What is Five Percent?
1.
A doctrine which emerged in 1960s as an offshoot of the Nation of Islam. The belief is that mankind began about one million years ago in the Mideast (Black people are today refered to as "Asiatic Black Man.") The doctrine holds that 85% of the people are presumed to be chumps, spending their life deluded and ripped off. 10% do the ripping off, are in the scams of entertainment, sports, politics, religion, business, etc., and live as fat cats but in sin. Only 5% have the knowledge and moral standing to be the world’s teachers. Non-black people are not excluded from the ranks of the potential righteous and the doctrine holds that one's works and life are more important than skin color.
The doctrine has lately undergone a vigorous ressurgence thanks in large part to hip-hop artists, particularly Busta Rhymes, Wu-Tang, Rakim and Big Daddy Kane. The movement now refers to itself as the “Nation of Gods and Earths.”
Despite trappings, the movement has only the most tenuous links to Islam. Most importantly, adherrants believe in several gods, that the words of prophets have been distorted beyond recognition and that the Five Percent are in themselves, Gods or at least the Gods' agents.
"I wanna big up Five Percent Nation Of Islam, Yeah!"
-- Busta Rhymes, from "New York Shit"
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