A growing number of rap artists are leaving the bad boy hip hop lifestyle for a more spiritual one.

The Canadian Dawah Association says that an increasing number of rappers this year have embraced Islam or acknowledged they had in the past.

Amir Junaid Muhadith, better known by his stage name, Loon, talks to Al Jazeera’s Sami Zeidan about his spiritual journey.

http://www.islaam.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=266:loon&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

Amir Junaid Muhadith (born Chauncey Lamont Hawkins, June 20, 1975) better known by his stage name Loon, formerly an African-American rapper who was part of P. Diddy’s Bad Boy Records. Amir (Loon) accepted Islam in Dec. 2008 whilst on tour in Dubai, UAE. His inspiring story of rising up from the ghettos of Harlem, NY to street-hustling and later making it in to the rap game and eventually realising the truth of Islam and becoming Muslim, is quite a story. Amir never attained true personal fulfilment despite enjoying the pinnacle of material life (wealth, success and fame), no matter how hard he strove, he couldnt attain that inner peace that can only be realised by submitting to ones Lord, living for the hereafter and not the present life, the complete contentment of believing in, worshipping and supplicating to the Lord of the worlds, practising the beautiful religion of Islam.

Duration : 0:7:18

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This years VMAs were very different from other awards shows. They focused on a very limited number of artists (Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga), while ignoring many others who were equally successful. The chosen artists became characters in the VMAs ceremony and acted out different ritual dramas. This might sound totally crazy to the average MTV viewer but those acquainted with the practices of occult orders (such as Freemasonry) can decode the references to sacred rituals. There are numerous types of fraternities and rituals, from the most noble to the most infernal, and they have existed throughout History. The VMAs were decisively inspired by dark, sinister and even Satanic ceremonies. Lets look at those rituals.

1) Tiffany Evans Claims Rihanna is a Satanist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3q3TVeYZ3A

2) The Satanic Cult Behind the Music Industry
Part 1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4rLkGUvvD0
Part 2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2KErg6HRqQ

3) beyonce da devil ft lady gaga da satan – video phone extended remix FULL VERSION UNSEEN FOOTAGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzh52yrBroM

4) Our Satanic Pop Culture – Ancient Occult Symbolism – Music Artists
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1ico-KF-1E

5) Jack Black Gives Satanic Prayer at the vma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4J31DpuetU

6) OCCULT MTV Video Music AWARDS-Beyonce Taylor Swift Lady Gaga Kanye West Pink Alicia Keys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQKss_ojN2I

Duration : 0:9:22

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Director Craig Brewer (Hustle and Flow , Black Snake Moan ) talks to us about his latest project — the MTV online series $5 Cover, which chronicles the internet-age lives and dreams of struggling musicians in Memphis, Tennessee.

$5 Cover is described as “a rough-and-tumble show set in the clubs, bars, and all-night cafes of present-day Memphis,” and follows “young musicians as they fight for love, inspiration, and money to pay the rent.”

These are real people, but this is not reality schlock.

When I first saw clips of the series in production during a visit to the MTV offices, I knew it was going to be great. I grew up on MTV as a teen, but am not generally a fan of MTV’s current on-air programming. I’ve felt for some time like the network no longer produced stuff I’d find interesting.

But this is different. Maybe part of what allowed something this authentic and engaging to incubate at MTV is the fact that this is primarily an online series.

And then there’s the fact that Brewer is at the helm. I’m a big fan of his big-screen work, and he clearly loves the stories at the heart of $5 Cover — the lives and art of musicians who are his own community, in Memphis.

Boing Boing asked Brewer how the internet is changing what it means to be an independent artist, and how technology is changing the nature of what “local music” means. He talks to us about why he created the show, how this is different than directing for film or television, and why all of this matters so much to him.

When MTV sent us a DVD of the completed episodes, Boing Boing Video’s editor and I watched them all, back to back, and then vowed to buy some of the music online. I’m not kidding, it’s that great. We went particularly nuts about Amy Lavere, an artist featured in the first part of the Boing Boing Video episode. She’s from Memphis, by way of TX and Louisiana. Al Kapone was another personal fave.

- XJ

Boing Boing Video post: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/05/12/bb-video—5-cover-c.html

Five Dollar Cover online: http://www.mtv.com/fivedollarcover/

Duration : 0:7:38

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Former Rap Artist Loon from bad boy records who used to ride with Puff daddy P DiDDY Sean Combs is now riding with
Eddie from TheDeenshow and the brothers from CDADAWAH
sharing his wonderful story with the world. Enjoy this weeks show to learn more visit

http://thedeenshow.com/show.php

Duration : 0:28:10

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The Canadian Dawah Association says that an increasing number of rappers this year have embraced Islam or acknowledged they had in the past.

Amir Junaid Muhadith, better known by his stage name, Loon, talks to Al Jazeera’s Sami Zeidan about his spiritual journey.

Duration : 0:7:9

[youtube jZFueqQnops]