Meet Bilal Munir Rahim of Our Black Fathers Committee

Bilal Munir Rahim also known by his stage name Martel Cartel is Arizona native born and partially raised. Bilal spent his junior high and high school years in San Diego, CA where he learned the hard knocks of life and developed a love for hip-hop.

After high school, Bilal returned to Phoenix to pursue a music career and to be with family. Bilal started GreenLight-THC music & publishing in 2012 with the intent of giving independent artists the opportunity to own their publishing rights and get paid for their music. In 2014, he took a break from music to create “Our Black Fathers Committee LLC,” a ‘fathers mentoring fathers’ organization based on “building stronger communities; one father at a time.”

Bilal still makes music and helps other artists pursue their dreams, yet he still finds time to stay active locally and nationally on issues regarding the disenfranchised.

In 2016, Bilal joined forces with “Fight 4 Life” No Excuses to create the first manhood training program in Arizona designed exclusively for black boys. “Fight 4 Life” No excuses are in their 4th year of mentoring boys and the company is growing rapidly.

Qaadir Naqib’ Muhammad is the owner and co-founder of “Fight 4 Life” No Excuses along with Bilal.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As a child, I grew up in a home with domestic violence. It was hard to focus on school as a child because I also lived in a drug infested environment. As young adult I witnessed my cousin Jermaine get killed in 2006, right in front of me.

I was the last person he saw before the ambulance took him away. He was supposed to start my music career with me. We were just getting started when this happened. I had to regroup and find my own way. Jermaine served as a mentor and big brother to Bilal.

Please tell us about Our Black Fathers Committee.
Our Black Fathers Committee was birthed out of my own personal trials and tribulations of Fatherhood. We are an organization that encourages and motivates Fathers by offering life skill services. Our programs are designed around Pan-African principles and the focus is “building stronger communities, One Father at a time”. I believe that you must first have a true knowledge of self and understand the greatness from which you come from before you can begin to move forward in life. I am grateful for the solid group of brothers that have played a huge roll in the foundation of O.B.F.C. The team consist of Erik Condoll, Sekai Leduff, Arnold Shivers Jr., Cleveland Turner and Qaadir  Naqib’. Each of us bring a different outlook to the organization and that allows us to work with Fathers of all apspects.

We also make time to excercise our talents by performing arts, creating music and working out. Watch Our Black Black Fathers Committee- Plant Seeds https://youtu.be/Ix9XFl0lSjE

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
In 2016, I was nominated by the Phoenix community for a leadership award. The event was held by Black Wall Street Phoenix. It was exciting for me because I was nominated along with men and women of the community that I look up to. I did not win but it was a great experience and it let me know I was on the right track.