Rakim

Super Producer-Rapper Kwame Holland talks to host Abiola Abrams about what hip hop is. He shares his magical formula that he uses to make hot hits for everyone from The Pussycat Dolls to Snoop Dogg to Christina Aguilera, Keyshia Cole, Fantasia and everyone in between.

www.nomadicwax.com Shot & edited by Magee McIlvaine Poetic Pilgrimage & Mohammed Yahya Tour: Islam has always played an important role in the development of hip hop music and culture both in the US and around the world. From the 5 Percenters, to Rakim, Wu Tang, and even Busta Rhymes, many of hip hop s emcees have been practitioners of Islam. Though some have taken the religion more seriously than others, they all have created their own artistic and religious identities within the American context. In France, where urban housing projects are dominated by large numbers of Muslim immigrant youth, groups like IAM from Marseille paved the way for a unified Muslim, Immigrant, hip hop identity. As an international hip hop and urban music label, with its roots in the Muslim West African country of Senegal, Nomadic Wax s work has been particularly closely tied both hip hop and Islam. Enter Mohammed Yahya and Poetic Pilgrimage The spring of 2009 was incredibly hectic for us at Nomadic Wax, to say the least! The spring was dominated by three different Nomadic Wax tours of major international acts. It was also an incredible journey for us as we traveled with the artists from city to city. Poetic Pilgrimage are a female duo from the UK with origins in Jamaica. After converting to Islam several years ago, the hijab-sporting pair have created a unique sound that blends R&B and Reggae backgrounds, Islamic lyrical themes, raw spitting, revolutionary spirit, and good old-fashioned British manners and humor. With a first stop at the SXSW 2009 festival in Austin, Texas, the two were plunged into the American music scene at its most extreme. As we walked from event to event, the two were constantly being approached by people with questions about where they might be from. One rickshaw driver demanded what they were wearing on their heads. A revealing and in-depth conversation about faith, Islam, and American foreign policy followed the question. Ben Herson, myself, a

www.nomadicwax.com Shot & edited by Magee McIlvaine Poetic Pilgrimage & Mohammed Yahya Tour: Islam has always played an important role in the development of hip hop music and culture both in the US and around the world. From the 5 Percenters, to Rakim, Wu Tang, and even Busta Rhymes, many of hip hop s emcees have been practitioners of Islam. Though some have taken the religion more seriously than others, they all have created their own artistic and religious identities within the American context. In France, where urban housing projects are dominated by large numbers of Muslim immigrant youth, groups like IAM from Marseille paved the way for a unified Muslim, Immigrant, hip hop identity. As an international hip hop and urban music label, with its roots in the Muslim West African country of Senegal, Nomadic Wax s work has been particularly closely tied both hip hop and Islam. Enter Mohammed Yahya and Poetic Pilgrimage The spring of 2009 was incredibly hectic for us at Nomadic Wax, to say the least! The spring was dominated by three different Nomadic Wax tours of major international acts. It was also an incredible journey for us as we traveled with the artists from city to city. Poetic Pilgrimage are a female duo from the UK with origins in Jamaica. After converting to Islam several years ago, the hijab-sporting pair have created a unique sound that blends R&B and Reggae backgrounds, Islamic lyrical themes, raw spitting, revolutionary spirit, and good old-fashioned British manners and humor. With a first stop at the SXSW 2009 festival in Austin, Texas, the two were plunged into the American music scene at its most extreme. As we walked from event to event, the two were constantly being approached by people with questions about where they might be from. One rickshaw driver demanded what they were wearing on their heads. A revealing and in-depth conversation about faith, Islam, and American foreign policy followed the question. Ben Herson, myself, a

She s opened for the likes of Sean Kingston, Ghostface AND Rakim. In 09, she was the ONLY female to Rock The Bells And now, she s rocking a profile on Mediamoiselle. Introducing Jasmine Solano.