May 20, marked the 92nd bornday anniversary of Brooklyn warrior, Sonny “Abubadika” Carson, and we’re delving into his symbiotic relationship with The Five Percenters, which spanned several decades. He had affiliations with them since his time with Brooklyn’s street organizations during the mid-1960s.
“A.B. once told me that he met The Father [5%ers’ founder] in The Tombs [in 1965], and said he was a very intelligent man,” recollected Carson’s comrade, Rasheem Allah.
The two progressive compatriots also linked in the streets afterwards. Carson’s confidant, Ali Lamont Jr. reflected: “It was a clandescent relationship because of the climate then. Even though they may have had some different ideas, Sonny was cool with Malcolm X, The Father Allah, and anyone who was for Black people.”
Carson’s other trusted companions, Brother Atiim Ferguson, also reflected on similar experiences. “A.B. had a lot of respect for him. They had similar plans, and had meetings with each other. A lot of people Sonny hit the streets with were Five Percenters.”
Brownsville’s Akbar, and several other gods, appeared in 1974’s cult-classic film “The Education of Sonny Carson.” Sonny’s children grew up, and were closely affiliated, with some.
As Abubadika led hundreds, sometimes thousands, of infuriated protestors against various racial conflicts, they were always steeped deep with Gods––whether throughout the aftermath of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s April 4 1968 assassination, during the infamous “Day of Outrage” [August 31 1989], or August 1991’s Crown Heights rebellion.
While heading the Black Men’s Movement Against Crack [late-1980s, early-’90s], numerous Gods assisted Sonny while regularly shuttering many illicit drug dens.
“Sonny had a lot of respect for him, and also walked with many Gods,” revealed Paradise The Architect, partners with Carson’s son, Lumumba aka Professor X, in the hip-hop group, X Clan. “He knew the importance of having the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of disciples of the Father Allah near him at all times. He created a council of elders for us, and it always included an older God.”
After Abubadika’s December 20, 2002 transition, a “final march” was conducted eight days later, from the Brooklyn Bridge through the Downtown Brooklyn streets into Bed Stuy, led by Lumumba, Sonny’s widow Mae, several relatives and close friends. The Five Percenters were also present in full force.
Rasheem Allah concluded, “A.B. had a real good relationship with the Gods cuz he trusted us, and he knew the Gods didn’t play no games, and he loved that. He did things that only a person of Allah’s status could do, with the city. He had respect from every fiber of society––the government, in the streets, everybody. He had a very powerful relationship with us because he loved The Five Percenters!”