The Kominas

The Kominas are an American-Pakistani taqwacore band from Boston, Massachusetts. They comprise Basim Usmani, Imran Malik, and Shahjehan Khan

Early Influences

The first Kominas’ song ever released was “Rumi was a Homo (But Wahhaj Is a Fag)”, by the website Muslim Wake Up! in response to then recent homophobic comments made by the Imam Siraj Wahaaj. The music and imagery typically draws from anti-colonial and Mughul art, American movements related to Islam, such as Moorish Science, five percenters (“9,000 Miles” is based on a line from the English Lesson C-1 in W.D. Fard’s Supreme Wisdom Lessons, the studied text of the Nation of Islam), and Desi culture, such as Bhangra, punjabi folklore, Sufi saints from Punjab (Bulleh Shah), Islam, Hinduism and Bollywood (“Dishoom, Baby!” was a tribute to the film Sholay).

Lawsuit

In 2007, author Asma Gull Hasan sued The Kominas and Michael Muhammad Knight for defaming her in their lyrics.

Pakistan, Dead Bhuttos & Noble Drew

In 2007, Basim moved to Lahore, Pakistan to pursue his journalism career. Through the band’s myspace, he had been in touch with Imran Malik, the frontman of band called The Fatsumas from Islamabad. The two met finally and became fast friends, and decided to form a socially conscious, politically charged band called the Dead Bhuttos.

The first Kominas’ album “Wild Nights in Guantanamo Bay” was finished while Basim was still in Pakistan. A few months after the album release, Shahjehan also moved to Pakistan and played in a band called Noble Drew with Basim in Lahore.

Return to the U.S.

The band reconvened in Austin, TX after being invited to play at the annual SXSW music festival, after which they decided to move back to the U.S. and go on a self booked national tour.

Currently all members are in Boston where they live and work from their studio in Allston.

Media attention

Since the beginning, The Kominas have piqued the attention of mainstream media. The Guardian called their music “irreverent and un-PC”. As the L.A. Times put it, “The recognition that the [Kominas] have gotten is a Catch-22 for them: While they welcome the attention from both the mainstream media and the blogosphere, they resent that the focus has been more on the Muslim angle than on their music”. CNN wrote “Many conservative Muslims may peg [The Kominas] as heretic for their suggestive and irreverent lyrics. But the musicians say they are just trying to show both cultures how broad the spectrum of belief can be”. The band has expressed frustration with the lack of quality music journalists covering their work.

The Kominas appear on the soundtrack for upcoming indie-films The Taqwacores and Slackistan, alongside the likes of Adil Omar and Zerobridge.