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.
