim Cool-Sunday and Monday in San Diego!
Hasan Salaam 2009
of course you do. 2005 the only information I could find on Hasan Salaam was on his myspace page. Today in 2009 you can google "Hasan Salaam" and find his bio everywhere from small media outlets to wikipedia.
Hasan Salam has spent time in the U.K. and Germany rolling in his double decker bus, late nights in the chip shops, and representing at the Battle Scars competition in Brixton http://www.eodub.com/mc-challenge/mc-challenge-results/article/33.html. He performed with SPEAKERS CORNER QUARTET http://www.blogger.com/www.myspace.com/speakerscornerquartet%20- - and DJ SNUFF.
Since the release of his new album "Children of God" he intends to schedule more shows around the U.S. and Europe throughout the year with Immortal Technique. He also has another project in the works with a few brothas in his camp labeled "Muhammad Dangerfield". Look out for that one!
He continues to work with 5th Column and conduct monthly food and clothing drives in Jersey City. He also works with youth aiding them in creative writing and chess. He is a real genuine brother who was inspired by the lives of his students and his own when creating "Children of God." He holds himself to be a person of action and interaction with Muslims and non-Muslims. You can reach him on twitter, facebook, aim, and myspace.
"Children of God" is available on Itunes and at cdbaby.com/cd/hasansalaam4
"There is a reason Zakat and Salaat are mentioned so closely in the Quran. Prayer without the action in our lives to help others (Muslim and Non-Muslim) is just a show. The word Is am is rooted in the Aramaic word "Lam" which means Peace, as Muslims we should be the peacemakers and show and prove on our faith. Standing up against injustice and aiding those who are in need creates peace."- Hasan Salaam
The Narcicyst Album is out NOW!!!!
From the clutches of Compton to Islam- Wake Up!!
This Week in a Muslim Hip Hop Minute
M-Team Bismillah
Look out for this!!
Hasan Salaam(live) in Berlin @ Cassiopeia
Thanks again Bro!
Please Offendum
It was amazing to me that someone so clean has been undiscovered and unadvertised. I guess this is why he is not commercial. There is no gimmick about him. He comes true without trying to get by with his Muslim card.
Omar was raised in an Arab-Muslim sub community. With a supportive and open minded family to guide him in finding a balance within his culture and religious life he was given the encouragement to develop his talents.
Growing up in D.C., home to BET, hip-hop was a part of the youth culture. In college he began making beats, MCing and performing with his partner Mr. Tibbz. Together they were known as N.O.M.A.D.S.
He has spent two years in the lab to get the chemistry right for a timeless record that will, Inshallah, impact his audience. An Arabic/English, Nizar Qabbani meets Langston Hughes. A Syrianamericana firmly rooted in hip hop.
Modest, he does not go on tour but he performs upon invitation!
You can find Omar offendum online:
http://www.offendum.com/
offendum.blogspot.com
and all my facebook friends:
http://www.blogger.com/www.facebook.com/pages/OMAR-OFFENDUM/52031395779
Review: New Muslim Cool
Inside Deen Tight
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September 11 Bushido: Immortal technique Mos Def and Eminem
Taqbir!!
CNN reports: Even Al Qaeda Uses Hip- Hop
"Mortar by mortar, shell by shell, only going to stop when I send them to hell,"
The lyrics above were recited by Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, "The American". CNN reports he was given this name by al Qaeda. He is now in Somalia training and counseling Somalis from North America and Europe. According to American "Intelligence" their mission is to overthrow President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed for cooperating with the West.
The CNN's report is entitled, "Al Qaeda exporting jihad with a hip-hop vibe." What? Republicans this is getting old already. Go after some real terrorist and turn your fathers in!
Muslim Hip Hop Indiscriminate
Hip-hop in its earliest structure has been around since the 1920’s. As fans mimicked the funky sounds and moves of James Brown, hip-hop became a culture waiting to be cultivated. That boom, bap, boom-boom, bap became the thick back drop of American music. In the early seventies a culture called hip-hop blossomed in the sound, swagger, dance, art, and dress. The hip-hop culture was adopted by countless "Urban" youth in the seventies before it had a name. Today, those youth have become members of all aspects of society. Teachers use hip-hop to educate and Muslims use hip-hop to motivate.
