Style as Subversion: Malcolm X as Revolutionary and Style Icon
“A revolutionary and a style icon…” — Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) on Malcolm X
For Malcolm X, style was subversive. Today, May 19th, Malcolm — El-Hajj El Malik Shabazz — would have turned 92. In the days before Instagram and the proliferation of style as political power, Malcolm understood the power of images. And style as subversion. In 1960, LIFE magazine assigned photographer Eve Arnold to document Malcolm X, producing this classic shot of a man who clearly understood style as political power. Malcolm helped Arnold get the shot — sitting in profile, stoic, refined and stylish AF, his hand draped loosely on his neck to frame a ring on his finger bearing the star and crescent moon. His fedora hat tilted forward. Ay, Detroit Red, what what?
“This photo speaks to the way Malcolm carried himself and also the way he dressed- the classic suit and tie. That was the jazz generation thing too — rebels wore that. This was about self determination and claiming authority over how one is portrayed. He’s rooting black style into politics. He was brilliantly aware of how his image served the bigger movement. It’s a stunning photo in its composition and tone. But it’s also very specific in its references with the ring and the fedora.” explains Sohail Daulatzai, who teaches at UC Irvine, the author of Black Star, Crescent Moon and the curator of the exhibit Return of the Mecca: The Art of Islam and Hip-Hop.
Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) called Malcolm “A statesman without a state, a revolutionary, an outlaw, a style icon.”
Self fashioning in hip-hip is self determination. The come up. Style was of course just part of Malcolm’s ideology but over the years, Malcolm’s image has become an integral part of hip-hop visual representation. The Roots Tipping Point album cover is the mugshot of an 18-year-old Malcolm while the alternate cover features The Roots’ front man, Black Thought, styled similarly; the cover photo for Boogie Down Productions sophomore album drew inspiration from an image of Malcolm holding an M1 Carbine and pulling back the curtains to peer out of a window (the title By All Means Necessary is a modification of Malcolm X’s famous phrase “By Any Means Necessary); GangStarr’s Daily Operation album cover showed a carefully placed portrait of Malcolm at top center along with a paperback copy of Elijah Muhammad’s Message To The Black Man in America and a closed turntable case.
To say that Malcolm X was media-savvy is an understatement. By the time of his assassination in 1965, he was not only one of the most photographed black leaders in history but also crafted a deep understanding of imagery and style as power politics.
“Malcolm was invested in self fashioning and rebellious attire and that’s very hip-hop. It’s so resonant.” — Sohail Daulatzai, who teaches at UC Irvine, the author of Black Star, Crescent Moon and curator of the exhibit Return of the Mecca: The Art of Islam and Hip-Hop
“The style is the substance for Malcolm. Through the style, you get a deeper idea of what the substance was. And Malcolm was highly aware of this, “ says Sohail Daulatzai. “When it came to hip-hop, Malcolm was highly influential because he spoke truth to power. Black youth identifies with Malcolm because he came from the street and he defined himself. That is hip-hop.”