Christian hip hop
Encyclopedia
Christian hip hop is hip hop music
characterized by a Christian worldview
, with the general purposes of evangelization
(Christian mission
work), edifying members of the church and/or simply entertaining.
The first commercially released and distributed Gospel rap album was Stephen Wiley
's 1985 album Bible Break, distributed by Benson Music Group. Reverend DeWayne GoLightly (aka Rev. Rap') was one of the first Christian hip-hop artist without a commercially released Gospel rap cassette. In the same year by David Guzman founded JC & The Boyz. Some of America's premiere Christian rappers, such as: Michael Peace
, SFC, Dynamic Twins
, MC Peace
, and T-Bone
came out of this crew. They were the first group to appear on TBN
and The 700 Club
. More commercially successful was the crew known as P.I.D. (Preachers in Disguise) who released five recordings. Michael Peace
is an American rapper and one of Christian rap's first solo artists, who is considered the grandfather of Christian hip-hop.
In the late 1980s, other crews emerged, including dc Talk and S.F.C. (Soldiers for Christ). S.F.C. was led by Chris Cooper who originally rapped as Super C (short for Super Chris / Super Christian) and later became Sup the Chemist and then finally Soup the Chemist. Chris Cooper, JC & The Boyz, and S.F.C. were instrumental in bringing up and exposing newer Gospel groups such as LPG, Tunnel Rats, Future Shock, and T-Bone. Christian emcee Danny "D-Boy" Rodriguez
was another well known early Gospel rap artist but was murdered in 1990 in Texas
.
The 1990s saw the continuing trend of funky rap artists blending faith and rap, such as D.O.C.
(Disciples of Christ) who emerged out of Oklahoma
as well as the Gospel Gangstaz
from Compton
and South Central
Los Angeles, California
. In 1991, JC Crew emerged spawning the careers of Maximillian (West Coast beat box champion) and T-Bone. Additional artists made a considerable impact on the Christian hip-hop scene. Such artists that contributed were Dynamic Twins, Freedom of Soul, IDOL King, Apocalypse and both 12th Tribe and Holy Alliance who were produced by Scott Blackwell
of MYX Records. S.F.C.'s (Sup, QP, DJ Dove) 1992 album Phase III is considered to be a turning point in Christian rap. Phase III was DJed and produced by DJ Dove, whose credits also include the Gang Affiliated, Gospel Gangstas' 1993 debut album.
Around the same time as Phase III, Dynamic Twins (Robbie and Noel) came out with their 1993 album No Room To Breathe. This album had a more hardcore "street" feel to it than other albums at the time. Freedom Of Soul (MC Peace, DJ Cartoon) followed with their second album, The Second Coming, (Caught in a Land of Time was their first) also their last album as a group. Freedom of Soul had a jazzier feel; MC Peace (later known as Peace 586
) was known for his smooth flow and delivery. P.I.D. around this time re-invented themselves as the group Preachas, although their only album under that name was Violent Playgrounds.
One of the major influences in the genre came with the formation of Gotee Records
in 1994, co-founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan
, making it the first record label marketed explicitly for Christian Hip-hop and R&B that was backed by a major label. The label was among the first to market the Contemporary Christian music
market through distribution at Christian bookstores and playing on Christian radio
. This trend continued with other labels such as Tooth & Nail's
Uprok Records
and others that gave an outlet to hip-hop artists who identified themselves as Christian and wanted a broader market. However, much of the sales of these Christian record labels was purchased by people brought up in the church and 70-80% of them being white. Recently, a number of artists and labels such as End Of Earth Records, Rezurrected Muzic, Cross Movement Records
, Grapetree Records
, Syntax Records, Deepspace5 Records, Universal Funk Records, Illect Recordings, and The New Unstoppable Records have purposely tried to market more to people who did not grow up in church as well as more to urban markets.
In addition, many major Gospel stars were getting in on the hip-hop & rap genre. Kirk Franklin
joined with the 1 Nation Crew in the album Kirk Franklin presents 1NC
. Gospel legend Pastor Shirley Caesar
recorded a duet "I Know The Truth" with Tonex
in which she raps.
Another element of the hip-hop culture is the disc jockey
, aka, deejay or DJ. In January 2008, the American
-based, One Accord DJ Alliance (OADA) created a network of Christian Disc Jockeys and Radio Announcers from around the US, Canada, and the UK. In September 2009, the Higherground Record Pool (HGRP) and One Accord DJ Alliance (OADA) held their first Gospel DJ Conference at the Crowne Plaza, Queens, NY. The first known Gospel DJs were honored at the event. Kingdom Affiliates Record Pool (HGRP) also was represented at the conference. The next conference is planned for September 2011 in Atlanta, GA.
