10 Questions with Poetic Pilgrimage

How were you called to be hip hop artists?

Muneera: We were called when we realized that in our environment at the time there was really no reflection of us. Women of a certain sentiment who showed concern for world issues. But who were kool and down to earth at the same time.

How did you come together to form Poetic Pilgrimage?

Sukina: Muneera and I went to the same school and later became friends based on our love of knowledge, truth and music. This was about 10 years ago around that time the whole Neo Soul / Hip Hop movement was getting big and we were heavily influenced by people such as Common, Kweli, Mos Def, The Roots, Slum Villa and singers such as Jill Scott, EryKah, Amel Larrieux and others and this inspired us to start writing our own music. I initially had plans to be a singer but Hip Hop got the better of me so we decided to focus on Hip Hop and Spoken Word and officially formed Poetic Pilgrimage in the winter of 2002.

Tell us about the name Poetic Pilgrimage.

Muneera: We are a Hip Hop and spoken word duo hailing from the musical city of Bristol in the UK. Which is also home to Roni Size, Massive Attack and Portishead, Born to Caribbean parents, we now live in London and are pursuing our heART full time. We part run a night called Rebel “Muzik” which we are now in the process of extending it’s parameters into a non profit organization. We have been called by many taste makers for our fresh sound, intelligent lyrics and our fusion of different musical genres all within the spectrum of Hip Hop to illustrate freedom. a unmistakable element of our identity is the fact that we are Muslim.

Have you found it hard being Muslim female musicians?

Sukina: I believe that anybody who pursues a path that they love will encounter some kind of hardship, its just the way it is and it tests you as an individual to see if this path is definitely the one for you and we have definitely been tested. We have a very 50/50 response from the Muslim community. Some people love and celebrate our presence and are so grateful for female representation within a creative context others loathe what we do completely and I’ve found forums with 6 pages worth of criticism towards us! It’s hard but it makes you stronger.

Outside of the Muslim community the response has been very positive, I think because our perspective is new, unique, courageous but fresh and we make sure we give it our all and not ride of the fact that we’re girls with Hijaabs but we actually have skills to back it up.

What types of messages do you convey in your music?

Muneera: You will always find nuances of freedom and resistance in our Music. We try to speak on subjects that people can relate to regardless of color, sex, faith and all the other ism and schism people use to divide. Although we don’t shy away from the fact that we are black, female and Muslims, so it is only natural that these beautiful elements and plights will come out through our music. We try to speak for those who have no voice. Those whose stories may get missed or simply misrepresented. We make music it from our heart. So I guess you could call it Soul music.

You both have Jamaican roots. How does that influence you music?

Sukina: The spirit of resistance that you hear in our music is born out of the legacy of the African enslaved people in the America’s and our fight for freedom through music. Although we are not reggae artists we are heavily influenced by people such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown the Abbysinians plus many more who have used music to spread a message. Being Muslim women with a Jamaican backdrop had given us the courage and ability to use our music to fight for our rights because we are not caught up in other peoples cultural misogyny.

There seems to be a building Muslin hip hop community in the UK . Tell us about that.

Muneera: It is beautiful to see. There is some opposition to this growing community, but as Poetic Pilgrimage, we feel it is so essential for a community to define itself. With all the harassment that we face in this harsh islamophobic environment there is the need to express. Some of this tension is being let loose in the form of Hip Hop. It is undoubtedly some of the best social political music being made in the UK. Although we would not class ourselves as Islamic or Muslim Rappers, we are an instrumental part of this community and proud to see our Brothers and Sisters, defining and creating a culture.

What are you looking forward to performing in America ?

Sukina: I’m so excited about coming to the U.S but i’m also a little bit nervous! America is the home of Hip Hop so it’s amazing to be able to return to the land where Hip Hop originated with our representation of what Hip Hop means to us, I just hope we’re well received. Nomadic Wax have worked so hard to get us shows in the East Coast so we are really blessed but I think the most exciting think for me is to be able to perform on the same bill as K’Naan, I am his biggest fan so that for me is a blessing.

Why do you think the Trinity International Hip-Hop Festival is important to hip hop and, specifically, groups such as yours?

Muneera: On so many levels I think Trinity is essential to Hip Hop and groups such as us. Hip Hop can be seen as an American export, but it has now touched the globe made babies and has full grown children in every part of the world. A side from sounding good it communicates the plight of people all around the world and gives that expression that is often neglected. This in turn creates awareness and unity so now I feel the plight of my brother or sister in Gambia or Poland. Hip Hop has become an exchange of cultures and identity equating to fresh perspectives, authenticity and longevity.

What can we expect from you educational workshop/talk?

Sukina: I’m unsure exactly how we’ll structure it but it will definitely be along the lines of Women/Identity/Faith and Music.