Bilal Abdul Rahman

Bilal Rahman is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. He developed his love for civic responsibility and service to his community through the Boy Scouts of America. His childhood was normal; growing up in a two-parent household but like most black male children, he faced challenges in the streets of Baltimore surrounded by crime and violence.

The streets of Baltimore have always been tough, so Bilal Rahman had a choice to persevere or succumb to the pressures of society. He made bad choices that landed him in prison. In 1990, he received 71 years for his crimes with no apparent hope of re-entering society again! He didn’t serve time; he allowed the time to serve him. He took advantage of all the educational, self-help, and religious programs the prison offered to him. In his darkest hour, he found a glimpse of light. He was eventually paroled in February of 2014.

He received his GED and a BSW at the University of Cincinnati and works in the plumbing trade. He founded Community Conscious Rap, Inc., a prison think tank with three other like-minded people to resolve conflict in the prisons and the community creatively. If sports have referees to manage and ensure that everyone is playing by the same rules, why wouldn’t community members have specialists in Conflict Resolution? Bilal Rahman has been recognized by several government and civic institutions for his community service. He has helped countless incarcerated men wanting something different than what led them to prison.