Ever since the United States' 'war on terror' began, American media has been rife with stereotypes of Muslims as violent, foreign threats. Advocates trying to push back against this characterization sometimes emphasize that 'Islam means peace,' since the two words are derived from the same Arabic root. Indeed, the traditional Muslim greeting 'al-salamu alaykum' means 'peace be upon you.' Some Americans were already familiar with the phrase, thanks to an unexpected source: hip-hop culture, which often incorporated the Arabic phrase. This is but one example of Islam's deep intertwining with the threads of hip-hop culture. In her groundbreaking book 'Muslim Cool,' scholar, artist and activist Suad Abdul Khabeer shows how Islam, specifically Black Islam, was a crucial part of hip-hop's roots ' asserting the faith's place in American life. From prayerlike lyrics to tongue-in-cheek references, Islam and other religions are woven into hip-hop's beats. In Muslim cultures, 'al-salamu...
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