Rapper Kendrick Lamar appears to call himself a Hebrew Israelite on his latest album. The Grammy Award-winning artist shows he’s familiar with the movement’s beliefs, at the very least.
“I’m an Israelite, don’t call me black no more, that word is only a color, it ain’t facts no more,” is part of Lamar's lyrics on the song titled “Yah.”
Here are the lyrics in full:
New sh*t, new Kung Fu Kenny
I got so many theories and suspicions
I'm diagnosed with real n*gga conditions
Today is the day I follow my intuition
Keep the family close, get money, f*ck b*tches
I double parked the Aston in the red
My mama told me that I'ma work myself to death
My girl told me don't let these hoes get in my head
My world been ecstatic, I checked the signal that read
Buzzin', radars is buzzin'
Yah, yah, yah, yah
Yah, yah, yah, yah, yah, yah
Buzzin', radars is buzzin'
Yah, yah, yah, yah
Yah, yah, yah, yah, yah, yah
Lamar makes several references with regards to the theology of the Hebrew Israelites found in Deuteronomy 28. This passage of scripture deals with curses delivered by God to the Israelites.
Hebrew Israelites are people of color, mostly African American, who identify as the descendants of the biblical Israelites. Hebrew Israelites frequently refer to Deuteronomy 28 as proof of their pure lineage and that the transatlantic slave trade was prophesied in scripture. The Hebrew Israelites are descendants of Israel, united yet dispersed and who will be gathered from the four corners of the earth, Yisrael. The real Jews the Bible speaks about according to history, biblical apparel, King James 1611, Apocrypha Torah Truth, Hebraic feast symbol, root Tribe of Judah Lion, Jacob, Abraham Isaac Jacob from Babylon to Timbuktu, Deuteronomy 28. They are not colored African American. They are the 12 lost tribes of Israel. Who have faith in Tanakh. In other words, the children of Israel are Jews.
They spread Yah's word in the world aka commandments and feast days. A famous quote by Gamal Abdel Nasser states "The Jews Will Never Be Able to Live in Yasharahla Peace Because They Left Here Black and Came Back White." One verse that stands out the most is "My people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge."
Hebrew Israelites are very outspoken verbally as well as in their clothing. Whether it's by wearing Hebrew Israelite shirts, robes or tops, they always show great pride in letting people know who they are.