Kanye West Is Preaching What The “Black Church” Is Afraid To Preach
Whether you like him or not, within the past few weeks Kanye West has been preaching what the Black Church needs to preach, and it is the only TRUE solution to ending the oppression that Black people face. If somebody is shedding light on the only solution for the oppression our people face, I have no shame in taking my emotions out of the situation, and simply focusing on the message and not their “unflattering” personality.
What is the message that Kanye is preaching?
Kanye West has been using his platform to tell Black people and the whole world, the same thing Malcolm X once preached, which is: Black people are of the 12 tribes of Israel mentioned in the Bible.
Sidenote: The 12 tribes of Israel are also known as “Jews”, “Hebrews”, and “Israelites”
Why is the message that Black people are of the 12 tribes of Israel important? How is it the solution?
As you will further see in the article: According to the Bible, once God’s chosen people known as the 12 tribes of Israel, embrace their heritage that God gave to their ancestors, God will then end their oppression( It goes with out saying to have faith in Jesus as well.)
This belief that Black people are of the 12 tribes of Israel can be backed up with historical evidence, scientific evidence, and biblical evidence.
Due to the fact that the majority of the readers of this article may not believe in the Bible, I will start with the historical evidence first.
Historical Evidence That Black People Are The Israelites of The Bible
Ancient historians have stated that the Israelites were a Black/African race of people. That should be no surprise considering that Israel is literally right next to Egypt( Africa.)
Over a thousand years ago, around 100 AD, a Roman historian and senator named Tacitus, wrote about the Israelites in his book, Histories, saying, “Many assure us they were a race of Ethiopian origin.”
In other words, Tacitus stated that Israelites were of Black African descent. The Roman Empire invaded and occupied Israel, therefore they had direct contact with the 12 tribes of Israel and they knew what they looked like.
Around 7 B.C. , thousands of years ago, the Greek historian named Strabo stated how the most reputable reports stated that the Israelites were the descendants of Ancient Egyptians (Black Africans)
“But though the inhabitants are mixed up thus, the most prevalent of the accredited reports in regard to the temple at Jerusalem represents the ancestors of the present Judaeans, as they are called, as Aegyptians.”
— Strabo, The Geography of Strabo, Volume 3, pg. 177
Sidenote: Surprisingly there are still some people who don’t believe that the Ancient Egyptians were Black. That is a different conversation which I will not focus on in this article but, one can simply click the link right here or below, which proves that the Ancient Egyptians were Black Africans.
In the book of Exodus, in the Bible , Moses who was an Israelite, was mistaken for/resembled the Ancient Egyptians.
As you can see so far, history shows that the original Israelites were a African race of people. This should not be a surprise, because Israel is right off the coast of Africa. After the Romans invaded Israel, many, if not all of the tribes fled to West Africa.
A study led by by Harvard Medical Research shows that the origins of the DNA sequence (E1B1A) of African Americans/ The African Diaspora, can be traced back to the region of Israel.
In 1854, John Reynell Morell, wrote in his book , The topography and History, Political, Social, and Natural French of West Africa:
“History has recorded the date and cause of the Israelitish migration to West Africa after the destruction of Jerusalem”
In 1837, the historian Godfrey Higgins wrote in his book , Anacalypsis, an Attempt to Draw Aside the Veil of the Saitic Isis; Or, an Inquiry Into the Origin of Languages, Nations, and Religions, Volume 1:
“The tribe of Juda was not stopped in its migration westward by the sea, or perhaps when it was driven out from Egypt, part of it moved to the West, along the coast of the Mediterranean, till it got to Guinea.”
The tribe of Judah is one of the 12 tribes of Israel.
The Bible says that members of the 12 tribes of Israel, would go into slavery by ships, with yokes of iron on their necks, because they rejected the heritage that God gave to them.
One of the main regions in West Africa(seen below), where Black people were sold into slavery by ships, with yokes of iron on our necks , just so happened to be named after one of the 12 tribes of Israel, called Judah. Judah is where the word Jew comes from. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, also known as the “Lion of Judah.”
Below is a 1747 map of Africa which can be found in the Library of Congress, created by an English cartographer named Edward Bowen(1693/1694–1767). The map below, shows specifically where the ancestors of many “African Americans” come from. As you can see on the map, the Kingdom of Judah is also labeled as the “Slave Coast”, because that is one of the main regions where Europeans went to go get “slaves.”
You can view the full map in the link below. It is from the Library of Congress’s website.
In the 1870’s, a French public research university called, the University of Montepellier, put out a book(below)on geography.
