The Influence Of The Influential--The Most Prolific Political Prisoner You Never Heard Of"

Afrika Baambaataa  and 21 Savage

Disclaimer:
Originally posted by DailyLiveNews 4-5-19
Re-published under the freedom of information Act, 
in hopes to uplift, inform, educate, inspire
 & empower readers of djtuc999 on the noble works of this unsung 
political prisoner.

Rapping and hip-hop have become cultures that were grew and developed out of the mean streets of the South Bronx in the 1970s’. Would Rap and Hip Hop it be considered a cult? People follow what the rappers say and do, and how they dress and talk, actually when you break down the word culture you have the word cult within it. Now that millions follow these rap artists closely, and the music is now overlapping popular society, it would probably be considered more of a pop cult or pop culture. There have been some very influential artists, musicians, teachers, authors, and figures who have helped promote and shape the culture of rap and hip-hop, the names go on and on but one of its major influences into its early culture was an African man named Dr. York, Dr. Malachi Z.K. York, or some call Dwight York (incorrectly according to him and the State of Massachusetts). 

Through his books, literature, and speeches, that were then penned under the name Imam Isa or Isa Al Haadi Al Mahdi he influenced the likes of people like Afrika Bambaataa Jimmy Cliff and many more. Yet, if we start here, with Jimmy Cliff and Bambaataa, we start with the beginning of Hip Hop. Afrika Bambaataa is known as the “GodFather” of Hip Hop and credited for coining the 4 Elements of the culture known as B-Boying, DJing, MCing, and graffiti, and also pioneering Breakbeat DJing. Jimmy Cliff is an international Reggae star from Jamaica that’s known for his timeless, hits, the creation of the Lion King’s award winning soundtrack, and being credited for the discovery of none other than Bob Marley! Most Hip Hop aficionados recognize Reggae as one of the forms of music that birthed the culture. Jimmy Cliff can be seen on YouTube acknowledging Dr. York’s influence in his life, while requesting former President Obama for his release from prison, stating the following: 

“I’m taking this time out to say something about Dr. Malachi Z York a very inspiring, influential, and uplifting person. I have read a lot of his books and it has been very inspiring to me as a songwriter as a poet myself and in all my walks of life globally I have met many such other people that have expressed the same sentiments…”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifeGJMXe3u4

Afrika Bambaataa also founded the Universal Zulu Nation whose belief systems pattern the teachings of Dr. York, which speak of African consciousness, underwater cities, extra-terrestrial life, and Ancient Egyptian society being founded by Africans. In some of the writings on the Universal Zulu Nation website they even use the language created and invented by Dr York or according to Dr. York a language that he has re-introduced, called Nuwaupic. 

There is even a video of Afrika Bambaataa coming to Dr. Yorks defense (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00Jq_87T7zg) that is actually still live on Youtube, where he states:

“This is definitely a case that needs to be open, it needs to be open for all the public to see for all the public to view, all the public to get an understanding so we can get the right knowledge, the right wisdom, and the right overstanding, to what has happened to our brother Dr. Malachi Z. York”

Unfortunately, Afrika Bambaataa’s name was later dragged through similar allegations as he was claimed to have sexually assaulted two men when they were in their youth. To this day there has not been any proof that has been shown to validate these allegations against Afrika Bambaataa, who has not been charged with any crime.

York Records, Passion Records, And Passion Recording Studio

Music Mogul Russell Simmons and Dr. York

Before we get into how far deep Dr. Yorks teachings entered into the wave of Hip Hop, he also had a label, a record label that is, York’s Records, and at the time, a state of the art recording studio. In which he even put out one of Afrika Bambaataa’s singles featuring the Jungle Brothers, another HUGE Hip Hop group in the late 80’s and early 90’s. That record was called “Return To Planet Rock (The Second Coming)” which was released on vinyl through Yorks Records in 1989.  Dr. Malachi York even has a single with Sarah Dash, called “It’s Too Late” released on his own imprint, York’s Records in 1985.  Sarah Dash, also a cousin to actress Stacey Dash and Hip Hop Mogul Damon Dash, is a singer and actress from Trenton New Jersey, also known as the Trenton Music Ambassador, who started her career as a member of Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles and has even been featured on the Rolling Stones album in 1989. 

