When it comes to the secret society known as the Illuminati, the music entertainment world is often mentioned in the same breath. According to a recent Tweet sent out on the Twitter account of RapGenius, ‘the Illuminati is taking over hip hop.’ He’s not the only one who has made such claims, but this time, he’s able to show moderate evidence. With the help of an online tool called Rap Stats, people are able to see the frequency of various words in rap lyrics. When the word ‘Illuminati’ was placed in the search bar, the resulting graphic did indeed show a noticeable increase in its use over the years.
There is a widespread view that ultra-popular musicians, or those who rise to notoriety in a short amount of time, have been influenced or ‘touched’ by the Illuminati. It doesn’t help when a great deal of celebrities and popular musicians embrace the typical Illuminati symbolism in their photo shoots, music videos and album covers. It also raises eyebrows when they reference the secret organization in their lyrics.
Rap Stats aims to show the trends surrounding the past and present culture of the hip hop/rap world – tracking the frequency of words that appear in rap songs dating back to 1988 through the present day. A search of the word ‘Illuminati’ in Rap Stats reveals the following:
• The first mention of ‘Illuminati’ seems to arise around 1993.
• Around 1995, the use of the word peaked until a drop was reported around 1996. Interestingly, a commenter on the Rap Stats site theorized that the untimely death of rapper 2Pac (who was known for speaking his mind and shedding light on conspiracies) played a role in this.
• In 2005-2006, the word seems to have the lowest impact on rap lyrics.
• After 2006, a rapid change is seen in the word’s presence with an ever-growing climb to the present.
Oftentimes, when a rapper mentions the Illuminati, they are making a reference to the perceived power and influence of the secret society, claiming that they have been approached or affected by the Illuminati, addressing rumors that they are part of the Illuminati, or flat-out denying any association with the organization.
Several members of the rap group Wu-Tang Clan have voiced their opinions about the Illuminati – specifically claiming that the secret society does exist, and that the secret group does have an influence over the careers of entertainers. They’ve made mention of the secret society in their raps and in many interviews – many of which can be found on YouTube.
Below you will find a collection of lyrics that highlight the influence that the Illuminati either directly or indirectly has on entertainers. Some rappers even choose to the express themselves by naming their song after the secret society, as you will see below:
“Some are bad people, the bald eagle’s mad evil
Place you in a class, he feed you placebo”
Homeboy Sandman in ‘Illuminati’
“Internet web control your whole mind
My third eye shine insight to lead the blind
A hundred and forty-four thousand more crimes
A fugitive who’s wanted by Feds of all kinds
For waking up thugs and showing them true signs”
Tragdy Khadafi in ‘Illuminati’
“Illuminati want my mind, soul, and my body
Secret society, trying to keep they eye on me”
Prodigy in the remix for ‘I Shot Ya’
“Illuminati wanted my mind, soul, and body
They ask me would I trade it for all for a Maserati”
Meek Mill (Ft. Chic Raw) in “Fender Up”
“I’m getting money, must be Illuminati
They think I signed up cause I just bought a new Ferrari”
Meek Mill in “Intro Dreamchasers”
“Since y’all claim I’m Illuminati, tell me why would you try me?
Kennedy, John F., or Bobby
Almost caught Reagan, but they stopped us at the lobby
And that was broad day, so how the fuck you gon’ stop me?”
Pusha T in ‘Doesn’t Matter’
“I spit jewels shiny, bright as illuminati
The black owl see the white inside Colin Powell
Hitler and George Bush, they got you acting Nazi”
Hell Razah in ‘Posse Cut’
“A dream Illuminati tryin’ to read my mind with a eagle eye
And the haze got me thinkin’, why”
Capital STEEZ in “Free the Robots”
“They say I’m gettin’ money, must be Illuminati
Talking to the Holy Ghost, in my Bugatti”
Rick Ross in ‘Holy Ghost’
“No question, it’s all about the D-O-E
So if money is the root I want the whole damn tree
Ain’t tryna stick around for Illuminati
Got to buy my own island by the year 2G”
Dr. Dre in ‘Been There, Done That’