Chaka Mkali, who records under the name I Self Devine, has a music career that spans a sensational 25 years. His discography features illustrious, foundational, and timeless solo work, as well as group collaborations with Micranots, the Dynospectrum, Semi.Official with DJ Abilities, and 9th House with Muja Messiah. In all his projects, he has relied on one consistent rule stemming from a conversation he had with a mentor. “Tell them, tell them again, and then tell them that you told them,” he points out, via Zoom.

His fourth solo album, That Which Is Hidden, was released via his own Improvised Weaponry label in December of 2021 via Bandcamp, and other streaming services in January of 2022. An exploration of faith, spirituality, religion, and how they all are intertwined and expressed, That Which Is Hidden focuses on how human behavior holds the answers to many elusive existential questions.

That Which Is Hidden explores how Abrahamic faiths (such as Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) use collective shame, sin, and judgment to exclude those not following religious texts and doctrine to the letter. Additionally, it questions belief systems that emphasize repentance, but not accountability, for sin. “When you look at perfection, sometimes people are looking for perfection in the wrong places,” he states.

I Self Devine’s discussions of spirituality to facilitate self-discovery harken back to rappers, including Brand Nubian, Eric B. & Rakim, X-Clan, and many others, who relied upon similar teachings of the Five-Percent Nation, a Black nationalist movement with ties to Islam. “I’m not trying to get into religious perspectives, as opposed to just different questions, these bigger questions, that I’m wrestling with,” I Self says. “This, to me, was more a step-by-step manual for those on earth on how to get free from those power elite, who understand us. So that to which you are hidden, is in plain sight within you.”

The formulation of That Which Is Hidden took place between late 2018 early 2019, when I Self started digging and buying records online. He discovered The Original Copy, a fellow record collector and producer based in Los Angeles, which is I Self’s place of birth. “He had posted a beat [which would become the song “God and the Physical”], and I liked it,” I Self mentions. “When I inquired about it, it was available, then it wasn’t available. We went through a back and forth about the beat for two to three months, then we connected while I was in town doing workshops. We went digging for records for five or six hours, came back to his place, and he played me at least 75% of the music that would become That Which Is Hidden.”

The beats on That Which Is Hidden all use samples from gospel or religious soul music, an approach embraced by hip-hop artists such as Kanye West, Alchemist, and Jake One. The production’s percussive loops and elements echo recent work by Roc Marciano, Conway the Machine, Westside Gunn, Freddie Gibbs, and many more. However, to I Self Devine, this is moreso an extension of something he introduced on the song “I-94W” on Semi.Official’s The Anti-Album, released in 2000. “Sometimes you’re ahead of the curve, and I used to get caught up that people weren’t getting it,” I Self professes. “As a practitioner, you have to resist the urge to get caught up in that, and hope the people will catch it when it’s needed, whether it's now, or later down the line.”

“God In the Physical” serves as the first track essential to That Which Is Hidden’s thesis. The album also deals with aspects of faith and spirituality we obsess over: the concept of hell comes up on tracks like “Hades” and “Uncivilized,” while “Will” addresses sin, confessions, repentance, and accountability.

The power elite exerting control over the masses under the guise of faith and spirituality is addressed on “Gold Dinars” and “The Coldest Winter.” He discusses how “In God We Trust,” can be used to drum up support to protect national interests, and create a false sense of security. “Last Daze” and “When I Get to Heaven” deal with spiritual growth, most notably mortality and the next stage of life.

On That Which Is Hidden, I Self Devine is learning to not only craft a more critical and artful message, and updating his flow to be a lot looser, and less focused on structure. “If you're in a craft long enough, you'll do different things to keep yourself excited and motivated,” he expresses. “One of the things I wanted to do was explore texture. The I Self from Obelisk Movements was fighting and punching beats, and wasn't listening. The older me is now listening to beats like, ‘Okay. What do you want me to say? What's missing? How do I approach my vocal paint brush as another instrument?’”

This release clocks in at 33 minutes, an intentional reference to the number 33, which carries many meanings in different denominations of faith. “That's why I do a level of studying with each album. Obelisk Movements is the first album that I began to do research on what I was writing about.”

With That Which is Hidden now out in the world, I Self continues to focus and take stock of what new projects will look like. “I'm in the process of making two albums right now,” he mentions. He has said much in his recording career, but he still has yet to express anything about himself or his upbringing, with good reason. “Every time I approach an album, it's like a new thing, so for as much as I've said, and as many albums that have come across, I still don't feel like I've been able to display myself. I've worked best off of themes. My goal right now is just to really show how consistent I am with my artistry and discography.”