American Islamic hip-hop trio goes global

By Nilay Kar 

ISTANBUL

Take three African-American men from America. Add a mix of hip-hop, rap and R&B. Then stir in lyrical themes grounded in Islam.

What have you got? A unique band that has inspired an international fan base and created an easy way to introduce Islam to the uninitiated.

Since the trio, called Native Deen, was formed in 2000, it has performed around the world and inspired Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The band's latest cause is promoting unity in Egypt, an overwhelmingly Muslim country currently wracked by divisions between more hardline Muslims and a more secularist military, which ousted the Islamist president last July -- with many ordinary Egyptians caught in the middle.

And its most recent stop was Istanbul, where it held a concert in support of Egypt with 19 other singers from around the world, under the slogan "Sing for Egypt, There is a R4bia." That is a reference to the four-finger rabaa victory sign that was flashed across Egypt to remember the Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp, which was dispersed in August 2013 in a military crackdown on demonstrators in support of former President Mohammed Morsi.

While in Istanbul, one of the band's members, Naeem Muhammad, granted an interview to the Anadolu Agency.

"We've really wanted to come and perform here and joined the artists to say something good about Egypt and to give them inspiration to come together in unity and make things better for them," Muhammad said.

"We hope that people in Egypt will be one," he told. "Definitely, there have been difficult days and we hope that they can pull together," he said. "We are supposed to strive for big goals. We should strive for big goals that all the people can be included and their voices be heard. I hope there will be a brighter future for everyone in Egypt." 

In addition to Muhammad, the trio includes Joshua Salaam and Abdul-Malik Ahmad. All three members were raised Muslims, and they came together originally to highlight issues confronting Muslims in America.

The country has a diverse musical heritage, and from those many influences Native Deen has created a sound that is uniquely its own.

"The U.S. is made up of so many different nationalities," Muhammad said. "We have Turkish people, Egyptians and Malaysians. ... All these people bring their language, music and culture. We have got the chance to hear all of these differences. That has affected our music, as well."

In the beginning, he acknowledged, people -- especially older listeners -- found the band's music a bit strange.

But over the years, as the Islam-based trio toured America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, people caught on and the band's fan base grew. Now, it is safe to say, Native Deen has inspired numerous Muslims and non-Muslims of all ages and ethnicities from around the world. Music lovers, Muhammad said, were looking for something new.

And their sound is new not just musically, but lyrically, as well. They take their inspiration from the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran -- though they sing about other topics, as well, said Ahmad, one of the other members of the trio. And because they sing in English, at least people in their home country can understand.

"People might not pick up a book and might not get the Quran but music is an easy way to learn about Muslims," Ahmad said. "Because it is music."

englishnews@aa.com.tr