Now that mainstream America has climbed off their high horse to look into the world of hip-hop, contributors of all religious and ethic backgrounds are looked to for a general impression. Hip-hop is now seen for its expression of the people. It is a well known fact that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. The teachings of Islam influence and change lives without discrimination. It is an honor from Allah to be of the chosen few on "haq" (truth). The appreciation of the artist is visible in the precision in their craft. There have been Muslims in hip-hop for generations, but now we see a generation who has invited hip-hop into the Muslim world. A people who express their love of Islam in their Music, lyrics, and Art. I remember an open mic in San Diego at Voz Alta. Kidragon was the DJ for the evening. He mixed a speech by Malcolm X over a funk beat. Every word Malcolm was saying was amplified as if he was on stage. You could feel Kidragan giving you the message of Malcolm from his turn tables. Everyone was feeling it: Muslim, non-Muslim, young, old, the sceptic, and the believer. This is hip-hop indiscriminate.
New Trailer for New Muslim Cool-2009
Hamza and Rafiah meet each other by blending traditional values with new technology.
Muslim Hip-hop this week 2009: Omar Offendum
April 19th at the Layla Lounge in Washington DC
OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American MC and producer now living in Los Angeles. He started his musical career off as 1/2 of The N.O.M.A.D.S. Offendum is currently working on his upcoming solo release,"Syriana-americanA"
More to come on this brother in the future...Look out for the story....
2009 Insha'Allah. Tranquility on a Saturday afternoon. Depth of Field Test.
I don't know who is rhymin' but Global Faction did the footage.
San Diego!!! New Muslim Cool
Hamza, Kidragon, and DJ Raichous will be present at this event. Come out and support!Dawah or Club Salat?
I was of the blessed few to watch “New Muslim Cool” before it's premiere on PBS. This film follows the life of a true da'i. This brotha offers a lot of footage with all of the foot work he commits to. The film crew follows him from the prison, to the community center, home, the studio, and to the stage. While watching this film I had to shake my head in disappointment. Not in the film, because it's excellent, but at one particular portion of the film that featured the M-Team on stage in front of a crowd of Muslims.
The topic of 2009, especially with the release of the film “Deen Tight,” is the use of hip-hop as dawah. I feel that human beings tend to lay the light of responsibility at the foot of others to hide their own blemishes. To have the capability of accepting responsibility one gains the opportunity to cast his ego to the side and “get nurred', as Ismaelo says. Throughout the history of hip-hop men and women who did not know how to be parents shoved their parental defects on the entertainers for having influenced their child's life in a way that they could not or did not. Now we find that Muslims want entertainers to take responsibility for the adab or lack there of in the crowd.
In the footage you can see the adab of the Rasool go out the door and kibr (pride) and riyah (showing off) walk in. An open- mic turns in to Club Salat featuring DJ Akbar. Brothers and sisters who were once shy to look at each other in the Masjid parade around in their freshly shaved “Sunni”, thinned eye-brows and heavy make-up. The Muslim get-down is a time for showing off in movement, dress, and demeanor. Let's not front. Where is the dawah in this? Is this pleasing to Allah ta'ala?
The dawah was in the intent to bring Muslims and non-Muslims together. The dawah was in creating the lyrics to inspire Muslims to do right. The dawah was in creating lyrics that non-Muslims can relate to and show them the truth. The dawah was in proving to others that it is not too late to change your life. Hip-hop is not to blame. The culture of hip-hop can be a great meal, but when you place this meal on a garbage lid it's not so appetizing.
Many in the Muslim community are not going to buy this meal when it is presented like this. I love hip-hop. I love Muslim hip-hop. I love my brothas and sistas who come out and wow the crowd. But what I can't appreciate is when “Sunna” comes out later. As the audience, we must keep our dignity, our adab, and keep our deen tight. We must remember that our character is dawah as well.
The Shukriy Fabel
