Jasiri X facts for kids

Jasiri X (born Jasiri Oronde Smith) is an American rapper and activist. He became well-known for his 2007 song "Free the Jena 6." He has received awards like the Rauschenberg Artist as Activist award. Jasiri X also helped start 1Hood, a group that works to prevent violence. In 2016, he was given an honorary doctorate from the Chicago Theological Seminary.

Early Life and Education

Jasiri X, whose birth name is Jasiri Oronde Smith, was born in Chicago, Illinois. In the 1980s, he moved to Monroeville, Pennsylvania with his mother. He went to Gateway High School and finished when he was 16.

He wanted to become a lawyer. He started college at the University of Maryland. Later, he attended the University of Pittsburgh, but he did not complete his degree.

Music and Activism

After leaving college, Jasiri X began performing spoken word poetry. At first, he used the name Jo Smith. He also became an activist, working to make positive changes in society.

In 1997, he learned about the Nation of Islam. He met Louis Farrakhan in 1998 and later became a member. In 2005, he became a minister at Muhammad Mosque No. 22 in Wilkinsburg.

Jasiri X creates music that talks about important social and political issues. His 2007 song "Free the Jena 6" brought him a lot of attention. He also released songs like "Trayvon" and "What if the Tea Party was Black?" He encourages other hip-hop artists to use their music to discuss these topics too.

In 2010, he released his first album, American History X. His second album, Ascension, came out in 2013. It was released with the Vancouver label Wandering Worx.

In 2013, Jasiri X traveled to the State of Palestine and Israel. He was part of a group of artists and activists. This trip was supported by the Carter Center. Jasiri made a music video for his song "Checkpoint." This song is about the things he saw during his trip, like occupation and discrimination. The video includes footage he filmed himself.

In 2015, he released the album Black Liberation Theology. Other artists like David Banner and Tef Poe were featured on it. Jasiri X has said that artists like Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Lauryn Hill, Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G., Public Enemy, and KRS-One have influenced his music.

Jasiri X also has a show on YouTube called "This Week with Jasiri X." He has spoken out in favor of net neutrality. This means making sure everyone, especially people with lower incomes, can easily access the internet.

In 2006, he helped start 1Hood, a group that works to stop violence. 1Hood also has a media academy. This academy teaches young Black boys how to understand media and how to create their own media content.

Awards and Recognition

Jasiri X has received several important awards and grants for his work:

• In 2015, he received the "Artist as Activist" fellowship from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.
• Also in 2015, he became a USA Fellow. This is a $50,000 award from United States Artists. It is given to artists who are innovative and have a unique artistic vision.
• In 2015, the Open Society Foundation asked him to create a film. This film was about how the "drug war" has affected South America.
• In 2016, he received an honorary doctorate from the Chicago Theological Seminary. This is a special degree given to honor his achievements.

See Also

• Conscious hip-hop
• Black Lives Matter