Questions

Questions:

General questions: name, residence, heritage

1) What does hip-hop music mean to you?

2) When did you first get into the genre?

3) Who is/was your favorite artist? Why?

4) Do you have any musical training?

5) Did you go to school for production?

6) How did you get into emcee'ing/production/recording?

7) How long have you been a Baha'i?

8) What is the importance of creating Baha'I inspired hip hop music?

9) Why do you do it? What is it like for you?

10) How do you use rap as a tool in expressing the ideals of a particular indiviual/group/religion?

11) Why do you use hip hop to portray the principles of the Baha'I faith?

12) What topics do you rap about? (history/principles/laws)

13) Why do you think Baha'I youth/young adults need music that pertains to their religion?

14) Do you find that mainstream hip hop is contrary to the ideals you present? How so?

15) Do you have any cultural ties back to hip hop?

16) Why is hip hop your choice of genre? Why not pop/rock/country/classical?

17) How do you relate to such a genre even though it does not stem from your cultural heritage?

18) Do you find it a global language that resonates with the diversity within the religion?

19) How does targeting such a small demographic shape the way you create music?

20) Do you find your music accessible by other groups?

21) Do you see a future in Baha'I inspired hip hop music?

22) As an established artists/producer, how does being a Baha'I and your work affect each other? Or even contradict one another?

23) As an emerging artists/producer, do you feel you can make a career catering just to the Baha'I music audience? If so, how come? If not, what other ways would you go about establishing your career.

24) How does being a Baha'I influence your understanding of the use of music?

25) How many female Baha'I rappers do you know of? How about female hiphop producers/singers?

26) If perhaps you were still in the country from where you originated, would hip hop still be as important as it is to you today?

27) Do you identify with the music you make? Does it represent you? Does it gives us, the audience, insight into who you are as an individual?

28) How would you qualify your music? As realistic rap, conscious/knowledge rap, gansta rap, etc?

29) What does the audience take away from your music? Is it meant to be a spiritual experience? Create a mood? Or spark insight?

30) Do you collaborate with non-Baha'I artists?

31) How does that affect your ability to express your own Baha'I views?

32) Do you notice first-hand effects of your music on the people who listen to it?

33) What positive outcomes do you expect from your music?

34) Do you do live performances? Coffee houses? Conferences?

35) How does living in Canada affect the dissemination of your music? Is there a demand for it in the U.S? Does the U.S. (Baha'i) audience have different tastes? And vice versa?

36) How do you circulate your music? Cd's? Mixtapes? Facebook? Online sales?

 

Specific songs:

"Man of Two Vision" Mixtape Volume One – Karim, JC, Nabil and Dialektika

1. When I Breathe
   
2. Hold On
   
3. 2am
   

 

Individual Songs off Facebook – Nabil and Karim http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nabil-and-Karim/52106492176?sid=b5a9f14fc8b72dfdc0d731e08a9e903c&refurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fs.php%3Fref%3Dsearch%26init%3Dq%26q%3Dnabil%2Band%2Bkarim%26sid%3Db5a9f14fc8b72dfdc0d731e08a9e903c&ref=s

1. Mona
   
2. Another Day
   
3. Whither feat. Ashraf
   

 

"The Dawbreaker Collective" – Various Artists/ Produced by Benny Cassette

1. Army of Light Intro
   
2. Set It Off
   

5.    Interlude 1
8. Broken Winged Bird
11. Wake Up
12. My Refuge
14. Hush