Wednesday 15 July 2009

The future of Islamic rap

Muslim Hip Hop and so called Islamic rap artists are an easy target by some poeople looking to make a name for themselves. These people who point the finger at Muslim Rap artists i n the community should try to organise a dawa event and try to book some Imams and So called sheikhs as many of them are worse in their demands than Musdlim Rap arttists. Many of them are going on with too much madness in comparisson to Muslim Rap artists. Sadly when some artists become redundant bitterness creeps in. May Allah save us all from this.


Now with the issue of charging many if not all of the artists I know in the the circuit have done events for free. Do we say that it is OK for Promoters to make all the money and the performers must not get paid. Islamic Hip Hop is not just Dawa it is Entertainment. Yes there is ego involved but as a brother who deals with lecturers most lecturers in the Muslim circuit are guilty of the same things (99%) as Muslim Hip Hop Nasheed artists. Speakers/Lecturers that you and I listen to (in all sects) charge much more than Nasheed artists and Muslim Hip Hop artists. Many brothers who charge, Some/mnay do use the money to help support their wives and families which has been sanctioned by Sheikhs we both know and respect. Some brothers/sisters who charge do use some of their money from events to good positive projects for DAWA… I AM NOT NAMING NAMES….


What has happened before now when reverts where coming to Islam they were dumb little beggers going to the Mosque and begging for Zakat and wives and partners. Because most management committee's mosques are currupt and certain management were marrying all the sisters and keeping the Zakat for themselves. This Muslim Hip Hop scene has helped to break that rubbish down. Hence they are building a new economy (record labels, promotion companies, management agencies, clothing lines etc) this can be only a positive thing as business is encouraged in Islam.
Teachers get paid for working with Muslim Youths, Imams/Sheikhs get paid to work with Muslim Youths,Youth workers and Social Workers get paid to work with Muslim youths why can’t Muslim Rappers get paid to work with Muslim Youths…… Remember people have marraiges, families and bills to pay……..

Muslim rappers have brought to the surface many campaigns that most so called organisations keep us dumb to. Like everything else the Muslim Hip Hop scene is very competitive. This is a good thing to raise the level of quality and standard of the scene. I do admit, may Allah forgive us all for some moves that do take place. But this is among Islamic lecturers, Islamic TV stations, Islamic orgasnisations.(Selafi’s, Sunni, Shia, Sufi Iquani everywhere) This is not just among Muslim Hip Hop PERFORMERS. (I'm saying that as someone who works with many organisations and groups)

Recently I had to help book some speakers for a project. Many speakers we look up to demand First Class /Business Class flight tickets and payments (thousands of Pounds) for Dawa - If they don't get this payment they have lawyers who will take you to court. These are speakers who's CD's and DVD's we have in our homes are guilty of this -How come the people who write articles against the Muslim Hip Hop scene you don't mention them. Some of these speakers you have in our collection have henchmen too. There's no Muslim hip hop group or artist that has a henchman at all. Please see the full picture brothers and sisters..... As a person who has worked with many Muslim Rappers none of them have henchmen or Lawyers ready to sue and if there is money owed they will accept installments or they waver it.


What about these deen intensive courses to learn the deen.(which are great initiatives) Some of these courses are the biggest rip offs going charging many people hundreds/thousands of pounds for courses that is for our spirirual benefit. Why haven't the critics written about this. What about crooked so called Sheikhs and speakers who take large sums in commission when they are fundraising for charities. (on TV/events) In their white robes and big beards Quoting the noblest of hadiths but there faces light up thinking about their commission. Yes a percentage is fine but some people are charging crazy commussion for fundraising.... Trust me.....

The truth is that Muslim Hip Hop is an easy target by people who don't know what is happening on a local, national and worldwide scale. Mainly because it's due to ignorance, it's an Islamic Urban expression of the deen that appeals to the young and marginalised.... Many Muslim Artists, photographers, painters, lecturers etc seem not to get pulled up and many of them are worse than my Muslim Rapper counterparts. I'll be straight it's mainly due to raicism too. The elders don't like to see Young Black Muslims expressing their deen and spirituality their way. So many elders are quick to disrespect the art and many 21st century House slaves will assist to revive themselves.

This Muslim Hip Hop scence has helped create a business/economy that helps brothers/sisters get paid for security getting paid to give out leaflets, making money from selling their chosen product at events they have supported new Islamic Urban wear clothing companies etc. This scene has helped people find lifelong marraige partners. In all honesty bro not all Muslim Hip Hop shows are freemixed. You have been to seperate seated events yourselves.



Why just condemn the Muslim Hip Hop ARTISTS ……At the same time we involved in the Muslim rap scene have alot to learn.
Bro!!! Please make dua for us and tell us face to face so we may strive insh’llah…


Ismael of M2M

Saturday 11 July 2009

What is the challenge facing young Muslims?

What is the challenge facing young Muslims?


Well this is a massive question, but i feel that the main challenge for the up and coming generation of Muslims is how to practice their deen in the UK. How not to get caught up with the materialist lifestyle that surrounds us all, how to stay focused on Allah and the prophet Muhammad (saw) and the end journey which is the day of judgement which ultimately leads to Allah.
Many young people are finding this challenge extremely difficult and are falling by the way side, they are getting caught up in the media frenzy of the lifestyles of the rich and famous, Gossip magazines are the must have literature item for most young girls in Britain today. Programmes on TV like Americas Top Model, X-Factor, Big Brother, Britain's got Talent, Who wants to be a Millionaire promote a lifestyle that only a tiny percentage will ever lead.

Today young Muslims are involved in drugs, gang violence, criminality, alcohol abuse, sexual relationships outside of marriage and all of the other distractions that all young people are facing. We know teenage pregnancy in the UK is the highest but now Muslims are adding to that number.

What is the solution well first the Muslim community needs to acknowledge the problem exists then the professionals in the community need to work on interventions for these young people. There are many grass roots organisations already doing this work for example mecca 2 Medina and crescent moon media are actively engaging with young people and trying to guide them back onto the straight and narrow but sadly not enough is being done.

For more info on the work mecca 2 Medina and crescent moon media do email

crescentmoonmanagement@gmail.com

Info@crescentmoonmedia.com

info@mecca2medina.net

mecca 2 medina on the challenge for the youth

The youth of today are in a crisis. They first have all the pressures of materialistic advertising bombarding them everywhere they turn. They also have the fear of being violently attacked or robbed on our streets today. The young people of today also face the pressure of their appearance. As the media machine keeps turning the effects of it are evident everywhere.
Designer clothes are seen as the norm, if you are one of those children that do not have access to them you may suffer bullying at school and in your local neighbour hood. All of the youth are effected by this Muslim, christian, Atheist.

Mecca 2 Medina and other groups like them try to inform the youth about the importance of spirituality. The importance of having good manners and integrity these great traits are sadly frowned open in our money hungry culture.

The question I ask is how can the youth deal with this challenge?

What are the solutions to the problems that young face today in 2009?



for more info on mecca 2 medina
go to:
www.mecca2medina.net
www.reverbnation.com/mecca2medina
www.myspace.com/mecca2medina