Passion, a group released on Dr York’s York Records and later his Passion Records imprint, was comprised of Dr. York, Zeemo (Abdul Aziz), and Steve (Segovia), and a series of other members that played a part of the band. The group went on to open for Nancy Lewis world renown jazz vocalist, Ramsey Lewis world renown jazz pianist, Phylis Hyman and even featured Wendell Sawyer, Vernon Sawyer, and Ted Mills of Blue Magic as a part of the band at one point. 

Between York Records and Passion Records there were also artists like Kenne and Petite, where Dr. York and Kenne are seen in a photo with Russel Simmons on a promo run circa 1985. Then there were others like Undercover Lovers “Fake Fly Guys” released in 1985, world renowned Gospel singer Doc Mckenzie and the Hi-Lites who has charted on Billboards Top Gospel hits and is known as a Gospel legend.  Petite also went onto become the early 90s group Ex-Girlfriend featuring Stacy Francis from X-Factor and TV One’s R&B Divas Los Angeles. You also had Sheeba, The Studants, Ramona Keller, Nubian Egyptian/Sudanese composer Hamza El Din, and many more.  Dr. York’s Passion Studios which he advertised in the May 1985 issue of Billboard has recorded artists like Force MD’s, Fredro Starr of Onyx, and Stetsasonic. 

Hip Hop And The Nubian Islamic Hebrews

Jay Z was also influenced early on before fame and fortune.

Dr. York’s teachings were heavy in the music at this time between the years of 1988 -1992 and boasted a proud to be African mentality and pushed the terminology of Nubian as an identification for Africans in America. If not being mentioned directly by name you can find his teachings instilling a positive image of African Americans in history even tying them into all the Biblical, Judaic, and Quranic characters being depicted as Black or African through-out his books and scrolls.

Stetsasonic a popular Hip Hop group active from 1981-1992, signed to Tommy Boy / Warner Brothers, were also students and members of the Ansaar Allah Community in Bushwick Brooklyn founded by Dr. York (or at that time better known as Imam Isa). Right around this time Dr York or Dwight York began to make the transition from the Ansaar Allah Community to the Nubian Islamic Hebrews.  Prince Paul a former member of Stetsasonic stepped off to create his own group called GraveDiggaz with the Rza, the mind behind the Wu-Tang Clan. Whereas MC Delite another member of the group still remains as an active student of Dr. York’s and an advocate for his freedom and innocence. 

MF Doom, who is a huge underground Hip Hop artist with a “Cult” following, and his late brother Subroc of the group KMD were also influenced by Dr. York.  MF Doom when he was still known as Kev Love X, mentions Dr. York’s name on KMD’s biggest single “Peach Fuzz” released in 1991 on Elektra Records off the Mr. Hood album.

During this era and time, now known as the “Golden Age of Hip Hop”, Dr. York’s writings influenced another artist you may know, JAY Z! Jaz-O who is one of Jay-Z’s mentors and known for introducing Jigga to the world was a member of the Ansaar Allah Community in Bushwick Brooklyn.  You can even see a picture of Dr. York being held up by Jaz-O in Jay-Z’s debut music video with Jaz-O called The Originators released on EMI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzzwb8p8D4k 2:53 into the video). Jay Z is even heard using terminology very popular with Malachi York’s books at that time, a term called Amorite which is a biblical reference Dr. York said related to Caucasions.  As you can see Jay-Z raps the following during his feature on the Originators track with Jaz-O: 

“Excitin the mic much to the delight of millions of Nubians 

And Amorites just can't understand the groove we're in”

Jay-Z has now gone on to be a Rap Mogul and is encroaching on Billionaire status. 

Hip Hop And The Nuwaubian Nation

A Plethora of iconic hip hop artist Dr. York has influenced.

Even as Dr. York began to transition from the Nubian Islamic Hebrews to the Nuwaubian Nation his influence on Hip Hop didn’t stop it actually only seemed to grow and during this time his books reached the hands of a young rapper that is another one of Hip Hop’s most notable contributors, Prodigy of Mobb Deep.  Prodigy who arguably has one of the most quoted verses in Hip Hop from his Shook Ones Part 2 song and is also notoriously known for his beef with fellow NY rapper Jay-Z and Tupac, has on countless occasions shown support for Dr. York. At the time signed to Loud Records alongside other Hip Hop legends like Wu-Tang Clan, Big Pun, and Twista according to Prodigy in his “My Infamous Life Book” which was a hit that gave an inside look to his life in Hip Hop and dealings with people like Mary J Blige N.O.R.E. and others he states: 

“I started reading books by Dr. York, a spiritual leader from Bushwick, Brooklyn, who taught about the origin of all races and religions. If you listen to the Hell on Earth album, you can hear how my rhymes started changing at that time. I started rapping about the Illuminati, secret societies, and the corrupt government and becoming more conscious of my surroundings, going through a mental and spiritual change just like Killer.” 

