- 01 May 2007, 22:52
#10274
The Benefits of G-had
Two record company executives are threatening to resign from a label over an album by a radical Muslim musician which has tracks about the immorality of the west, suicide bombers and Osama bin Laden.
Aki Nawaz is determined to release what is, by anyone's standards, a phenomenally angry album. He says he fully expects a knock on the door from MI5. As the main component of the band Fun-da-Mental, Nawaz has been producing politically challenging music since 1991 but accepts he is pushing those boundaries further.
The album, All is War (The Benefits of G-had), contains one track which uses the words of Bin Laden issuing "a statement of reason and explanation of impending conflict" and equates him with Che Guevara. Another forensically recreates a suicide bomber at work. The opening song is a rejection of what Nawaz sees as the hypocrisy and immorality of the west. One supposedly dream-like track predicts the demise of America at the hands of Islam.
Nawaz, a former drummer in the Southern Death Cult, said yesterday: "I have a right to push the boundaries as much as anyone else has, whether it's Ken Loach or Harold Pinter or George Galloway or Neil Young
." He recognises some people will say his album should not be released, that it might incite people. "I've already told all the lyricists don't worry if we get into trouble, I'll take all the blame. If they're going to lock anyone up they'll lock me up. I'm not a scared hip-hop musician who has produced an album containing lyrics about suicide bombers could be prosecuted for glorifying terrorism under Britain's new anti-terrorism laws.
Aki Nawaz, frontman for the hip-hop group Fun-Da-Mental, has come under attack recently for the content of the band's new album, All Is War (The Benefits of G-Had), which Nawaz helped write.
At particular issue is the song "Cookbook DIY," which contains lyrics about how a suicide attacker makes his bomb, such as "I'm strapped-up 'cross my chest, bomb belt attached, deeply satisfied with the pain I hatched, electrodes connected to a gas cooker lighter."
(VIDEO BELOW)
Two other songs, "Che Bin Parts 1 and 2," compare Osama bin Laden to Argentine-born revolutionary Che Guevara, while "I Reject" criticizes what Nawaz feels is the immorality of Western culture. Other songs mention conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
The release of the album has already been pushed back to July 31 from July 17, and two record company executives have threatened to quit if the album is released.
In an interview with the BBC, Nawaz denied that he condones terrorist attacks on civilians.
"I know how the suicide bombers feel, but if they're going to do anything, it's got to be against military targets," he said.
The controversial lyrics could land Nawaz in trouble under Britain's Terrorism Act 2006, a bill that was passed in April after being introduced following the July 7, 2005 bomb attacks in London.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCFf3jDpRlI
the lyrics are huge!!!
Two record company executives are threatening to resign from a label over an album by a radical Muslim musician which has tracks about the immorality of the west, suicide bombers and Osama bin Laden.
Aki Nawaz is determined to release what is, by anyone's standards, a phenomenally angry album. He says he fully expects a knock on the door from MI5. As the main component of the band Fun-da-Mental, Nawaz has been producing politically challenging music since 1991 but accepts he is pushing those boundaries further.
The album, All is War (The Benefits of G-had), contains one track which uses the words of Bin Laden issuing "a statement of reason and explanation of impending conflict" and equates him with Che Guevara. Another forensically recreates a suicide bomber at work. The opening song is a rejection of what Nawaz sees as the hypocrisy and immorality of the west. One supposedly dream-like track predicts the demise of America at the hands of Islam.
Nawaz, a former drummer in the Southern Death Cult, said yesterday: "I have a right to push the boundaries as much as anyone else has, whether it's Ken Loach or Harold Pinter or George Galloway or Neil Young
." He recognises some people will say his album should not be released, that it might incite people. "I've already told all the lyricists don't worry if we get into trouble, I'll take all the blame. If they're going to lock anyone up they'll lock me up. I'm not a scared hip-hop musician who has produced an album containing lyrics about suicide bombers could be prosecuted for glorifying terrorism under Britain's new anti-terrorism laws.
Aki Nawaz, frontman for the hip-hop group Fun-Da-Mental, has come under attack recently for the content of the band's new album, All Is War (The Benefits of G-Had), which Nawaz helped write.
At particular issue is the song "Cookbook DIY," which contains lyrics about how a suicide attacker makes his bomb, such as "I'm strapped-up 'cross my chest, bomb belt attached, deeply satisfied with the pain I hatched, electrodes connected to a gas cooker lighter."
(VIDEO BELOW)
Two other songs, "Che Bin Parts 1 and 2," compare Osama bin Laden to Argentine-born revolutionary Che Guevara, while "I Reject" criticizes what Nawaz feels is the immorality of Western culture. Other songs mention conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
The release of the album has already been pushed back to July 31 from July 17, and two record company executives have threatened to quit if the album is released.
In an interview with the BBC, Nawaz denied that he condones terrorist attacks on civilians.
"I know how the suicide bombers feel, but if they're going to do anything, it's got to be against military targets," he said.
The controversial lyrics could land Nawaz in trouble under Britain's Terrorism Act 2006, a bill that was passed in April after being introduced following the July 7, 2005 bomb attacks in London.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCFf3jDpRlI
the lyrics are huge!!!
- By BatoolM