American Musicians That Have Converted To Islam

There are a handful of American Musicians singers who have taken up Islam as a religion. Here are few names that you may have missed.

Art Blakey

Blakey, one of the most influential jazz drummers ever, converted to Islam in the 1940s after a trip to Africa, taking on the name Abdullah Ibn Buhaina. Known for his aggressive and polyrhythmic drumming technique, Blakey earned the nickname “Thunder” over his more than 40 years in jazz. Best known for his work with his band the Jazz Messengers, Blakey also played with greats like Miles Davis and mentored young talents including Wynton and Branford Marsalis.

Q-Tip

A co-founder of the acclaimed rap trio A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip was born Jonathan Davis in Queens, New York. Along with Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip changed the face of hip-hop in the 1990s, earning writing, rapping, and producing credits on tracks like "Bonita Applebum" and "Can I Kick It?" A Tribe Called Quest disbanded in 1998. In 1996, Q-Tip, who went on to pursue a solo career as a hip-hop artist and producer, converted to Islam, and changed his name to Kamaal Ibn John Fareed. “I read the Koran and it appealed to me,” Q-Tip has said of his conversion. “At the time I was agnostic and it really breathed spiritually back into me.”

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers Moanin'