Moor 7 Questions…
1. Where are you from Moor?…tell us a little bit about your background?
Islam, Praise Allah & Honors to His Holy & Divine Prophet Noble Drew Ali. I’m originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and moved to California. My mother married my stepfather, who was in the Air Force, so I grew up on U.S. Air Force bases in an early part of my life and time in California. We settled in Los Angeles in the 70′s. By the early 80′s around the age 11, I got into Hip Hop (mainly DJing & MCing & sports. By my teens I was traveling back & forth to New York and became a part of the Universal Zulu Nation, and at that time I was starting to get into Beat-Making. My production was my first group called “The Nike Kings” We had a 12′ out called “Dropping Bombs” & Listen To The Light” We were signed to Ice T’s Rhyme Syndicate on Sony Records. I later went on to produce Ice T, King Tee, Lord Finesse, Prince, Duran Duran, Jurassic 5, Erykah Badu, Common, Jill Scott, Herbie Hancock and many others. I’m also part of a group called Sa-Ra. Members consist of Taz Arnold (TISA) Om’Mas ( Grammy Winner – Frank Ocean) and I also won a Grammy in 2013 for the R & B album of the Year (Robert Glasper-Black Radio).
2.What is the name of the project and how did you arrive at that name? Give us the science on the name.
The name of the new album is ” The L∞P”= Loves Infinite Power or The Love LP.
3.Why demonstrate on Love?
I felt that this is the perfect time to make an album that I could demonstrate from a creative perspective, music that could capture the “The Love Vibration” in a way that hasn’t been done in a while. The Prophet Noble Drew Ali teaches us that we need to learn to love instead of hate, in that order, then I felt it was only right to create this album with that state of mind as well.
4. You said that as you were completing your last project you were just recently coming into the Moorish Science Temple of America. Giving it’s been five years since your last musical offering, how is The Loop different from En’ A Free Ka?
Well, There are a few similarities and differences. The similarities are subtle, say like: The beat making process on En’ A Free Ka was made with some of the same equipment, vocalists, musicians studios, etc. It was a lot more raw & experimental, being that was my first solo album. The L∞P is a little more focused and a little more in the live musician vibe. The writing is a little more progressive than the En’ A Free Ka as well. I’ve gone thru a lot changes since En’ A Free Ka, and 5 years in the Temple to shake off certain thoughts and actions. Life is the best teacher.
5. I know you mentioned that your music is not overtly Moorish, explain what you mean by that and how do you then view your music from the perspective of propagating the faith?
I’m obviously a Moor and I make music. So with that in mind, I didn’t feel I needed to approach this album with the “overt” Moorish theme as I did on En’ A Free Ka, but it still is Moorish in the state of the making of this “The L∞P”. That’s the beauty about creativity, you don’t have to repeat things over when you can evolve and dredge new rivers and build new ships. You can take a concept that seems complex and make it digestible. That’s the Alchemy of music.
6. This is Moorish Science so describe for us your approach to making music…the elements you choose to include and your overall musical theory.
Thought is the cause of it all. Music is from the Throne/ Kingdom within. With our lessons in Moorish Science, you can see how spirit/vibrations/thoughts creates sound and effects matter. I draw from all types of resources to come up with my music. Digital, Analog, sticks, bricks, ticks, conversations, observation, records, books, good & bad life experiences.
7. Economic security is an integral component of Islamism as taught by Noble Drew Ali, so an independent artist, how do music artists in 2014 make money on their music? What is your modus operandi with respect to marketing, promoting, and distributing this project?
As an independent artist I have seen many new ideas come to fruition thru the use of the internet & social networking. Marketing has not changed in this day and age too much, just the interfaces. Everybody has a Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram just like entertainers or any other professionals in diverse industries…which means equal access for all.
7 Questions… Shafiq Husayn
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