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

313 Pages·2007·1.31 MB·English

by  Michael Muhammad Knight

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THE FIVE PERCENTERS
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THE FIVE PERCENTERS
Michael Muhammad Knight
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THE FIVE PERCENTERS
A Oneworld Book
Published by Oneworld Publications 2007
Copyright © Michael Muhammad Knight 2007
All rights reserved
Copyright under Berne Convention
ACIP record for this title is available
From the British Library
ISBN-13: 978–1–85168–513–4
Typeset by Jayvee, Trivandrum, India
Cover design by Transmission
Printed and bound by XXX
Oneworld Publications
185 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 7AR
England
www.oneworld-publications.com
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Contents
Acknowledgements vi
List of Plates viii
Introduction xi
1 Mecca 1
2 Desert Fathers 9
3 Clarence and Malcolm 32
4 The Blood Brothers 42
5 Allah 49
6 The Burning Mosque 65
7 Matteawan 74
8 Allah and the Mayor 92
9 Swarms of Devils 117
10 The Lives of Nations 130
11 Warrior Stripes 142
12 Belly of the Beast 160
13 Song of the Gods 177
14 The Builders Build 187
15 Mothers of Civilization 208
16 The Azreal Question 226
17 The Road to Cream City 237
18 Show and Prove 258
Appendix of Names 271
Notes 274
Index 297
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Acknowledgements
This work would not have been possible without the trust and cooperation
of the Nation of Gods and Earths. At every parliament I encountered Five
Percenters that helped my understanding; though I did not catch every per-
son’s name, and there would be too many to list here, I value the kindness,
respect and hospitality shown to me by this community as a whole. In particu-
lar I must extend peace to Allah B, Born Justice Allah, Um Allah, Abu Shahid,
First Born ABG, Gykee Mathematics Allah, Beloved Allah, Ja’mella God Allah,
Infinite Al’Jaa’Maar-U-Allah, I Majestic Allah, C’BS ALife Allah, Sha-King
Cehum Allah, Jura Shaheed Allah, Supreme Understanding Allah, Prince A
Cuba, the ciphers of New York, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Milwaukee, and Gods
in the Injustice (New York State Department of Corrections).
After the completion of this book, I was saddened to learn of the passing of
First Born Al-Jamel. A beloved elder of the community, Al-Jamel, was kind,
thoughtful and generous with his knowledge. Rest in peace.
Peace to Azreal for his teaching, friendship and name; to Intelligent Tarref
Allah, for providing my introduction to the Nation; to Allah Supreme God for
his extensive time and correspondence. Deep gratitude is also extended to the
NGE’s video archivist, Rasheen Universal Allah, and Cee Allah at the Allah
School in Mecca for their help and generosity. Peace to Akbar Muhammad,
international representative for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, for
his assistance.
Peace to the RZA, Raekwon and Sadat X for taking the time to share their
perspectives. It was my pleasure and honor to see excerpts from this work
included with Lord Jamar’s 5% Album; peace and appreciation to Jamar,
Chuck Wilson and Jesse Stone at Babygrande Records.
I am deeply grateful to Barry Gottehrer, who not only shared his memories
but also provided his personal archive relating to the Gods and Earths. Ted
Swedenburg also supplied his collection of NGE materials and court docu-
ments. For their time, assistance, advice and encouragement I thank Willieen
Jowers, Sid Davidoff, Omar Abdul-Malik, Muhammed Al-Ahari El, Paul
Greenhouse, Thomas Cowles, Omid Safi, Yusuf Nuruddin, Anne Campbell,
Karl Evanzz, Asra Nomani and Mary Burke at New York.
Much appreciation for Novin Doostdar, Michael Harpley, Kate Smith,
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii
Michael Phillips and everyone at Oneworld Publications. Peace to Basim
Usmani for the title “Burning Mosque.” Salams and thanks to Aminah
McCloud, who reviewed this manuscript.
There is not space here to allow a proper display of gratitude for Laury Sil-
vers, who shared her expertise, read the manuscript at various stages of its
development and offered tireless friendship when I could talk about nothing
but Five Percenters.
Finally, love and appreciation to my mother, who has put up with too much
to not have every book dedicated to her.
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List of Plates
Plate 1. Allah “building” at first Universal Parliament. Mount Morris Park,
April 30, 1967. From left to right: far left, holding folded jacket under left
arm: Ar-Rahiem, who was nicknamed “Ezekiel” for his interest in Ezekiel
3:18. In all black, with black hat: Karriem/Black Messiah. To his left, in jacket
with hands folded in front of him: Ebeka. Left of Ebeka: Sha Sha. In white
jacket and white shirt, hand on hip: Gykee’s younger brother Sincere. Behind
Sincere in distance, wearing black hat, buttoned black sweater and collared
shirt: Universal Shaamgaudd.
Plate 2. Allah with Five Percenters on Seventh Avenue. The youths in match-
ing “crowns” are Barkim, one of the earliest white Five Percenters, and Sha
Sha. In front of Barkim are his sister Mecca and younger brother Dihoo.
Behind Barkim is Kiheem. Between Sha Sha and Allah, with his back to the
camera stands Ra’jab, Allah’s “Supreme Investigator.”
Plate 3. Front row: Al-Jabbar/Prince, Justice, Uhura, Obey. Back row: Bahar,
Yamuse.
Plate4. Justice, Allah and “Young Akbar” at Mount Morris Park.
Plate 5. Allah in front row at parliament. To his left sit Mecca and Guvasia
from the First Born Earths. The child in the center is Harmeen, son of
Hasheem. Standing with their backs to the camera are Uhura and Karriem/
Black Messiah.
Plate 6. Allah and Barry Gottehrer outside the Glamour Inn.
Plate 7. Allah, Makeba, Barry Gottehrer with Abu Shahid’s son “Little
Shahid,” Omala, unknown.
Plate 8. Allah in NOI: young Muslim with Muhammad Speaksnewspaper,
Harlem, early 1960s. Behind him stands Clarence 13X.
Plate 9. Medina Gods at the street academy: Gykee, Hasheem, Akim and
Waleak/Knowledge God, 1967.
Plate 10. Uhura, Allah and Karriem/Black Messiah.
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LIST OF PLATES ix
Plate 11. Mayor John V. Lindsay and Allah on the cover of New York, April
22, 1968.
Plate 12. Earths in the 1960s.
Plate 13. Justice and Allah with a young Earth at the street academy.
Plate 14. Allah, “the Father.”
Plate 15. Five Percenter folk art, ca. 1980, incorporating Allah’s 1965
mugshot, the 1st degree from the Supreme Wisdom Lessons’ Student Enroll-
ment (1–10) and traditional Islamic art.
Plate 16. Children performing at the first Show and Prove, 1971.
Plate 17. Allah School in Mecca, 1980s.
Plate 18. Young God, 1980s. Photo by Jamel Shabazz.
Plate 19. The Universal Flag.