Hip hop duo brings beats and books to Birmingham library
By Brittany Decker
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WVTM) — The Birmingham Public Library is buzzing with more than the sound of turning pages. Local hip hop artists Shaheed and DJ Supreme are using music to transform the space into the coolest classroom in town.
Their latest track, Knowledge of Shelf, blends beats with a love for reading. The duo hopes it will inspire young people to see libraries as hubs of creativity and learning.
“I loved the library since I was a little shorty,” Shaheed sings. “By books I’m entertained, it stimulates the brain. By reading books, it’s so much knowledge that my mind will gain.”
The pair’s mission goes beyond music. Through their initiative, Knowledge, Rhythm and Understanding — or K.R.U. — they teach the four elements of hip hop: emceeing, DJing, breakdancing and graffiti art. The program emphasizes principles of peace, love, unity and fun.
For Shaheed, writing rhymes grew out of a daily habit his mother, a school principal, encouraged. “She made me keep a journal every day,” he said. “I hated doing it honestly. But that’s when hip hop became the influence, and I started writing rhymes about my day.”
What began as a survival tool in school turned into an international career. Shaheed and DJ Supreme have taken their music from Birmingham to stages around the world.
“Traveling the world and representing Birmingham, bringing that back into the city—that’s what it’s about,” DJ Supreme said.
The library remains central to their story. Shaheed says it should once again be promoted as a community hub. DJ Supreme, who comes from a family of librarians, echoes that sentiment. “To the librarians we should show appreciation,” they rap in their new track.
Their catalog of songs also dives into broader lessons, from farming and water conservation to baseball. Each video serves as both entertainment and education, encouraging kids to see beyond negative influences.
“There’s more to life than just picking up a weapon or picking up drugs,” DJ Supreme said. “We want to inspire them and let them know they can go to the highest heights.”
For Shaheed and DJ Supreme, hip hop is more than music. It’s a tool to expand minds, open doors and keep libraries alive with possibility.
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