New Muslim Cool 2009

In the city of Pittsburgh, Hamza Perez is seen walking the streets, narrating two recurring life prophecies that arrive to him in dreams: a death at age 21 and a period of time in jail. He reveals that both prophecies eventually came true. He explains that at 21 he became a Muslim, a turn that symbolized the death of his old life. He recalls that the change began when, while he was on the street smoking marijuana, a sheikh approached him to discuss Islam.

While Hamza Perez visits his brother Suliman Perez to cook Boricua Halal food, the brothers discuss their cultural hybridity and how they communicate through Arabic-Spanglish-Ebonics, since they do not fluently speak Arabic, English, or Spanish. During a family gathering, their mother Gladys Perez expresses hesitation about the religious shift, noting that the brothers were raised Catholic and attended private Catholic school. She reveals Hamza’s birth name was Jason, and though unsure about Islam, she accepts her sons’ choices.

The brothers travel to Harlem to interview for a radio program where they discuss their music and the message behind their faith. While in New York, Hamza visits the projects to reach out to at-risk youth, as he works for a social service agency as an anti-drug counselor.

Back in Pittsburgh, Hamza lays out plans to build a Mosque, a school, and a youth center to serve the new Muslim community. He notes that people travel from various places to join a life free from drugs and alcohol and to learn more about Islam. He also shares that he has two children from a previous marriage and hopes to marry again, mentioning that in Islam dating is replaced by marriage.

Rafiah Daughtry(/actor/rafiah-daughtry) describes how she met Hamza on a Muslim social network and chose to marry after a long period of online courtship. She explains the wedding as a clash of civilizations, given his Puerto Rican background and her African American heritage. After their wedding, the couple travels to Massachusetts to meet more of Hamza’s family and to learn about his past as a drug dealer. Upon returning to Pittsburgh, Hamza introduces the new Mosque to the community, and reveals that the FBI has planted a hidden device on a light post pointing toward the Mosque. He continues to use his music as a means of religious outreach in Pittsburgh, arguing that art can resonate with those who face oppression and hardship. Rafiah admits she was initially anxious about his rap career, but grows to enjoy the music.

Two months later, the couple moves into a new home. As they prepare for a Fourth of July family barbecue, Hamza confesses his worry that things might be moving too smoothly. That same day, the FBI raids the Mosque during prayer hours, as seen in news footage and interviews with witnesses who describe gunpoint clearance and mass eviction. The official explanation cites the presence of a felon staying at the Mosque.

Six months after the raid, Hamza focuses more on family life, following the teachings of Muhammad and seeking cooperation with other religious groups. He begins teaching at the county jail and teams up with others, including Carol Elkid, a Jewish activist involved in a project that encourages Jewish and Muslim youth to express themselves through poetry.

A year after the raid, Rafiah is expecting a baby, and the family bonds over the news. Later, the county jail revokes Hamza’s security clearance along with two other Muslim clerics, with the reason left initially unclear. Months later, his attorney reveals that an old interview from 2003 connected to the release of a new album has come under scrutiny. The couple continues their work with at-risk youth and anti-drug initiatives, and Hamza keeps recording new tracks with Suliman. The film closes on a note of resilience as Hamza finally regains clearance to the county jail.