“Instead of calling God’s name/ When you face dispair/ Walk straight/ And give God thanks and prayer…”
Cormega rarely gets religious or spiritual in his music. But that didn’t stop the Queensbridge vet from going into that lane when he linked with proud Muslim duo Blak Madeen for “The Cause.”
Despite the name, Blak Madeen keeps their lyrics accessible for the layman, speaking generally about taking steps to improve your community. Self-determination and improvement are the song’s central themes, and a visit to the 9/11 grounds emphasizes the group’s focus of changing the popular, and many times negative stereotypes of Muslims.
Mega’s verse alternates between his own spiritual progression (“Yesterday/I was sinning to pay bills/ So I’m hoping that tomorrow/ Is the cure for today’s ills…”) and industry politics. On the latter, he’s adamant that fans have lost appreciation for emcee skills, which results in rappers “selling out” to get mainstream attention. Of course, no names are mentioned.
If you like what you’ve heard, you can pick up solo albums from Yusuf Abdul Mateen (Fear of a White Muslim) and Al- J (Unforgivable Blackness) via Leedzedutainment.com.
The video is directed by Dante Luna, and song production is from Matty Trump.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 