Percenters free essay sample

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 f 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 Presenters 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 Presenters, 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 andEarth was established In Harlem In the late sass by Clarence XX. (Five Presenters, 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 Clericals 2 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 percent, and is also the person I interviewed, confirmed, 5 Presenters 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 RB/Hip-Hop artists. Www-Tang, Eureka Baud, Busts Rhymes, Nas, Common, spread the word on CDC and radio. (Wilbur, Lance) The group was founded by Clarence XX (Clarence Cowards Smith), who is known by Five Presenters as Father Allah, Allah, or The Father. He is given these names because he made the teachings that created the basics of the Five-percent movement. Clarence XX 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 Farad Muhammad, who was a reverend and founder of the Black Nationalist movement the Nation of Islam (NON) (l am God, NON, and the Five Presenters), Clarence was disciplined by the group, and was immediately detached from affiliation.This separation led Clarence to teach his own version of NON beliefs. Clarence XX used the Nation of Salamis teachings to teach that any Black man could become God through living a life f 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 Presenters gained a reputation as being an uncontrollable group of Black yout hs thugs, blamed for actions such as bank robberies and muggings. (The Department of Corrections calls them trouble. ) The Five Presenters also established a headquarters in Harlem, New York known as Allah School in Mecca. From the late sass until today, many Five Presenters are found in the midst of the East Coastlines Coast/Midwest cities of New Jersey, Chicago, New York City, Los Angles, and Philadelphia, mainly with the Hip-Hop scene. Hip-Hop artists such as, Www Tang Clan, Nas, AZ, Racism, Brand Nubian Nine( Perry, Main) and many others has spread the practice of the Five Presenters, using the coded language of Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet.The Supreme Mathematics, a cycle of principles put together to the numbers 009, and the Supreme Alphabet, a number of principles linked with the letters of the Roman alphabet. Some of the Five-percent sews, 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 power s of the Gods and Earths the youth can transform themselves and own their true potential. Blues, RB, 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 MET 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 Presenters begins to sound much more believable and noticeable. The union between Hip-Hop culture and Islamic Celeriac 4 doctrine was soon to happen. After the 5 Presenters were formed in Harlem, Bronx ex-gang member Africa Bombast 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 sasss; merging Hip-Hop culture with community outreach and social activism. As Mawkish, who has studied in-dept the relations of 5 Presenters and Hip-Hop, explains, Bam often quoted the teachings of Malcolm X and Marcus Graver as the fou ndation for the Zulu Nations working philosophy which contains hints of Afro-Islamic eastern spiritual tradition (Mawkish. Since early participants and associates of the Zulu Nation declare loyalty to the 5 Presenters, their expressions and beliefs eventually worked their way into the lyrics of more Hip-Hop songs of the ass and ass such as ( the lassie Islamic call to prayer at the intro of Brand Nubbins 1993 hit Allah U Kafka( Perry). Islam has played an important role in Hip Hop. By the ass, 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 Presenters regularly told off 85 Presenters, who are believed to be those who are humble, deaf, dumb, and blind to all truth about the world, and for abandoning commercialism, present in Hip-Hop radar time to answer was, What are the requirements for membership? As he scratches his head, he answers nervously, The requirements of officia l membership in the Five Percent are Celeriac 5 still unclear to me. They do not have an organized membership, but they do refer to knowledge 120, 120 referring to their lessons originated by Elijah Muhammad and W.D. Farad. (Wilbur). This question of whether they have knowledge or understood these lessons appears to be very important. The difference between the Nation of Gods and Earths and Nation of Islam is more of a level than principle, it is important o know that the original division between the Nation of Islam and the Nation of God and Earth was Clarence saxs refusal to give into the religious studies of Elijah Muhammad, in this way Nation of Islam is like other unknown religions replacing Elijah Muhammad as the center of worship.The Nation of Gods and Earth states that they dont believe in a mystery God, but is rather a belief in a God or divine spirit in every Black or non-white person. Five Presenters sometimes refer to themselves as wizards or scientists. ( I am God, NO, and the Five Presenters) The religious advancement of a Five Percent