Malcolm X and Hip Hop

"Malcolm [X] set a tone, which recognized or not – influenced politically vocal artists like: the original Ice Cube, Public Enemy, Kendrick Lamar, X Clan, early Latifah, Bahamidia, Wise Intelligent, United Front and Afrikan Insurrektion Muzik, perhaps Azealia Banks -and – even Kanye West who in the beginning of his career showed elements of knowledge of self. Malcolm X remains a hood hero. Always will be. And being the international tastemaker that he has been over the last four decades Hip Hop has played a huge part in establishing his legacy with a generation, which is now passing it on to their children and grand’s. “My grandfather spoke out against the social ills that led to situations that produced criminal lifestyles,” said Malcolm Latif Shabazz. He told a journalist that his iconic elder relative was a beacon to people from all walks of life. Young Shabazz himself, was killed in suspicious circumstances in Mexico City in May 2013, but speaking in May 2011 he said, “One thing is though, people from all walks of life, from pimps to a drug addict, drug dealer, convicts, they all can all look at him and think, ‘He’s been in my shoes and look where he is now.’ What did he represent to our people? Inspiration He’s the epitome of change.” Kendrick Lamar revealed to the Madd Hatta morning show late last year was asked to name one book that changed something about him, he quickly replied; ‘The Autobiography Of Malcolm X.’ He said the book played a role in helping him speak with people from different walks of life.

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The fight against injustice is the under belly of much hip-hop. There seems to be a general consensus in the Hip Hop community that Malcolm X had a definitive “influence even in the subconscious of the least conscious. Fifty years later the words and legacy of El Malik El Shabazz are still fundamentally relevant and omnipresent in 2015."


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