5 Percenters
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5 Percenters: Their History and beliefs
Walking the streets of Harlem, New York were I reside, often times I and possibly many others, we may miss the little things such as a new street mural, a new clothing store down the street, or a new church around the corner. But in this case I want to talk about this run-down building, where a poster of hip-hop artists, and a picture of a black man, supposedly was God, where posted all over this property and as its sign it said, “Headquarters of the 5 Percent”. Observing this, at once I had to ask questions of what this headquarters was about and what sort of relations it had with hip-hop artists of today. I had a fragment of information on the 5 Percenters and I knew in finding more information I would have to research in-dept, therefore I knew picking this subject would be an excellent choice as my research topic. I will examine the history, beliefs, and teachings of the “cult”.
5 Percenters, rather be known as a “culture” and “a way of life” hates being called a religion or cult. This sect, which was taken from the Nation of Islam, “5 Percent”, also known as the “Nation of Gods and Earth was established in Harlem in the late 1960s by Clarence 13X”. (“Five Percenters, Nation of Gods and Earths”). The name is taken from their belief that they are the selected five percent of humankind who live an honorable
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“Islamic” life and by this they have manifested the “right divine nature of the black man who is God or Allah”. Thousands follow the teachings in Harlem, where the group began, and beyond in New England, California, the Midwest. Lance, who once believed and wanted to live the way of life as a 5 percenter, and is also the person I interviewed, confirmed, “5 Percenters is accepted in the midst of many African-American male youth, mainly in poor, urban areas. Yet, this thinking is taken in by the educated as well. Its recognition is help by many R&B/Hip-Hop artists. Wu-Tang, Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, Nas, Common, spread the word on CDs and radio.” (Wilbur, Lance)
The group was founded by Clarence 13X (Clarence Jowars Smith), who is known by Five Percenters as “Father Allah,” “Allah,” or “The Father.” He is given these names because he made the teachings that created the basics of the Five-Percenter movement. Clarence 13X was initially a member of the Nation of Islam, attending Nation of Islam Temple 7 in Harlem, New York, where Malcolm X was a minister. Following his questioning about the theology of Wallace Fard Muhammad, “who was a reverend and founder of the Black Nationalist movement the Nation of Islam (NOI)” (“I am God”, NOI, and the Five Percenters”), Clarence was disciplined by the group, and was immediately detached from affiliation. This separation led Clarence to teach his own version of NOI beliefs. Clarence 13X used the Nation of Islams teachings to teach that any Black man could become God through living a life of righteousness and that people of other races could also become “civilized people.” He found success on the streets of Harlem and those who adjusted to his movement. As time pass, the “Five Percenters gained a
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reputation as being an uncontrollable group of Black youths thugs, blamed for actions such as bank robberies and muggings.” (“The Department of Corrections calls them trouble.”) The Five Percenters also established a headquarters in Harlem, New York known as “Allah School in Mecca.”
From the late 1980s until today, many Five Percenters are found in the midst of the East Coast/West Coast/Midwest cities of New Jersey, Chicago, New York City, Los
Angeles, and Philadelphia, mainly with the Hip-Hop scene. Hip-Hop artists such as, “Wu Tang Clan, Nas, AZ, Rakim, Brand Nubian Nine”( Perry, Imani) and many others has spread the practice of the Five Percenters, using the coded language of Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet. The Supreme Mathematics, a cycle of principles put together to the numbers 0-9, and the Supreme Alphabet, a number of principles linked with the letters of the Roman alphabet. Some of the Five-Percenter views, that can be heard on hip-hop records is the belief that the Original Blackman is God, and that the Original Black woman is the planet Earth, and that through the inner unexplained powers of the Gods and Earths the youth can transform themselves and own their true potential. Blues, R&B, Jazz and other types of popular music often borrow from spiritual customs to draw attention to the pleasure and pain of life. Hip Hop is no different in this respect. Several artists have included bits of 5 Percent philosophy in their songs.
Watched MTV recently? Ever sit-back and consider the terrible state of entertainment and popular culture as well as the “flashy “interests that drive what we see and hear daily? Suddenly, the information offered by the 5 Percenters begins to sound much more believable and noticeable. The union between Hip-Hop culture and Islamic
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doctrine was soon to happen. After the 5 Percenters were formed in Harlem, Bronx ex-gang member Afrika Bambaata organized the Universal Zulu Nation, originally known as The Organization. It is also known as an “international hip hop awareness” group, created among street gang members in New York City in the 1970s; merging Hip-Hop culture with community outreach and social activism. As Miyakawa, who has studied in-dept the relations of 5 Percenters and Hip-Hop, explains, “Bam often quoted the teachings of Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey as the foundation for the Zulu Nations working philosophy which contains hints of Afro-Islamic eastern spiritual tradition” (Miyakawa.) Since early participants and associates of the Zulu Nation declare loyalty to the 5 Percenters, their expressions and beliefs eventually worked their way into the lyrics of more Hip-Hop songs of the 80s and 90s such as (” the classic Islamic call to prayer at the intro of Brand Nubians 1993 hit Allah U Akbar”( Perry). Islam has played an important role in Hip Hop. By the 90s, the mentioning of the 5 Percent Nation of Islam was popping up on albums, especially when the topic is social justice. The idea of cultural, spiritual, or political development has always been an essential subject within Hip Hop. Knowing a spiritual emptiness in music and culture, 5 Percenters regularly told off 85 Percenters,