Shabazz is the name of a supposed black scientist whose tribe founded the populations of Africa, according to the Nation of Islam (NoI).
The name was adopted by Malcolm X, initially when he joined the NoI. He used the name Malachi Shabazz in 1949, before adopting "Malcolm X", and later called himself El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz when he became an orthodox Sunni Muslim. The surname was borne by his wife Betty Shabazz and his children, and has also been adopted by unrelated persons.
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There is also a similar (but etymologically unrelated) Persian name, Shahbâz, meaning "royal falcon". Indicating "royalty and nobility", the name is popular with Bosnian, Turkish, Indian and Pakistani Muslims.
In his book Message to the Blackman in America, Elijah Muhammad wrote that all Blacks are descended from an ancient tribe by that name:
An important U.S. Supreme Court case, dealing with the extent to which the government (specifically, the prisons) must go to accommodate private practice of religion, is O'Lone v. Shabazz (1987). [2] The respondent (originally the plaintiff) in this case was Ahmad Uthman Shabazz, who was not related to Malcolm X.
A number of rappers have taken "Shabazz" as part of their stage names to express their belief in Elijah Muhammad's vision or in homage to Malik Shabazz. Among them are Shabazz the Disciple, a Wu-Tang Clan affiliate, and Lakim Shabazz of Flavor Unit.
A character named Shabazz K. Milton Berle appeared in the TV series The Boondocks, in the episode "The Passion of Ruckus".