They don’t call it Londonistan for nothing. From the Guardian:

He recognises some people will say his album should not be released, that it might incite people. “I’ve already told all the lyricists don’t worry if we get into trouble, I’ll take all the blame. If they’re going to lock anyone up they’ll lock me up. I’m not scared, I’ve got a lot of anger and frustration at where we have arrived at. I’ll take the heat…”

Nawaz, who grew up in Bradford, believes he is being honest. This “honesty” manifests itself in tracks such as the rap song I Reject, an angry polemical blast with lines such as “Reject your blood I reject your creed/Reject your queen and her stolen crown/Reject your media falsified news/Reject your patronising liberal views.” It also takes a swipe at moderate Muslim voices who accept invitations to Downing Street…

Nawaz describes the songs Che Bin Parts 1 and 2 as a discussion on resistance and terrorism. He uses the words of Bin Laden and Che Guevara to suggest that they have more in common than differences. Nawaz said he challenged anyone to disagree with the statement by Bin Laden that he uses.

Another line from “I Reject” is “Reject your concept of integration.” There’s some stuff about sucide bombings, too, which of course he opposes even though he “understands.”

What’s interesting about this guy is how nakedly he uses Islam as cover for countercultural impulses. The references to Che (and elsewhere, more than once, to the Sex Pistols) plus the tough talk about inviting MI5 to come get him give him away as a typical faux-revolutionary poseur — albeit, per the Londonistan article, in an atypical political environment. Has there ever been a statement that takes religion less seriously than this? “Islam for me was more punk than punk! I can’t understand why people say it is restrictive.” The only competition is Emma Clark, the great-granddaughter of British PM Herbert Asquith and herself a convert to Islam, telling the Times of London a few years ago, “We’re all the rage. I hope it’s not a passing fashion.”

This tool goes a long way towards explaining some, but certainly not all, of the roots of jihad. Consider him a point in favor of the Esmay/Ardolino “it’s not really about Islam” theory of Muslim fundamentalism.

Update: I’d forgotten about “Dirty Kuffar.” Reader EFG reminds me.