God Hop:
The Music and Message of Five Percenter Rap
Abstract
The late 1980s saw the birth of "conscious" rap: "conscious" MCs and crews took Black Nationalism, Pan-Africanism, Islamic doctrine, education, political empowerment, and other social causes as their themes. Many of the most successful "conscious" solo acts and groups of the late 1980s and early 1990s had at least nominal ties to Islamic doctrines. Indeed, many are members of the Five Percent Nation (a breakaway sect from the Nation of Islam also known as the Nation of Gods and Earths) and frequently use their music and lyrics as a form of proselytism. Considering themselves Black Muslim missionaries and encouraged by leaders they respect, such as Minister Louis Farrakhan, Five Percenter rap musicians use their musical platform to spread their doctrine, a black nationalistic theology with roots in the teachings of the Nation of Islam, Kemetic symbolism, Masonic mysticism, and esoteric numerology.
This dissertation examines both music and message of rap produced and performed by members of the Five Percent Nation. I begin with a sketch of the Five Percent Nation's cultural and spiritual history, from Noble Drew Ali's Moorish Science Temple through the legacies of W. D. Fard, Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, Clarence 13X, and Louis Farrakhan. I also clarify Five Percenter doctrine within the context of its Nation of Islam origins and offer historical and social explanations for the close ties between hip-hop music and culture and the Five Percent Nation. I then investigate some of the many tools Five Percenter crews, MCs, and DJs bring to their task of "civilizing the uncivilized," some of which include: quoting and paraphrasing Five Percenter lessons in lyrics; meticulously crafting infectious grooves in order to capture the attention of their intended audience; making use of particular samples in order to create multiple levels of meaning; and giving careful attention to album packaging and organization. Together these tools help Five Percenter musicians spread their message of redemption, a task eloquently outlined by Wise Intelligent of the hip-hop group Poor Righteous Teachers: "Rap is [a] gardening tool. Get the brains right and exact so we can drop the seed. Drop that seed, fertilize it, and it's bound to grow to infinity."
Please do not cite this page or link this page to your site without permission of the author. If you would like more information about my dissertation, please contact me.
Site last updated 30 December 2004