This book from the year 1890 talks about the Kingdom of Juda in West Africa, stating,
“ Judah is a old city frequented since the 16th century by the Portuguese slavers, who gave it its name. It’s inhabitants were said to be Judaic, “and they were indeed considered as a remnant of scattered tribes of Israel”
In 1876 a French geographer named, Élisée Reclus also , wrote about the Kingdom of Juda in his book called, “The Earth and Its Inhabitants.”
This historian wrote about the Kingdom of Juda in West Africa: “The old writers called it Juda, and it’s inhabitants were said to be Jews.”
In 1820 an English traveler named James Gray published his book An account of Timbuctoo and Housa, spoke about the tribe of Judah being in West Africa as well.
This book states:
“This place is reported to be inhabited by one of the lost tribes of Israel, possibly an emigration from the tribe of Judah. Yahooda, in African Arabic, signifies Judah. Yahoodee signifies Jew. It is not impossible, that many of the lost tribes of Israel may be found dispersed in the interior regions of Africa”
- El Hage Abd Salam Shabeeny collected and formatted by James Gray Jackson: An Account of Timbuctoo & Housa (1820)
The tribes of Israel, who fled to West Africa, were more likely to be targeted for the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Dr. Allen H Godbey(1864–1948) of Duke University’s Divinity School, was quoted in the European Journal of Sociology Volume 28, issue 1, stating:
“What traces of Judaism still remained among the Negroes of West Africa at that period? To the extent that they were persecuted, they were more likely than other Negroes to be seized during wars and sold as slaves. It is virtually certain that many part Jewish negroes were among those sent to slaves in America”
In the 12th century, the Arab traveler Muhammad Al Idrisi stated how Native African tribes would target the Israelites for slavery and sell them all over the world. The region in Africa that he is writing about is called “Lam-Lam.” It was near Ghana.
He wrote: “All Their inhabitants, as people of those parts relate, are Jews”
“The land of Lam-lam, into which incursions (invasions/raids) are made by the inhabitants of Berissa(Mende), Salla, Takrur( Fulani) , and Ghana ; there they take numbers of captives, whom they carry away to their own countries, and dispose of to the merchants trading thither ; these afterwards sell them into all parts of the world.”
This further proves that the Israelites in Africa were more likely to be targeted for slavery.
Below is a book from the 18th century, called A system of universal geography: or A description of all the parts of the world.
This book is by two French travelers Conrad Malte-Brun and James Gates-Percival. They traveled around Africa during the time of the slave trade and documented the tribes there. The writers show how the Israelite tribes were disliked by the other tribes in Africa who were not Israelites, due to them having different customs.
While traveling through the Kingdom of Loango, (present-day Western Congo, Southern Gabon, and a region of Angola) they wrote:
“The kingdom of Loango contains black Jews, scattered throughout the country; they are despised by the Negroes who do not even deign to eat with them; they are occupied in trade, and keep the sabbath so strictly that they do not even converse on that day; they have a separate burying ground, very far from any habitation. The tombs are constructed with masonry, and ornamented with Hebrew inscriptions.”
A historical account from the 1700’s describes the connection between West Africans and the Israelites. This account is from an African man from the Igbo tribe of Nigeria, named Olaudah Equiano.
He was kidnapped from Nigeria and was enslaved in Barbados and Virginia. He was somehow able to purchase his freedom and went on to become a writer and a abolitionist. In his autobiography, he not only documented the horrors of slavery, but he also wrote about his culture back home during the slave trade. He detailed how his tribe practiced the same customs of the Jews in the Torah,
“We practiced circumcision like the Jews, and made offerings and feasts on that occasion in the same manner as they did. Such is the imperfect sketch my memory has furnished me with of the manners and customs of a people among whom I first drew my breath. And here I cannot forbear suggesting what has long struck me very forcibly, namely, the strong analogy which even by this sketch, imperfect as it is, appears to prevail in the manners and customs of my countrymen and those of the Jews, before they reached the Land of Promise, and particularly the patriarchs while they were yet in that pastoral state which is described in Genesis — .”
“Like the Israelites in their primitive state, our government was conducted by our chiefs or judges, our wise men and elders; and the head of a family with us enjoyed a similar authority over his household with that which is ascribed to Abraham and the other patriarchs. The law of retaliation obtained almost universally with us as with them: and even their religion appeared to have shed upon us a ray of its glory, though broken and spent in its passage, or eclipsed by the cloud with which time, tradition, and ignorance might have enveloped it; for we had our circumcision (a rule I believe peculiar to that people:) we had also our sacrifices and burnt-offerings, our washings and purifications, on the same occasions as they had.”
To this day, our people back in Africa, still have the oral history of how we migrated from Israel to West Africa. They still practice the religion of their/our ancestors.
