Politics and religion are subjects that have influenced hip-hop artists since day one, and rappers writing songs about Islam is nothing new either. But getting it right is tricky, and striking a balance between putting forward a message while still being entertaining can be hard to achieve. Boston’s Blak Madeen have that mix just right, with skillful rhymes, and a positive stance about being Muslim that is needed now more than ever. With a new album named Supreme Aftermath out now, we spoke to emcees Yusuf and Al-J about some of the challenges of being Muslim artists.
With its focus on Islamophobia and the way that the media can fuel hate towards Muslims, your music couldn’t be more relevant. Tell us about why you thought now was the right time to release an album like this.
YUSUF: Honestly, our music has always touched upon these subjects. If you listen to our previous projects, you will see that. But the Islamophobia and media-fueled hate have really gotten worse recently, so knew we had to address it head-on.
AL-J: Timing is everything. It’s not fair to our community. We’re talking about multi-billion dollar corporations dumping money into news outlets, so the news is going to be catered to them. From what I see within the Muslim community, and from what I see on the news, it’s totally opposite. But you can’t stop the growth of Islam. The more you bash something, the more attractive it becomes.
Do you find that being Muslims creates hurdles when it comes to getting your music noticed by labels, and promoted to a wide audience, perhaps out of a fear that your subject matter may be seen as ‘controversial’?
YUSUF: It definitely creates a hurdle, but it’s a challenge we accept. We never had delusions of being MTV rappers or anything like that. We knew we would have to take the indie road.
AL-J: I’m very comfortable in my skin. It’s not even a thought. It’s just hip-hop. Brand Nubian, Poor Righteous Teachers, Wu-Tang, they were all seen as controversial at one point.
It’s often hard for overtly political hip-hop artists to avoid being pigeonholed as such. How difficult is it to strike a balance between getting your message across without dumbing it down, while still aiming for mass appeal?
YUSUF: We definitely don’t dumb anything down. The challenge for any artist or writer is to make your message clear, regardless of whether people agree or not. From a musical perspective, it all comes down to production and presentation. You can have the most poignant message in the world, but if your beats are wack or your skills aren’t sharp, nobody is going to care. This is hip-hop.
AL-J: What we think about is just putting out good soulful music that you can connect yourself with. That’s what we intend to give the listener. If me and my brother are buildng with peace and energy that activates constant elevation, we hope that trickles down to the listener.
Who inspires you musically?
YUSUF: Musically, I’m inspired by a handful of artists, like Divine Styler, Everlast, Cormega, Sunz of Man. Listening to their old stuff, as well as their current stuff, reminds me of what made me love hip-hop in the first place.
AL-J: I can go on for days, but I’ll just say Boston, all the local artists. Those are the people that I’m inspired by.
Supreme Aftermath has some impressive guests, including Gift of Gab and Planet Asia. Did they appreciate the overall message of the album right away, or did it take some explaining?
YUSUF: We always reach out to artists who are going to fit the project. Nothing is forced. Gift of Gab and Planet Asia are both well known for conscious lyrics, so we made it happen. The other guests on the album, like Divine Styler, Krumbsnatcha, Blacastan and G. Dot & Born, are all dudes we have worked with multiple times. Those guys are family.
AL-J: It all made sense. When the people we collab with are promoting the song themselves, that’s saying something. It’s all about networking.
Your music is dope enough to standout on its own merit, irrespective of your faith. But do you consider yourself to be message-driven activists first, hip-hop artists second? Or vice-versa?
YUSUF: I used to ask myself the same question, but it is one and the same. Everything is everything. Whether I am rocking a hip-hop show, or doing poetry at an Islamic gathering, I am grateful for whoever pays attentions to what I do.
AL-J: I’m just a vessel for the Most High. Wherever the Most High puts me, that is where he wants me to shine.
Supreme Aftermath from Blak Madeen is out now. Listen here, and purchase here.