's No. 2 single "Pray"; Richie Rich
and his first single "Don't Do It"; many of Tupac
's lyrics and his first posthumous record, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
, the image of Tupac nailed to a cross pinned him as a Hip-Hop martyr; and even recent hip hop/rap artists like Jay-Z
with Kingdom Come
, DMX
with "Walk With Me Now and You'll Fly With Me Later", Nas
with God's Son
and Kanye West
with "Jesus Walks
". However, these artists, although they may profess to be Christians, are not generally considered to be part of the Christian hip-hop movement.
Artists such as FLAME
, The Ambassador
, Purified, Willie Will, Lecrae
, Trip Lee
, Sho Baraka
, KJ-52
, Blaze, modern messiahs, and Tedashii
see themselves as preachers or ministers who proselytize to non-Christians or try to preach a Christian message using hip-hop as a medium. Others, such as Tunnel Rats, LPG, Brethren
, Manafest
, GRITS
and Skribbal, choose to be simply hip-hop artists who are expressing themselves since they are Christian. Their music contains expression of their faith. This also relates to the argument similar in Christian rock
and other Christian music
genres where some artists welcome being called Christian artists while others would not want it to be labeled as "Christian music" so to not tie them down to the Christian music market. Others see themselves somewhere in the middle, who may constantly acknowledge their faith in songs but are not typically considered Christian hip hop artists and see themselves as both preachers and entertainers and welcome acceptance in both the Christian music market as well as crossing over
into secular markets.
While many notable studios and artists share influence in holy hip-hop, no one style dominates. Christian hip hop features all conventional hip hop styles, such as Midwest, Westcoast (T-Bone
) and Eastcoast (Christiano), and Dirty South (Pettidee) or even mixed with other styles of music such as trip hop
, rap rock
, or crunk
.
Christian hip hop is also embraced and performed by UK artists such as Jahaziel Elliot, Guvna B, FaithChild, Melvillous, Sammy G and Simply Andy & Just C. Some of these artists also incorporate elements of UK Garage, giving their music a more British sound. The GL Live music event 2010, held in the UK saw a fusion of Christian rappers both American and British celebrate their faith together whilst demonstrating their own unique styles. This event was hosted by Simply Andy and included performances by American rappers Trip Lee and Tedashii.
, Christian hip-hop initially had difficulty finding an audience. Despite early rejection, Christian hip-hop has managed to follow other forms of Christian music, such as Christian metal
, in becoming a dominant force within contemporary Christian music
. Christian music awards shows such as the GMA Dove Awards and Stellar Awards
have added rap and hip hop categories.
) as well as conferences such as Flavor Fest (held annually in November at Crossover Church in Tampa, Florida
), the Holy Hip Hop Music Awards & Artist Showcase (held annually in January in Atlanta, Georgia
),the Texas Holy Hip Hop Achievement Awards (held annually in Houston, Texas
) and the Life Line Christian Rap Music Conference (held annually in April in Little Rock, AR) founded by CEO of Divine 7 Entertainment, R.J. Jenkins aka Ron Daniel (stage name), have helped to foster the genre among evangelical youth and young adults. SoCity Fest conducts nationwide Gospel Hip Hop Artist Retreats, Artists/Industry Conferences, New Artists Showcases and is a Traveling Music Festival organized to encourage and enrich Holy Hip Hop artists in their ministries, while giving them insight on navigating the music industry. Other notable events include The Yuinon and H.P., based in Detroit, Michigan
.
In Australia, a multi-denominational group of Christian hip hop artists, led by Mistery from Brethren
, have started a hip hop church Krosswerdz. The church has been modeled on Crossover Church in Tampa, Florida.
There is a Holy Hip Hop Music Awards, and the 2007 awards received appearances by Kurtis Blow, GrandMaster Caz, Cheryl "Salt" Wray and Mase walked in unannounced and went to Pastor Eddie Velez on stage in front of a packed audience to apologize for saying that Christian rap was not of God five years earlier. 2007 Holy Hip Hop Music Awards also received a written endorsement letter from the mayor of Atlanta acknowledging the event's support by the City of Atlanta and recognizing its 7th year. However, EX Ministries and other churches explain the distinction that Hip Hop culture and Rap music are not the same. The lyrics and music is not wrong but incorporating hip hop culture in the music is the problem. They conclude that "Holy Hip-Hop" is still associated with the mainstream Hip hop culture that they view as incompatible with Christianity
's teachings.
acceptance as well. One of the early accepted artists were Disciples of Christ
(D.O.C.), while the gritty Gospel Gangstaz
were ex-Bloods
and ex-Crips
who began ministering to gang-affiliated persons.