Nigeria :The Igbo Jews
In Nigeria, the tribe called the Igbo say that they are Jews and practice the same customs of the Jews of the Bible.
Here is a quote from a CNN article (below) about them.
“ They believe they are descendants of at least one of Israel’s lost tribes. In the eighth century B.C. the Assyrians invaded Israel’s northern kingdom forcing 10 tribes into exile. Historians say it is not unlikely that these tribes migrated westward to Africa.”
Senegal : The Bani Israel
The article below documents a Hebrew tribe in Senegal.
“They trace their lineage to two clans — Sylla and Drame — they say are descended from Egyptian Jews.”
“We are all practicing Muslims and we don’t want to become Jewish,” Fadiga says. “In fact, we don’t like to talk too much about our Jewish background, but we don’t hide it either. We know our people came from Egypt to Somalia, and from there to Nigeria, where they split about 1,000 years ago. One branch of the two families went to Mali, another to Guinea, and we settled here.”
Below is the most important part of the story of the 12 tribes of Israel.
As stated, in the bible, God chose the “12 tribes of Israel” to be his chosen people.
Deuteronomy 7:6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”
Since they were God’s chosen people, God made a covenant or contract with them. God stated that if they kept his commandments he would make them a prosperous nation and on top of society.( Deuteronomy 28)
The other part of the agreement was, if they rejected the commandments, God would place certain curses on them, such as being oppressed and at the bottom of society. One of the curses, which seems to be very specific to Black people was that, the Israelites would be sent into slavery, with yokes of iron on their necks, by ships.
The Bible states that these curses would be a sign upon the Israelites and their descendants, meaning people can identify who the Israelites are by who fit the curses.
“Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: 46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.”- (Deuteronomy 28:46)
What are some of the curses that would identify the Israelites?
As stated, one of those curses would be going into slavery by ships.
Deuteronomy 28:68
“And the LORD shall bring you into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spoke to you, You shall see it no more again: and there you shall be sold to your enemies for slaves and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you” ( Deuteronomy 28:68).
Egypt is a Greek word. The Hebrew name for Egypt is Mitzraim. Mitzraim means bondage or slavery.
The Egypt being referred to in this passage is not literal Egypt. The curse is saying that the Israelites would go into slavery or bondage by ships, and would be sold to their enemies.
This curse fell upon Black people during the Atlantic Slave Trade. During the Atlantic Slave Trade, it is estimated that a total of about 12 million Africans were scattered to the United States and Latin America.
Another one of the curses, was having a yoke of iron put on our necks. Yokes of Iron were placed on our ancestor’s necks during slavery.
“Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.”(Deuteronomy 28:30)
Other curses were the rape of our women and the break up of families during slavery.
“Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof” (Deuteronomy 28:30).
“Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand” (Deuteronomy 28:32).
“Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity” (Deuteronomy 28:41).
These passages apply to the Atlantic Slave Trade and Arab Slave Trade, in which the wives of African men were raped by many European and Arab slave owners. It also describes how the children of black men and women were sold away into slavery as well. Many black families were torn apart during slavery.
“The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed always” (Deuteronomy 28:33)
This passage means that the Israelites would labor in a nation, and that the country they were in would get wealthy off their labor. The passages also says that the Israelites would not enjoy the fruits of their labor. The countries that participated in the Atlantic slave trade and slavery, got rich off the free labor of blacks. Blacks did not receive reparations, but many slave owners did.
The part in the verse, “thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed always” applies today in 2022 as well. Black people are still at the bottom of society.
Other curses were illnesses/diseases.
“The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.” (Deuteronomy 28:22)
“Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.” (Deuteronomy 28:61)
Black people are disproportionately more likely to be be diagnosed and or die from illnesses such as HIV, Cancer, and Heart disease etc.
A few chapters later, in Deuteronomy 30 it details how the Israelites (Black people) can end our genocide.
“When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, 2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes”
Then it states that when we do this God will “ make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors.”
“Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.”
This passage is stating that our solution to ending our genocide is not out of our reach nor impossible, and that we have the power to do it.
This means that when we reawaken to the fact that we are in our condition because of the curses from God, and start embracing our heritage then God will restore us.
Another result of us reawakening to our heritage is that:
“The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you.”
Those who oppressed us will then have the curses that were placed on us, placed on them.
As stated, Black people have literally exhausted every effort, method, and strategy to end our oppression and all efforts have failed. Only once we use God’s method, and “Remember Who We Are” (Mufassa voice lol) then will we have the power from God to end our oppression and become a prosperous people again.
For those that would like to know what the heritage/commandments that the 12 tribes must follow, to end our oppression, feel free to ask me in the comments or stay tuned for the next article on that subject.