is based on his/her recitation and memorization of several lessons written by Elijah Muhammad, as well as the Supreme Alphabet, and the Supreme Math ematics lessons written by Clarence XX. The basic teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths are: That the science of Supreme Mathematics is the key to understanding humankinds relationship to the universe. That black people are the mother and father of civilization. That black people are the original people of the planet Earth. As explained by Lance, Adam and Eve were Gods first creation ND the bible does not reveal what was the color of their Celeriac 6 skin. [Genesis 2]. That education should be fashioned to enable Blacks to be self- sufficient as a people. That Mathematics written by Clarence XX is the true Black culture and that it is the science of everything in life. That the Blackman is God and his proper name is Allah standing for Arm, Leg, Leg, Arm, Head. That education should be fashioned to enable Blacks to be self-sufficient as a people. That each individual should teach another individual according to his/her knowledge. That he unified Black family is the vital building block of the nation. That children are the link to the future and they must be nurtured, respected, loved, protected, and educated. (Five Presenters, Nation of Gods and Earths). Do they have an official brand or symbol used to represent 5 Presenters? , Lance reminisced to his past lessons to remember the Five Percent Nations Universal Flag, is the groups official trademark, it includes a moon, sun, and star and the number 7. Based on their principles, it represents the African-American family as: 7- represent the number of completion, or 360 degrees.Sun- the male and giver of light and moon- female reflector of light. (Wilbur, Lance) Though the Nation of Gods and Earths uses many terms that are the same to those used by traditional Muslims and have individuals between them who refer to themselves as Muslims, the Five Presenters and traditional Muslims have very little in common. As Five Presenters do not eat pork, Curran (holy book of Islam), such as assign prayer rituals, prohibitions against smoking, drinking, clothing, and other requirements.Celeriac 7 The Five-percent unacceptable to this has been their belief that they are not a elisions movement and that as God themselves, the only one they must submit to is self, which in Islam would be considered a irreligious theory and a violation of the most important Islamic code of beliefs, as it is a sin to relate any human being or object with God. To hav e a conversation with a member of the Five Percent about Christianity is pretty difficult, Lance was reveling to me. They have been taught to avoid any form of religion and are not able to express their position in a usual way. It is difficult to get them to think logically and critically although you can become restated because they would honestly claim that their thinking is very clear, informed and logical Lance stating Jokingly. A recent Justice Department report proposed that major religious movements such as 5 presenters also including many other brands of Islam increases in prisons. The American prison system was also known as the training ground for them including Malcolm X who was converted to the Nation of Islam in prison. Many other movements have used this model of prison conversion.The Nation of Gods and Earths have fought and won a many court cases, o be allowed to continue their prison ministry. The line between religious cults and prison gangs is often hard to make. In the article titled, The Department of Corrections calls them trouble, they were several arguments stating the fact many prison officials across the country, finds the Five Presenters group simply a violence- prone black supre macist prison gang. (They call themselves Five Presenters) Speaking of violence, many articles or books have argued that as 5 Presenters they are not that type of people are civilized.They emphasis the fact that they are not Celeriac 8 Eileen people and are not a hate group. But instead they teach Justice, freedom, and fairness to all the human families of the planet Earth. 5 Presenters also believe with the knowledge at hand, they will discontinue violent behavior that is taking place among young people. The group has always been viewed as the most aggressive Islamic group because they are young and win converts preaching racial realization with a strong inner-city manner of speaking. With doing this research and learning more about 5 Presenters, I can now give my own views or thoughts on them.Is there ally Hip-Hop gods walking among us? And by including messages inspired by Islam within their lyrics, 5 Presenters will consumed every youth or adults today. I feel when it all comes down it is a battle between good and evil, and as Christians it our choice to be part of the Hip-hop society, or not. While most Hip-Hop artists continues its decent into the fiery deep hole, the Gods and Earths of the 5 Percent Nation are to rescue us, from what defines todays entertainment industry. Clearly, members of the 5 Percent Nation of Islam are not soul keepers, but are trouble for Hip-Hop culture.