The Benefits of Aki Nawaz

The album was intentionally made to provoke debate and for those who are bigoted to the extreme even though they come across as liberal. I was fully aware that it would touch their sensibilities. They mostly are consumed by their own misinformed racism and an old (or present) colonial mentality. I am sick to the teeth of the audacity of this society which continually attempts to imprison us within its own parameters and conditions of debate and to be debating the same issues which my parents’ generation were proof in its reality. We have now skipped into 3rd and 4th generations but everywhere I meet people they still voice the same concerns. I know that if an indigenous Lord were to create a report then it would report this, what really gets me is that people do not listen to the people from the communities and we are still at the whim of whites attempting to tell us when, what and where we stand.

 

My family found it really difficult after a few days and to be honest I also did as the enormity of it was magnified in the “gutter press” and globally. There was no will on their behalf to even give me half a chance but they had found their headlines for a few days before 7/7. However I had learnt a lot within a space of days to know where we stand with the gutter press and not be taken in by the sensational elements of their writing. I did arrange a lawyer and had discussed with the family what to do and not to do should the police arrive however I also did tell them that in the event that I get arrested they should not stay at home but demonstrate outside the police station 24/7, even if it was just them alone. I had an army of 2 year old, 4, 8, and 10 and they had no problem with that. I wanted to use the same press media which vilified me to keep it in the headlines as too many people are getting arrested and it all goes quiet and most are rotting in custody.   

 

Do you think the timing of the albums original release (a week before 7/7 anniversary) invited the negative backlash against you? Was it unfortunate timing, or has Britain become a country where any debates about radical terrorism provoke an instant fear reaction?

A question with a hundred answers, firstly and for the record 7/7 was not even on my radar however say it was – what does it say about society that chooses when to weep and when to sow the seeds of discontentment. Everyday is a day of sadness and murder, when people celebrate some Victorious Day when on the same day you could easily find genocide and conflict even in the same land. 9/11 was a good day many years before when Leila Khaled hijacked a plane but now it’s a day of international emotion. It is embarrassing that humanity does not come out of its petty mindset and move on instead it dictates days it chooses to make people feel nationalistic and patriotic and that comes with all its repulsive contradictions and hypocrisy .Maybe USA on 9/11 in the 19th century committed genocide against the Slaves or native Americans – all an illusion for me. Also if you really get into the album it does not touch certain sensibilities it rejects them and destroys them –someone said to me the problem is the album is actually far more intelligent than it should have been but also it delivers in a physiological manner that it insults those that really believe they have the upper hand. Maybe also the “benefits of g-had” as a sub-title creates conflict as one of the directors had a problem with this although even his secretary pointed out that the term Jihad means a lot more. However his liberal and stubborn attitude refused to listen to common sense because it was a woman telling him! I think the overall assault on me can be viewed from many angles as my provocation is also addressing many issues and not one, the sum is all things that I find repulsive some people find exciting and acceptable. Those that love War do not like war upon them, those that are racist do not like racism against them, those that exploit do not like to be exploited, those that kill do not like to be killed, those that value economic terrorism do not like the thought of been poor, it goes on and on and for me ALL IS WAR. It is frustrating to see people in the West mainly coming up with comments which do not make sense in the context of times and yet most of the injustice could be undone in matter of moments if they had the will to activate themselves. Once I witnessed at the World social forum in Mumbai some Western activists encouraging poor Indian people to continue fighting and sacrificing themselves against Coca-Cola and its exploiting of natural resources in their locality. A woman in the crowd from the area they were referring too stood and said “we are doing everything we can, our children, our husbands our family members are dying in their dozens, but what are you doing? Have you protested outside the London Headquarters? Have you lost a family member? Have you thrown a brick or been arrested? Have you lost your income and job for your cause? What have you done? Tell Us?” The activist dare not stand up and she was absolutely right, what does the West sacrifice for Justice and Equality? For me the answer is absolutely nothing in the real scheme of things. If Peace cannot stop War then let War bring Peace.

 

A lot of people who know me thought I was doing great at exposing issues and hence thought there was no need. I had no support in real terms although e-mails of support were flying in. Some e mails from old friends were rather troubling as it was obvious they had also bought the news wholesale however they did also display a form of ignorance that troubled me. They were also thinking along the same lines I was fighting against. As time went along some strong people emerged and that was helpful but as for many musicians who I thought would say something, not a whisper. But that’s cool because generally musicians play their cards very cleverly or passively when it comes to politics, me I have no problem crossing the line, in extreme times extreme steps have to be taken. It has always been a concern of mine when people give too much credit to artists when they speak out because essentially for many it’s a romantic peg to attach themselves too however the peg is not bolted in. I got support from some Muslims who could relate to the manner I was speaking out but on the general many Muslim organizations are extremely conservative, suit driven, Londoncentric and very safe which is fine but in times of serious issues they seem to out of touch and very apologetic. As time went along Muslims and non-Muslims came out in support and I thank them all.

 

In an interview for the BBC earlier this year, they quote you as saying “We [the band] actually appeal more to non-Muslims – lefties, anarchists, skateboarders – than we do to Muslims.

This is true that Fun-Da-Mental represent something which is outside the conventional parameters of music within the communities .I know if I was just a normal Muslim I would find FDM shocking but outside of this community peoples immune system and sensitivities towards artist and creative anarchy is far wider especially in terms of performance. However there are forms of Muslims expression especially around religious ceremonies which are far more extreme than FDM could be. Its people’s ability to be able to challenge their own mind sets but this is a society issue not exclusive to Muslims. A lot of the non-Muslims also are shocked but energized by FDM, the funny thing is they expect a really kind of Ghandi approach (he was never peaceful he was at verbal war with the colonialists) and then when they see us they think Rage against the Machine was a kids programme.