Throughout his career, Askari X has never shield away from confrontation. The Oakland rapper first gained notoriety at age sixteen, when he dropped the pro-Black, anti-government classic, Ward of the State (1992.) Boasting fearless lyrics and a militant Islamic bent, the album identified Askari as an enemy of the establishment and an advocate for oppressed peoples everywhere. Unfortunately, Askari wasn’t able to enjoy the project’s success, as he caught a three-year bid immediately after its release. It was a pattern that would repeat itself throughout the rapper’s career: each highly-anticipated album seemed to bring with it another jail term, preventing Askari from gaining any momentum or expanding his core audience. The process has been so consistent that it’s tempting to imagine a government conspiracy, especially given the inflammatory nature of songs like “Better Hide Tonight,” “Piggy Wiggy,” and “3 Strikes.” Despite the many setbacks, Askari has never watered down his message, and he’s now set to release his fourth album, The X Factor,with no legal troubles on the horizon. He remains defiantly unapologetic about his music. “It’s so much truth that the Devil don’t want people to have it,” says Askari, “so it’s gon’ raise a little tension. But they can’t do nothing but bear witness to it, ‘cause it’s the truth.”
