Muslim Hip-Hop Group Draws On Islam In America

Variety profiled Native Deen, a Washington-based group which fuses its African-American culture and Muslim faith to create a hip-hop sound with a unique message. “What’s becoming more and more and apparent with Native Deen is that we are, God willing, charting the course for Islamic cultural art form,” group member Naeem Muhammad said. Kriston Atkinson, who studies hip-hop said, “Islam is very marketable in the black community, and therefore in hip-hop. There is a lot of ‘street credibility’ in the religion of Islam because of various misconceptions, assumptions and principles, so when a black artist talks about his Islamic faith, people of all faiths seem to listen a little more.”