Published: Monday - July 3, 2006
Words by Joe "JayRich" Robinson
Lord Jamar (Photo: Babygrande)
There are many that study and are influenced by the 5% Nation. Many legendary MCs such as Nas, Big Daddy Kane and Busta Rhymes are affiliated to name a few. Within those and others, you would figure that the 5% message would've gotten through to you. Feeling compelled to make your state of mind well, Lord Jamar will drop the album that'll finally enlighten a few. Members of the Nation would probably appreciate it too.
Jamar would like to illustrate the influences on hip-hop that the 5% Nation has. He cites the Nation as laying the foundation to the truth for anyone that seeks knowledge. In addition, the album is his way of paying the proper homage. Jamar questions whether the conformist's definition of the world is right by pushing out this message. With that said, you're sure to take something out of his music, each and every passage.
Ballerstatus.com: The album is different to say the least compared to others; can you give the back story?
Lord Jamar: The message I wanna get across is the message of my Nation -- 5% Nation: Nation of Gods of Earth. Just to show our influences on hip-hop since the beginning and how the greatest rappers were in or heavily influenced by the Nation.
Ballerstatus.com: Whose in the 5% Nation that's in the game as well, I know the Wu-Tang Clan?
Lord Jamar: Rakim, King Son, Rakim Shabazz, Righteous Teacher, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim from the Furious 5...whole bunch of people.
Ballerstatus.com: What about KRS-One? Is he a member or affiliated?
Lord Jamar: Well, I think that's somebody that's aware of the Gods. He has to have been influenced by the Gods. I know Nas is heavily influenced by the Gods. If you have any sort of knowledge, you go come across the Gods.
Ballerstatus.com: What the general message you want to put out?
Lord Jamar: [5%] is about the basic truth; the foundation of all things.
Ballerstatus.com: Do you get writer's block a lot? I know many MC's struggle to put religion in their music. Is that the same for you?
Lord Jamar: That's the thing, it's not religion. It's not mixing religion and music; it's about education and music. I don't get writer's block, whatever comes out, comes out.
Ballerstatus.com: So the 5% is not a religion?
Lord Jamar: No, it's a way of life; a culture.
Ballerstatus.com: Religion and music always clash. KRS-One has made hip-hop a religion, while most regard hip-hop as a culture. What's your stance on that?
Lord Jamar: That's somebody that's wants to play Semantic games. Hip-hop, culture, religion, for anybody to call hip-hop a religion...that's playing word games. I'm not going to get into all that.
Ballerstatus.com: Can you be Godly and still have hip-hop in you?
Lord Jamar: I'm Godly. But, you mean can you be a Christian and still do hip-hop? I guess you can, but can you rap about non-Christian things to a hip-hop crowd, probably not. But, that's the thing about the 5% Nation. You can be accepted by the masses of people the way other cultures or whatever you wanna call em' can't be.
Ballerstatus.com: So where do the restrictions of the 5% Nation come into play?
Lord Jamar: They're very close to the Nation of Islam -- not eating pork, keeping yourself refined and clean. It's not like the others. We won't say you're going to Hell if you smoke or something like that. We push people to control their own inner person. Whatever you do, then that's on you.
Ballerstatus.com: I watched the documentary on your website. What do you mean when you say there's a God inside every person?
Lord Jamar: All things in the universe have positive and negative. It's about whether you go let that God energy dominate or that Devil energy dominate. You got black people, white people with that. Some are striving to live like God and some are living like devils.
Ballerstatus.com: So you're not calling people walking Gods?
Lord Jamar: Oh, yes I am. Black man is God. God is inside you. There is no mystery God. We're redefining who God is. The average person, when they hear that "oh, you saying he God," they put the father in the mental institution for saying that back in the 60's. You gotta understand who God and the Devil is. We redefining it for ourselves.
Ballerstatus.com: So what's the redefinition of the devil?
Lord Jamar: One who does devilish things, oppresses and kills, going against the laws of nature.
Ballerstatus.com: Who are you trying to branch out to, a new audience or other 5 percenters?
Lord Jamar: First and foremost, the album is going to reach out to the other brothers and sisters in the 5% Nation. But, I'm putting it out there for others as well.
Ballerstatus.com: What do you want the others not included in the 5% Nation to get out of it?
Lord Jamar: Understanding, knowledge that we've been here since the beginning.
Ballerstatus.com: I'm quite ignorant to your beliefs. When other people are ignorant of another's beliefs, they criticize rather than study or look at them objectively. What upsets you the most when the criticism comes down on the 5% Nation?
Lord Jamar: The fact that they believe that their way is the only way. I make it known that if you don't accept it, then that's on you. If being Christian makes you a better person, then I'm not go be like, "You're going to Hell if you don't f--- wit me." Most religions are all or nothing. And if you don't get down with them, then you can't be down at all. To me, that's some bullsh--.
Ballerstatus.com: Are you saying there's more than one way to get to heaven or paradise?
Lord Jamar: That's on the individual...and absolutely, there's more than one way. Mathematics shows that. You can get to the number 7 by adding 3 plus 4 or 2 plus 5, you know what I mean?
Ballerstatus.com: Yeah, besides the Nation, what's the motivation behind your music?
Lord Jamar: Sh--, my love for hip-hop and wanting to hear some good sh--.
Ballerstatus.com: When you say good sh--, do you mean conscious or what?
Lord Jamar: Conscious rap is a code word for some bullsh--. I'm mean, my sh-- is hard body; I make music that appeals to me.
Ballerstatus.com: Give me five artists that you're listening to.
Lord Jamar: Dead Prez, IX, little bit of Saigon, but then again, I listen to Dipset...you know, Hell Rell, JR Writer and sh-- like that.
Ballerstatus.com: Who is the top MC is right now?
Lord Jamar: Me, I'm feeling my sh-- right now.
Ballerstatus.com: Is that lyrically or the whole package?
Lord Jamar: There's not really anybody I can look up to in this game right now. Jay-Z retired; he was in my age bracket and I was feeling him (Lord Jamar is 37). There are guys who are dope, but that still don't mean I'm feeling you.
Ballerstatus.com: What's the X factor that'll make you "feel" a cat like T.I., UGK, etc?
Lord Jamar: I do like T.I., Bun B, that's my man. F---ing Lil' Wayne in dope. I'm not no region-ass dude. But, the X factor, I don't know.
Ballerstatus.com: The game seems ready to make a shift back to the lyrics. Does radio seem to dumb right now?
Lord Jamar: I don't like to use the word conscious because the word has been tainted. People think that it's on soft sh--. But, is hip-hop going back to a more creative state? I think so. The people have to go to the stations and demand real music.
Ballerstatus.com: How do you make the people say that to radio who have playlists anyway?
Lord Jamar: You gotta make em' love you. You gotta have a hot album, all the tracks, no fillers. They gotta get they money's worth. The people think they down wit you, they'll buy that sh--. Like if you buy a dime bag and find out it's a nick, you pissed. You know what I mean? You buy a 20, you want a 20. You have to return that loyalty.
Ballerstatus.com: If you had to pinpoint one cut on your album, what is it and why?
Lord Jamar: It would be "The Greatest Story Never Told" because of all the leaders that don't get the credit they deserve.
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