Blood of Abraham
Encyclopedia
Blood of Abraham was an American
hip-hop duo
composed of Benyad (Benjamin Mor) and Mazik (David Saevitz). They debuted in 1993 with the release of the LP
Future Profits
on Ruthless Records, the label of the late Eric "Eazy-E" Wright
.
A key characteristic of the group was the novelty of their unapologetic Jewish identity. Their best-known track is "Niggaz and Jewz (Some Say Kike
s)", an irreverent call for Black-Jewish unity in the face of shared struggle against bigotry
. Made at the height of the strain on Black-Jewish relations in the United States
. its opening sample
was an actual recording of the ravings of a Ku Klux Klan
sman, and it featured a spirited verse from Eazy-E as well as the first recorded appearance by will.i.am
of The Black Eyed Peas
known then as Will 1X (the group was then known as "Atban Klann".) Other tracks dealing with Jewish themes were "Father of Many Nations" (a song in praise of the Biblical patriarch Abraham
) and "Stick To Your Own Kind".
A video was shot for the track "Stabbed by the Steeple," and print ads were centered around large text proclaiming "Jesus
was a Black Jew," but the album did not receive much publicity beyond that. Blood of Abraham fell into anonymity
; their status worsened in 1995 with the death of Eazy-E and the subsequent folding of the Ruthless and Relativity Records
labels.
Mazik and Benyad then went on hiatus until 2000, which saw the unofficial release of the LP Eyedollartree on Mastergrip Records, which folded shortly thereafter. Eyedollartree featured guest appearances from maverick rappers Kool Keith
and Divine Styler
, as well as will.i.am
. Basement Records oversaw the official release of Eyedollartree (with bonus DVD) in late 2005.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip-hop duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
composed of Benyad (Benjamin Mor) and Mazik (David Saevitz). They debuted in 1993 with the release of the LP
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Future Profits
Future Profits
Future Profits is the debut album by rap duo, Blood of Abraham. The album was released on November 16, 1993 for Ruthless Records/Relativity Records and was produced by Eazy-E, Epic Mazur and Bilal Bashir....
on Ruthless Records, the label of the late Eric "Eazy-E" Wright
Eazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright , better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California...
.
A key characteristic of the group was the novelty of their unapologetic Jewish identity. Their best-known track is "Niggaz and Jewz (Some Say Kike
Kike
Kike is a derogatory slur used to refer to a Jew.-Etymology:The source of the term is uncertain. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it may be an alteration of the endings –ki or –ky common in the personal names of Jews in eastern Europe who immigrated to the United States in the early...
s)", an irreverent call for Black-Jewish unity in the face of shared struggle against bigotry
Bigotry
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs...
. Made at the height of the strain on Black-Jewish relations in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. its opening sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
was an actual recording of the ravings of a Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
sman, and it featured a spirited verse from Eazy-E as well as the first recorded appearance by will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
of The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
known then as Will 1X (the group was then known as "Atban Klann".) Other tracks dealing with Jewish themes were "Father of Many Nations" (a song in praise of the Biblical patriarch Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
) and "Stick To Your Own Kind".
A video was shot for the track "Stabbed by the Steeple," and print ads were centered around large text proclaiming "Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
was a Black Jew," but the album did not receive much publicity beyond that. Blood of Abraham fell into anonymity
Anonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
; their status worsened in 1995 with the death of Eazy-E and the subsequent folding of the Ruthless and Relativity Records
Relativity Records
Relativity Records, often branded just Relativity, is an American record label founded by Barry Kobrin at the site of his company, Important Record Distribution in metro New York. Early on, as an indie label, Relativity released music in a variety of styles, including dance, jazz, punk, and...
labels.
Mazik and Benyad then went on hiatus until 2000, which saw the unofficial release of the LP Eyedollartree on Mastergrip Records, which folded shortly thereafter. Eyedollartree featured guest appearances from maverick rappers Kool Keith
Kool Keith
Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of...
and Divine Styler
Divine Styler
Divine Styler is an alternative hip hop artist from Brooklyn, New York.-History:He first emerged as part of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate. His first LP, Word Power, was hailed by critics and fans, but was not a commercial success. His second album, the wildly experimental Spiral Walls Containing Autumns...
, as well as will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
. Basement Records oversaw the official release of Eyedollartree (with bonus DVD) in late 2005.
Discography
| Album information |
|---|
| Future Profits Future Profits Future Profits is the debut album by rap duo, Blood of Abraham. The album was released on November 16, 1993 for Ruthless Records/Relativity Records and was produced by Eazy-E, Epic Mazur and Bilal Bashir....
|
| Eyedollartree Eyedollartree Eyedollartree is the second album by rap duo Blood of Abraham. The album was originally released on May 2, 2000 for Atomic Pop Record, but was re-released in 2003 for Basement Records. will.i.am, Kool Keith and Divine Styler make guest appearances.... RIAA certification In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards... : N/A |