One of the most notable mainstream reactions to Gospel rap was to KJ-52
and his single "Dear Slim", which was written to Eminem
in an attempt reach him with the message of Christ. The song became famous and controversial among Eminem fans when it was featured on the hit show Total Request Live
. KJ-52 began to receive hate mail
(including death threats) from Eminem's fans, though KJ-52 claimed that the song was not a "diss". This also led to the single being disparaged by VH1
as No. 26 on their "Top 40 Worst Moments in Hip Hop", an issue the artist addressed in a follow-up song titled "Dear Slim Pt. 2" and "Washed Up." In contrast, the GRITS
song "Ooh Ahh
" received positive exposure on various TV Shows and movies, such as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
and Big Momma's House 2
. It was also featured as the theme song for the second season of MTV’s hit show The Buried Life
The hip-hop gospel scene also exists in Brazil
, the United Kingdom
, Japan
, Germany
, France
, New Zealand
, Nigeria
and South Africa
.
are involved in what is known as the "Catholic hip hop scene". Various well known artists in the Catholic hip hop scene include Alkalyte, Massmatics, Sammy Blaze, Move Merchants, Flip Francis, Paradox, Manuel 3, M.A.S., Point 5 Covenant, Paul Jisung Kim, and Fr. Stan Fortuna
. Catholic hip hop exists in the underground hip hop
scene, and is yet to be noticed by mainstream hip hop labels.
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
characterized by a Christian worldview
Christian worldview
Christian worldview refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs through which a Christian individual, group or culture interprets the world and interacts with it. Different denominations of Christianity have varying worldviews...
, with the general purposes of evangelization
Evangelization
Evangelization is that process in the Christian religion which seeks to spread the Gospel and the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world. It can be defined as so:-The birth of Christian evangelization:...
(Christian mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
work), edifying members of the church and/or simply entertaining.
History
Since hip-hop started in the 1970s, various hip-hop artists have expressed their spiritual beliefs, including Christianity in their lyrics.The first commercially released and distributed Gospel rap album was Stephen Wiley
Stephen Wiley
Stephen Wiley is recognized as the first artist to have recorded a full-length Christian rap album with his 1985 release on the Brentwood Records label, Bible Break, a fact which was acknowledged by T-Bone in his song "Our History" on his own album entitled GospelAlphaMegaFunkyBoogieDiscoMusic in...
's 1985 album Bible Break, distributed by Benson Music Group. Reverend DeWayne GoLightly (aka Rev. Rap') was one of the first Christian hip-hop artist without a commercially released Gospel rap cassette. In the same year by David Guzman founded JC & The Boyz. Some of America's premiere Christian rappers, such as: Michael Peace
Michael Peace
Michael Peace is an American rapper and one of Christian rap's first solo artists...
, SFC, Dynamic Twins
Dynamic Twins
The Dynamic Twins were a Bronx-born Christian rap group composed of identical twins Noel and Robbie Arthurton.- Origins :The twins moved to California circa 1989. The group's members began to make guest appearances on albums by other Christian rap artists, including J.C...
, MC Peace
Peace 586
Peace 586 is a prolific hip-hop artist from the United States, whose career has spanned the period from the 1980s to the present. A beatmaker who also has rapped, he's made a mark with his signature, sample-based production style and down-to-earth lyrical content—best known for expressing his...
, and T-Bone
T-Bone (rapper)
T-Bone is a Christian rapper. His father is Nicaraguan and his mother is Salvadoran. His name came from being called 'Bones' as a youngster because he was very skinny...
came out of this crew. They were the first group to appear on TBN
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
and The 700 Club
The 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
. More commercially successful was the crew known as P.I.D. (Preachers in Disguise) who released five recordings. Michael Peace
Michael Peace
Michael Peace is an American rapper and one of Christian rap's first solo artists...
is an American rapper and one of Christian rap's first solo artists, who is considered the grandfather of Christian hip-hop.
