Former Bad Boy Loon Turns Muslim

Former Bad Boy artist Loon has made a declaration to change Hip-Hop following his conversion to orthodox Islam.While reports surfaced last year of Loon’s (now named Amir Junaid Muhadith) conversion, the Harlem rapper recently made a public declaration on Al Jazeera, the sole independent news network stationed in the Middle East.

“Loon is working his way out of my system,” Loon stated, while sporting traditional Islam garb. “[I’m] happy to be accepting Islam, and finding the peace of mind I was always searching for in the music business…Thanks to Islam I was able to complete my search and now I’m very much at peace. Bad Boy days are over, I’m now what you call a good boy.”

Loon was a staple of the late 90s, early millennium Bad Boy roster. The Harlemite was most prominently featured on the hit singles “I Need a Girl, Part 1 & 2.” When asked if he will continue to rap, Loon referenced the importance of being spiritually grounded before making that decision, as the media will be cognizant of any contradictory actions. I'm glad someone finally realizes that.

“Right now I’m focusing on studying Islam and becoming more knowledgeable of the deen (Islamic way of life),” Loon explained. “Being in the position of influence, I have to be able to protect myself. The media sometimes tries to use these transitions that artists make as an opportunity to make a mockery of Islam, or whatever faith a person might choose…But Allah knows best, maybe I will return to rap.”

Acknowledging that mainstream Hip-Hop currently has a very low spiritual component, Loon asserts that it is a challenge to all artists who follow religious tenets.

“That’s something that all of us artists that have accepted Islam struggle with, because it’s a very fine line,” Loon said. “With me I really love the music, but it’s the lifestyle that’s really the bad influence. The music can be geared towards things that influence people to do positive things. But the actual part that detours people from practicing their faith or concentrating on positive things is the lifestyle.”

Last year, T-Pain, Akon, Busta Rhymes and others raised the ire of the Muslim world with their remix of “Arab Money,” which featured Qur’anic scripture over music. This action is considered blasphemy in Islamic culture, and forced the artists to remove the remix from rotation. As a potential Islamic artist, Loon is aware of this issue and is considering the safer avenue of spoken word.

“The mass audience that we reach as artists are particularly in the club. So to have people in the club actually reciting ayahs (verses) or things that pertain to Islam would kind of give the wrong impression,” Loon detailed. “Spoken word is something I’ve been focusing on. I do have the lyrical ability to establish a lot of things that make Islam so beautiful. But it’s very hard to walk that fine line when you have music in the background that plays a role as dance rhythm or something that may mislead a person from the message we’re trying to give.”

I'm starting to wonder what's really going on over there at Bad Boy. Loon is the second Harlem rapper, following former friend Mase, to leave Hip-Hop due to spiritual enlightenment. Loon’s last LP was a 2007 joint project with fellow Bad Boy alum G-Dep, entitled Bad Boy.

Snoop Dogg Joins Nation of Islam

Rapper Snoop Dogg revealed, over the weekend, that he has joined the Nation of Islam, when he appeared at their annual Saviors' Day event on Sunday (March 1) in Chicago.

According to Rueters, the rapper said that he has joined the group because he was "doing what's right and representing what's right", adding that as a "leader of the hip-hop community" he would share what he learned with other artists.

During this weekend's event, the rapper took in a three-hour keynote speech from Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan, who spoke mostly of Barack Obama, but also criticized U.S. and local leaders for privatizing state and government businesses, and for U.S. attitudes toward war-torn Gaza.

"We are blessed today for the first time in the history of our sojourn in America to have a black man as the 44th president of the United States," Farrakhan said during his address. "And although he has only been in office a little over 30 days, he's moving at breakneck speed to accomplish what many would think is impossible. I have chosen a subject today: We must accept our responsibility to build our communities."

He also told those in attendance that they must be prepared to make sacrifices as Obama begins work on the faltering economy.

"Debt is another form of slavery and oppression," Farrakhan said. "It's gonna take more than a stimulus package to bring America from where she is. It would seem to me that we as intelligent-thinking black people should sit out now and have a well-thought-out plan to give to the mayors, to the governors, of how we can rebuild ... the wasted cities and stop the violence that's destroying our communities," he continued.

In addition to joining the movement, Snoop also donated $1,000. Rapper Doug E. Fresh attended, while T.I. appeared via recorded video in which he followers that education is the key to success

Will Smith Denies Being Part Of Scientology

You guys remember earlier this year when the media kept saying that Will Smith and wife Jada were practicing Scientology along with their buddies, the Cruises (Tom and Katie)? Remember when I also posted the blog about Will and Jada funding a new school in suburban Los Angeles that used one of Scientology's study programs. With the school opening, the media took it as Will and Jada were making a statement. But they didn't actually make a statement.

Monday night, while on the red carpet for the premiere of "Lakeview Terrace", which Will produced, a reporter from the Huffington Post asked him a question about him giving a press conference to the group called Anonymous, which protests Scientology.

"Not exactly a press conference, but I did talk to them," he said. So, the burning question is Will a Scientologist? "I am not," he told the reporter. Even thought the school is using one of Scientology's teaching tools, Will said, "You can take different parts of things you like and put them all together."

I believe him. There are things about the Jewish community that I like, that I've learned through my supervisor, and I try to incorporate them into my lifestyle, even though I'm Christian. So, there you go!