The Crucible and the Response

The crucible of life always requires response. Sometimes our responses validate or represent God, and other times they do not. But whatever our situation, there is always the response. For those who are oppressed, the responses are more limited because of reduced resources or fear of retribution. For those who suffer from disease, the response can be either God-honoring or not so God-honoring.

When I look at the birth of Hip Hop, I see a response to life in the Bronx in the 1970's. The response was born out of destroyed neighborhoods, a destroyed infrastructure, and fear. Fear for the long term well-being of the family but also the well-being of myself...NOW. Hip Hop's inception was a response to the desire to avoid violence in the Bronx and take the street competition from the "rumble" the dance floor. The Bronx Crucible demanded the response of Hip Hop.

Only God's timing and hand will determine whether the Hip Hop response to the 1970's Bronx crucible will honor God or not. But as we watch God's plan unfold, should we simply sit and watch or engage in the discussion? do we leave the Hip Hop discussion to the secular world? What will our response be? As I ask the question, I also wonder what my children and their children will see in our response. Will our response to Hip Hop honor God or not? Some things of God are difficult to understand, but I am sure that God does not sit on the sidelines and turn a deaf ear. God is engaged, because redemption is real.

Let us be a people of redemption who aren't afraid to engage Hip Hop. And may our response honor God.

When Hip Hop Went to the Church

I've had a strange relationship with the music I create and perform. I don't actually like addressing it directly. I sort of address it within the lyrics from time to time.

You see I came in the double doors of Hip Hop and gospel music. What a strange entrance. Traditionally one of the doors should be marked entrance and the other exit since it seems you can't do both at the same time. I don't subscribe to terms such as "holy hip hop" (because I think that is corny and something Robin from the old Batman series would say as in "Holy Hip Batman, to the Bat mobile!) and I don't subscribe to the definitions "christian hip hop" and "christian rap" because I think the word Christian is a bad adjective and a better noun. Even the term "gospel rap" just doesn't totally feel authentic to me. If you subscribe to any of these terms please don't shoot me, I'm not dissing anyone else for doing so. It's just a personal thing to me. Don't mind me with my personal opinions! Lol.
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Russell Simmons On Mosque Hoopla

Here’s a snapshot of Russell Simmons’ apartment perched near Ground Zero. In his windows are images of religious symbols that spell out C-O-E-X-I-S-T. There’s been much controversy surrounding the erection of a mosque two blocks away. Rush told the NY Daily News that he wants the message to unite instead of divide.
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MooKee – The Music News Blog Rotating Header Image Is There Room For Religion In Hip Hop?

For many people hip hop proves the existence of a higher power, because it has allowed them to rise from something to nothing through having faith, being persistent, and by pursuing a gift or passion that was given to them by the Most High. As a result, it is safe to assume that religion or spirituality has played a part in the development of careers of these artists and executives alike. Followers of Christ for instance, are well aware that no sin is greater than the next and as long as you profess your love of God and ask for forgiveness his love will endure forever. One thing is for sure, unlike the music industry, your Most High will be around, no matter how many nominations you get or what your record sales look like this year.
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The Soul of Hip Hop

Click here for more information on a new book on the religious in Hip Hop

Christ Appropriating the Culture of Hip Hop The Soul of Hip Hop, Pt II

Maybe you’ve noticed that Hip Hop often evokes strong reactions from Christians. Hip Hop doesn’t always make it easy for a Christian to look and say, “Wow, now there’s a people group I’d just love to learn from and minister with!” No, in fact, often people have quite the opposite reaction.

In turn, many run far from Hip Hop, never really understanding the culture, its people, and its message; moreover, some Christians even see it as “demonic”. When we’re willing to look closer, we might find that Hip Hop has a lot to offer the broader society. What, then, might it mean to both embrace and engage Hip Hop from a missional perspective?

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The Soul of Hip Hop Part 1

Hip Hop, in the words of KRS-One, is “something that is being lived.”¹

Hip Hop is larger than the radio, larger than commercialized artists, larger than record industry branding. It is a culture, a people, a movement, a growing community of people that live, breath, eat, love, hate and work just as anyone else does. Hip Hop cannot be easily understood or defined. It is complex and full of narratives that would blow away many of the strongest anthropologists. But as I always tell my students, we have to discuss the obvious to get to the obscure. I am suggesting we begin to deconstruct parts of Hip Hop as a larger phenomenon in order to understand the whole—in this case, its theology.

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