Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan has issued a letter addressing hip-hop stars Jay Electronica and Jay Z following their appearance at the 2014 Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. Jay Electronica performed with members of the Fruit of Islam flanking him on each side throughout much of the show, and Min. Farrakhan expressed his pride at the devout Muslim’s performance and message.
“I am very proud of the Fruit of Islam (F.O.I.) and the Believers who stood with Brother Jay Electronica as he delivered what he delivered to the people gathered in Brooklyn at The Hip Hop Festival in New York,” Minister Farrakhan said in the letter. “I understand that some criticized Brother Jay Electronica’s use of profanity while wearing the uniform of the Fruit of Islam (F.O.I.) of The Nation of Islam. I humbly and respectfully ask: Has any of us who have accepted Islam and its required high degree of moral excellence and civilization ever said or done anything that is less than representative of what we believe?”
“I am sure that all of us, if we are honest, would have to say that we have,” he continued. “Is the uniform that represents us as the Muslim Girls Training and General Civilization Class (M.G.T.) or F.O.I. more important than that which we say we believe and should represent 24 hours a day? If we violate our own teachings or make mistakes in how we handle our teachings and ourselves with respect to our moral teachings, do we not expect and desire Allah (God) to be forgiving and merciful to us, particularly if we petition for His forgiveness? Of course we do.”
Minister Farrakhan spoke of Jay Z presenting his Five-Percent Nation chain to Electronica during his show.
“So, if someone offered me what Brother Jay Electronica was offered by Brother Jay Z, I too would accept it with the biggest smile on my face, for I too, as all of us in The Nation of Islam, are The Five Percent: Poor Righteous Teachers who are called to teach the 85 Percent, and free them from the chains of slavery and subservience as tools of the 10 Percent,” said Farrakhan.
