“I'm already in the Nation, that's why I'm here," he said. "I'm an advocate for peace. I've been in the peace movement ever since I've been making music. My whole thing is not about really trying to push my thing on you. It's just about the way I live, and I live how I'm supposed to live as far as doing what's right and representing what's right. That's why I was here today.”
Really?
Now I don’t care if Snoop Dogg is a Muslim. Nor do I care about who the Nation of Islam has as its members. But I do dislike hypocrites.
If the statement of Broadus is to be taken at face value, then he is claiming to be a Muslim, as far back as when he entered the music industry. At that time we know that he was also an advocate of gang life, drug use, and violence. None of which are ideals that Muslims believe in.
We know that he was alleged to have been implicated in a murder in 1993. All of the music videos of Broadus contain misogynistic images, which is not a Muslim belief. Songs such as Gin and Juice advocate drinking of alcohol, a vice that is forbidden to Muslims. He had represented himself as a pimp and drug dealer in multiple media formats.
In the 1990’s he was arrested for cocaine and marijuana possession. Since 2000 he has had several drug arrests, and again found with unregistered firearms, as well as other illegal weapons. He has been banned from flying on British Airways and from performing in England due to violent fights in a British airport (and his history), he also was banned from entering Australia until December 2008.
All of these things are hardly the image any religious group would hold as positive. And from what I know, virtually every aspect of Snoop Dogg’s life is opposed by the Nation of Islam as well as Islam in general. So why Broadus would make such a statement bewilders me.
Broadus may be the worst Muslim ever, or he was seeking more publicity. Maybe he thought this would help the Nation of Islam, or help maintain his image of a thug. Or he could honestly believe what he has said.
Personally I find Snoop Dogg to be the worst kind of entertainer. A sell-out, an advocate of poison in the Black community, of disrespect to women. He is little more than a minstrel, performing under guidance of the strings of corporate controllers; an undereducated tool paid handsomely to distract from the real issues at hand. Considering that Broadus claims he is the
“leader of the hip-hop community”
it says a lot about what hip hop has become since 1992.
I am not a Muslim. I am not a member of the Nation of Islam. Yet I don’t need to be to believe in the values of a life not bound by ignorance, violence, or drugs. The desire to own my own business, help those in my community, support of education, and protection of the innocent are not just Black community concerns, but American ideals. And my anger to those that refute such things, as Calvin Broadus has and continues to do, is justified I believe.
So maybe the Nation of Islam is ok with Snoop Dogg violating the principles they hold as their core. Perhaps they too can accept his song and dance influence above their beliefs. But I feel that any organization that can gloss over the wrongs he commits in his quest for fame and fortune must also be questioned.
Still I am not a Muslim, nor a member of the Nation of Islam. Nor do I advocate the commoditization of Black culture that hip hop represents today. Maybe I don’t get it. And if so, I’m glad.
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