Umi says shine your light on the world, so in this episode, we explore why for so many Black American Muslims, hip-hop feels like home. Ahmed invites Dr. Su’ad Abdul-Khabeer and musician Salima Ra, into the studio to share one album, one song, and one lyric that they’re listening to right now. Then, we talk about Dr. Su’ad’s book, “Muslim Cool — Race, Religion, and Hip Hop in the United States.” Afterwards, we call up Al-Taw’am, the badass twin dancers you may have seen in a Brother Ali or Mona Haydar video. The two 19-year-olds talk about how they respond to folks who say dancing is unIslamic and why it’s important to build spaces for Black Muslims to express their culture. Follow Dr. Suad @DrSuad Follow Salima @salimasound Follow Al-Taw’am on Instagram @Iman_and_khadijah Find “Muslim Cool” wherever books are sold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
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