Prodigy remained an avid supporter of Dr. York, up until his untimely death on June 20th, 2017, some say some due to foul play because if controversial stands.  Even after Dr. York was incarcerated, Prodigy continued showing his support and claimed Dr. York was innocent during his interviews with Alex Jones of Info Wars. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXHY8CZYJJw). Prodigy was also in an interview called “The Illuminati & Hip-Hop: A Conversation With Prodigy” on the Genius Youtube page, Genius is a website and brand dedicated to explaining the deeper meaning behind music, where Prodigy also stated he was influenced by the teachings of Dr. York (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGz5spcStJs).  

Prodigy will always be known as one of the first Rappers to speak openly about his belief in the Illuminati and the need for its exposure.

What about artists like Nas , Camron, Juelz Santana, and Sean Price, all these artists mentioned Dr. York by name in their music. The Genius.com website is interesting because by searching Dr. York’s name you can find out what artist mentioned him and on what song and album.  Nas mentions him on the song Triple Threat produced by Trackmasters featuring Nature and N.O.R.E. where he says: 

“Don't wanna shoot my people but still they might clap me cause I talk like Dr. Malachi York,”, 

Camron on the Purple Haze album on the song Leave me alone Pt. 2 released on December 7, 2004, by Roc-A-Fella Records, Diplomat Records and Def Jam Recordings raps the following: 

“The Dips, consulted by the son of Malachi York” 

and also Sean Price (Rest in Peace) on his song Bar-Barian where he states: 

“You don't got a chance, Pa, Ansaar community Malachi York” 

Even the lyrical genius and Guiness Book of Worlds Record holder Twista Shouts out Dr. York and the Ansaars on his first single off Loud Records called “Runnin’ off at Da Mouth” released in 1992 where he says:

“To the Ansaars and Chicagods (what?) peace, To Dr. York and Abdul Mallik I say (what?) peace”

Then there’s AZ, Half-A-Mil, Killa Priest, Jedi Mind Tricks, Non Phixion, Snow Goons, Papoose, Lost Children of Babylon, and so many others to have been said to be influenced by Dr. York.

Others like Lil Jon and KP and Envyi ,“Shorty Swing My Way”, actually performed on Tama-Re the Egyptian styled theme park created by Dr. York and the members of the Nuwaubian Nation of Moors and Yamassee Tribe.

Nuwaupu In Neo Soul

Later Dr. York’s influence spanned over to Neo Soul, and artist like Musiq Soul Child who is seen in numerous pictures with Dr. York. Musiq Soulchild was raised in the Ansaar Allah Community as a child. He continued to support Dr. York and even performed at one of the Nuwuabian Nation Celebrations in 2004 after Dr. York’s arrest and conviction.

Also India Arie, was a supporter of Dr. York, whose seen in pictures with him and his sister Dale York. Then there’s Kedar Massenburg, nephew of Dr. York, son of his sister Dale York, who is known for birthing the entire genre that is known today as Neo Soul. Kedar Massenburg solidified his name in the music industry by bringing acts like Erykah Badu and D’Angelo into commercial success.  He got start by directing the career of the previous mentioned Stetsasonic.  He also went on to become CEO of Motown Records and essentially brought the label from out of obscurity during his stint as President from 1997-2004. He is now managing Akon, another artist who has been said to have been influenced by the writings of Dr. York. 

Issa Culture

Heather Carmillia Joseph and Dr. Amsu Anpu parents of 21 Savage, both at one point were students of Dr. York up to and after his incarceration. 21 Savage’s mother can even be seen in 2010 at a rally in Washington D.C. for Dr. York’s freedom called “Freedom Not Torture For Malachi York”. In 2006 Dr. Amsu Anpu, now a celebrated motivational speaker on health and wellness, even owned an All Eyes On Egipt Bookstore that exclusively carried Dr. Yorks writings

One thing is for sure Hip Hop would have never been the same without Dr. York and his students and supporters influence. According to court documents Dr. York naturalized to the Republic of Liberia and was subsequently appointed to post as Consul General, and the Republic of Liberia has requested the Repatriation of Dr. York.