Santa Claus and booty-clappin’ music never really went together. In fact, they would be in almost complete opposition to one another if St. Nick didn’t love people sitting in his lap. And while most American hip-hop artists do identify as Christian, it’s easy to forget that not everyone in the industry worships the same way. While Jewish rappers Drake, the remaining Beastie Boys, and Kosha Dillz have Hannukah to keep them involved in the holiday spirit, the sizable collection of Muslim hip-hop artists don’t have a holiday to get down with come the end of December. With them in mind, here’s a list of just a few rappers that won’t be decking the halls:
RZA
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, also known as the RZA, is the producer behind the Wu-Tang Clan’s albums, as well as a solo emcee and prolific contributor to the Wu discography. While the RZA belongs to no Mosque, he is a member of the Five Percent Nation (officially the Nation of Gods and Earths), which incorporates an eclectic mix of religious teachings, including the Saudi-based teachings of Islam.
Q-Tip
Q-Tip, the driving force behind classic group A Tribe Called Quest, has Kamaal Ibn John Fareed written on his passport. The MC converted to Islam as an adult, changing his name to one from the Arabic tradition that gave birth to his new found faith.
Yasiin Bey
You may know Yasiin Bey by his old stage name, Mos Def, but Dante Terrell Smith, unlike Q-Tip, kept his legal name and changed his artistic identity to match his religion. Also a prolific and talented actor, Bey has been a major force in hip-hop since the 1990s, consistently creating some of the most intelligent lyrics in the industry and never sacrificing flow to get deep into the meaning behind the façade.
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli’s parents put some serious thought into their son’s name. Talib is Arabic for “student” or “seeker,” while Kweli is a Swahili word meaning “true.” Dropping his last name (Greene), Kweli used the remainder as his stage name and soaked up the teachings his academic parents provided, including Islamic and African spiritual philosophies.
Busta Rhymes
For Busta Rhymes, arguably the king of speed-rap, staying grounded has to do with one’s connection to the most high, whom he knows as Allah. Busta won’t be setting up a Christmas tree this year – or any, for that matter.
T-Pain
T-Pain has been a Muslim since childhood. Beyond his parents’ opinions on the artist’s career, we want to know what the imams in Mecca think about Apple Bottom Jeans. And for those of you saying T-Pain is a robo-singer, and not a rapper, take a look at his pre-record deal catalog – he wasn’t born a cyborg.
Brother Ali
Brother Ali gets his name from one of Islam’s most important figures, the cousin and son-in-law of the prophet Mohammed. The historical Ali was also the person around whom the Sunni/Shi’ite divisions began. This rapper isn’t at all about bloodshed though, as these lyrics might attest: “Just got married last year/ treated so good that it ain’t even fair/ already got a boy now the baby girl’s here/ Bought us a house like the Berenstein Bears.” That being said, he is using the Stars & Stripes as a prayer rug.
K’Naan
Out of all the rappers on this list, K’naan has probably tackled questions of faith most seriously: his newest album is even titled “Country, God, or the Girl.” One listen wasn’t enough for this writer to truly grasp the title, but I can assure you that his poetry is certainly worthy of his other nickname, The Dusty Foot Philosopher. Hailing from Somalia, K’naan was brought up in a deeply religious culture in a country torn apart by tribal war and ruled over by fundamentalist Islamic militias. Finding refuge in Toronto, New York, and elsewhere, K’naan has managed to at least find peace in his music.
Lupe Fiasco
This Chicago hip-hopper was born and raised Muslim, but also runs two clothing lines, which probably make the holiday season a lucrative time of year for this young rapper and entrepreneur.
Ice Cube
According to Ice Cube, “Me and Allah go back like cronies/ I don’t got to be fake cause he is my homie.” If you’re on this site you probably know enough of Ice Cube’s other lyrics to find an opinion on that quote. Cube doesn’t celebrate Christmas, but he is one of the most important MCs of all time, an originator of gangster rap, and an extremely successful actor.
Ice Cube is fake and T-Pain is not a rapper. A Muslim would not take one dollar from St. Ides and T-Pain is… well, let’s just say that Muslims still use the term “down low” to mean don’t tell anybody you saw me here homie.