In the late 1980s, other crews emerged, including dc Talk and S.F.C. (Soldiers for Christ). S.F.C. was led by Chris Cooper who originally rapped as Super C (short for Super Chris / Super Christian) and later became Sup the Chemist and then finally Soup the Chemist. Chris Cooper, JC & The Boyz, and S.F.C. were instrumental in bringing up and exposing newer Gospel groups such as LPG, Tunnel Rats, Future Shock, and T-Bone. Christian emcee Danny "D-Boy" Rodriguez
Danny Rodriguez
Daniel Dimitri Rodriguez , alias D-Boy Rodriguez, was a Christian rap artist. He released two albums that received moderate commercial succes, before being murdered in 1990...
was another well known early Gospel rap artist but was murdered in 1990 in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
The 1990s saw the continuing trend of funky rap artists blending faith and rap, such as D.O.C.
Disciples of Christ (hip hop)
The Disciples of Christ are a Christian rap group which originated in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the early 1990s. They released three albums for Star Song Records and later formed their own label, We are One/Throne Room Records.- Beginnings :...
(Disciples of Christ) who emerged out of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
as well as the Gospel Gangstaz
Gospel Gangstaz
Gospel Gangstaz is a Grammy-nominated Christian rap group from Compton and South Central, Los Angeles. The group has featured members formerly affiliated with the Crips and Bloods gangs, Mr. Solo, Chilly Baby, DJ Dove and Tik Tokk....
from Compton
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
and South Central
South Los Angeles
South Los Angeles, often abbreviated as South L.A. and formerly South Central Los Angeles, is the official name for a large geographic and cultural portion lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central, and is still widely known...
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. In 1991, JC Crew emerged spawning the careers of Maximillian (West Coast beat box champion) and T-Bone. Additional artists made a considerable impact on the Christian hip-hop scene. Such artists that contributed were Dynamic Twins, Freedom of Soul, IDOL King, Apocalypse and both 12th Tribe and Holy Alliance who were produced by Scott Blackwell
Scott Blackwell
Scott Blackwell is a Christian dance music artist, born in Fort Worth, Texas. He is generally credited with being the first artist to produce such music for the Christian marketplace...
of MYX Records. S.F.C.'s (Sup, QP, DJ Dove) 1992 album Phase III is considered to be a turning point in Christian rap. Phase III was DJed and produced by DJ Dove, whose credits also include the Gang Affiliated, Gospel Gangstas' 1993 debut album.
Around the same time as Phase III, Dynamic Twins (Robbie and Noel) came out with their 1993 album No Room To Breathe. This album had a more hardcore "street" feel to it than other albums at the time. Freedom Of Soul (MC Peace, DJ Cartoon) followed with their second album, The Second Coming, (Caught in a Land of Time was their first) also their last album as a group. Freedom of Soul had a jazzier feel; MC Peace (later known as Peace 586
Peace 586
Peace 586 is a prolific hip-hop artist from the United States, whose career has spanned the period from the 1980s to the present. A beatmaker who also has rapped, he's made a mark with his signature, sample-based production style and down-to-earth lyrical content—best known for expressing his...
) was known for his smooth flow and delivery. P.I.D. around this time re-invented themselves as the group Preachas, although their only album under that name was Violent Playgrounds.
One of the major influences in the genre came with the formation of Gotee Records
Gotee Records
Gotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
in 1994, co-founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan
TobyMac
Toby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
, making it the first record label marketed explicitly for Christian Hip-hop and R&B that was backed by a major label. The label was among the first to market the Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
market through distribution at Christian bookstores and playing on Christian radio
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
. This trend continued with other labels such as Tooth & Nail's
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
Uprok Records
Uprok Records
Uprok Records was a record label created in 1999 under the parent company Tooth & Nail Records, with a focus on distributing Christian hip-hop artists. The name Uprok Records refers to the breakdancing term . The first three artists on the label were Ill Harmonics, Sup the Chemist and MG! The...
and others that gave an outlet to hip-hop artists who identified themselves as Christian and wanted a broader market. However, much of the sales of these Christian record labels was purchased by people brought up in the church and 70-80% of them being white. Recently, a number of artists and labels such as End Of Earth Records, Rezurrected Muzic, Cross Movement Records
Cross Movement Records
Cross Movement Records is an American based Christian hip hop record label, founded by and based on the Christian hip hop group, The Cross Movement. CMR, founded in 1997, had an agreement with BEC Recordings. In 2005 they made a license agreement with Reach Records' Lecrae. CMR are to release his...
, Grapetree Records
Grapetree Records
Grapetree Records was a record label founded by Knolly Williams. It was active from the early 1990s to the early 2000s.-Beginning:In 1989, Knolly Williams was anxious enough to avoid the temptations inside Los Angeles to spend a summer in Austin, Texas working for his uncle...
, Syntax Records, Deepspace5 Records, Universal Funk Records, Illect Recordings, and The New Unstoppable Records have purposely tried to market more to people who did not grow up in church as well as more to urban markets.
