The Five Percenters: Islam, Hip-hop and the Gods of New York

by Michael Muhammad Knight

Overview

From Malcolm X to the Wu Tang Clan, the first in-depth account of this fascinating black power movement

With a cast of characters ranging from Malcolm X to 50 Cent, Knight’s compelling work is the first detailed account of the movement inextricably linked with black empowerment, Islam, New York, and hip-hop. Whether discussing the stars of Five Percenter rap or 1980s crack empires, this fast-paced investigation uncovers the community’s icons and heritage, and examines its growing influence in urban American youth culture.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781851686155
Publisher:	Oneworld Publications
Publication date:	10/01/2008
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	398,783
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Michael Muhammad Knight converted to Islam at 16 after reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X, and at 17 traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan to study at Faisal Mosque. His debut novel, The Taqwacores, is credited with influencing the American Muslim woman-led prayer movement and has also inspired a nascent Islamic punk rock scene.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements     vi
List of Plates     viii
Introduction     xi
Mecca     1
Desert Fathers     9
Clarence and Malcolm     32
The Blood Brothers     42
Allah     49
The Burning Mosque     65
Matteawan     74
Allah and the Mayor     92
Swarms of Devils     117
The Lives of Nations     130
Warrior Stripes     142
Belly of the Beast     160
Song of the Gods     177
The Builders Build     187
Mothers of Civilization     208
The Azreal Question     226
The Road to Cream City     237
Show and Prove     258
Appendix of Names     271
Notes     274
Index     297

Editorial Reviews

"Knight does an excellent job of presenting the movement’s founders, belief system and its history as seen by the people who live it."

Monsters and Critics