Channeling Malcolm X: These Modern Torchbearers Are Keeping His Legacy Lit
If Malcolm X were here to see his 100th birthday, today May 19, 2025, there’s no doubt he’d be watching today’s world with one eyebrow raised and his finger firmly on the pulse of the culture. The question isn’t whether his influence still exists, it’s who’s carrying it, and how.
While Malcolm’s physical voice was silenced in 1965, his philosophies? Still speaking. Still resonating. Still being remixed into action—not just in protests, but in poetry, policy, playlists, and platforms.
In 2025, carrying Malcolm’s torch doesn’t always look like standing behind a podium. Sometimes, it looks like grabbing the mic, organizing a book drive, or flipping a system from the inside out. These are the creatives, commentators, and culture-shapers who don’t just honor Malcolm’s message—they channel it.
Noname: Revolution In A Soft Voice
Don’t let the name fool you—Noname has one of the clearest political voices of this generation.
Born Fatimah Warner on the South Side of Chicago, she rose to prominence in the indie rap scene for her poetic delivery and refusal to play industry games. But it’s her transition from lyricist to liberation-minded organizer that places her in conversation with Malcolm X.
In 2019, Noname launched the Noname Book Club, a community-centered project that distributes books by radical Black thinkers—many of them banned in prisons—to incarcerated readers. The reading list often includes texts by James Baldwin, Angela Davis, Frantz Fanon, and yes, Malcolm X. She’s not just reading him; she’s applying him.
While some celebrities pivot to activism for aesthetics, Noname walked away from the spotlight to build something off-stage. She’s been vocal about rejecting the commodification of Black pain and the capitalist trap of mainstream fame. Her discomfort with the celebrity machine—especially as it relates to state violence, Black capitalism, and political co-optation—feels like a continuation of the same warning Malcolm gave when he spoke about media manipulation and performative allyship.
Though her delivery is often quiet—spoken in breathy tones over jazz beats—her impact cuts deep. She challenges celebrity culture, calls out performative activism, and demands more of her fans and listeners, all while staying rooted in the communities she serves.
Like Malcolm, Noname isn’t for everyone. She’s for the people.
Killer Mike: Carrying The Torch With A Raised Fist
Michael Render—better known as Killer Mike—has long positioned himself as a modern-day griot, weaving together the threads of Black history, resistance, and empowerment through his music and activism. His reverence for Malcolm X is not only evident in his public statements but also deeply embedded in his artistic and political endeavors.
In a 2015 tweet, Killer Mike wrote, “Happy Malcolm X day. He has had such a profound influence on my life. He led me to nationalism…”
Killer Mike’s 2012 album R.A.P. Music (Rebellious African People Music) serves as a sonic manifesto that channels Malcolm X’s spirit of defiance and self-determination. Tracks like “Reagan” deliver scathing critiques of systemic oppression, echoing Malcolm’s unflinching analysis of American society and its political theater.
Beyond music, Killer Mike has made economic justice his calling card. He co-founded Greenwood, a digital banking platform tailored to support Black and Latinx communities. The goal? Recirculate wealth, address generational disenfranchisement, and promote economic self-sufficiency—concepts Malcolm X stood on when he advocated for Black-owned businesses and financial independence.
Following his 2024 Grammy arrest, Mike went on The View and reminded the world, “All of my heroes have been in handcuffs—Malcolm, Martin, Mandela, Medgar.” Clearly, he sees himself walking in their legacy. Through his speeches, investments, and lyrics, Killer Mike has modernized Malcolm’s playbook—unapologetic Blackness, powered by strategy.
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