In addition, many major Gospel stars were getting in on the hip-hop & rap genre. Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
joined with the 1 Nation Crew in the album Kirk Franklin presents 1NC
Kirk Franklin presents 1NC
Kirk Franklin Presents 1NC is a studio album by Kirk Franklin with the One Nation Crew.-Synopsis:Kirk Franklin Presents 1NC is the 6th album released by Kirk Franklin. This is also the first album by Franklin on B-Rite Records, and his first album released in collaboration with 1NC. The U.S....
. Gospel legend Pastor Shirley Caesar
Shirley Caesar
Shirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...
recorded a duet "I Know The Truth" with Tonex
Tonéx
Anthony Charles Williams II , better known by his former stage name Tonéx , and most recently as B.Slade, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, dancer, producer, preacher, and activist. He has gone by various names and aliases, but his primary stage name of choice...
in which she raps.
Another element of the hip-hop culture is the disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, aka, deejay or DJ. In January 2008, the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based, One Accord DJ Alliance (OADA) created a network of Christian Disc Jockeys and Radio Announcers from around the US, Canada, and the UK. In September 2009, the Higherground Record Pool (HGRP) and One Accord DJ Alliance (OADA) held their first Gospel DJ Conference at the Crowne Plaza, Queens, NY. The first known Gospel DJs were honored at the event. Kingdom Affiliates Record Pool (HGRP) also was represented at the conference. The next conference is planned for September 2011 in Atlanta, GA.
Artists and style
Sometimes faith may be evident in part of a song or other times an entire song or album may focus on Christian beliefs. Examples include MC HammerMC Hammer
Stanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
's No. 2 single "Pray"; Richie Rich
Richie Rich (rapper)
Richard Serrell, better known by his stage name Richie Rich, is a rapper from Oakland, California.He is currently signed to Mack 10's Hoo-Bangin' Records.-Early years :His rapping style is an influence on Snoop Dogg. In Snoop's own words...
and his first single "Don't Do It"; many of Tupac
Tupac
Tupac is a relatively uncommon male name. Notable people with the name include:*Túpac Inca Yupanqui , tenth Sapa Inca of the Incan Empire*Túpac Amaru , last indigenous leader of the Inca people in Peru...
's lyrics and his first posthumous record, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory is the fifth and final studio album by Tupac Shakur, under the new stage name Makaveli, finished before his death and his first studio album to be posthumously released...
, the image of Tupac nailed to a cross pinned him as a Hip-Hop martyr; and even recent hip hop/rap artists like Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
with Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (Jay-Z album)
Kingdom Come is the ninth studio album by American rap artist Jay-Z. It was released on November 21, 2006. It was considered a "comeback album" for the established rapper, as 2003's The Black Album was slated to be his final release...
, DMX
DMX (rapper)
Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's...
with "Walk With Me Now and You'll Fly With Me Later", Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
with God's Son
God's Son
God's Son is the sixth studio album by American rapper Nas, released December 13, 2002 on Columbia-imprint Ill Will Records. Production for the album took place during 2001 to 2002 and was handled by several hip hop producers, including Salaam Remi, Chucky Thompson, Ron Browz, and The Alchemist...
and Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
with "Jesus Walks
Jesus Walks
"Jesus Walks" is a hip hop song by American rap artist Kanye West. It was released on May 25, 2004 as the third single from his debut album, The College Dropout. The song is built around a sample of "Walk with Me" as performed by the ARC Choir. "Jesus Walks" was well-received by music critics, who...
". However, these artists, although they may profess to be Christians, are not generally considered to be part of the Christian hip-hop movement.
Artists such as FLAME
FLAME
Flame is a Christian hip hop recording artist with Clear Sight Music. He has released five albums including: Flame, Rewind, Our World: Fallen, Our World: Redeemed, and Captured. Our World: Redeemed was nominated for a Grammy Award...
, The Ambassador
The Ambassador (William Branch)
William “Duce” Branch a.k.a. “The Ambassador” or “Ambassador” is a Christian hip-hop artist who has recorded both independently and as a founding member of the group The Cross Movement. Branch is the former president of Cross Movement Ministries...
, Purified, Willie Will, Lecrae
Lecrae
Lecrae Moore is an American Christian Hip Hop artist signed to Reach Records, the record label that he co-founded. Thus far Lecrae has released five solo studio albums, and his latest Rehab: The Overdose was released on January 11, 2011...
, Trip Lee
Trip Lee
William Lee Barefield III, better known by his stage name, "Trip Lee", is an American Christian rapper who is signed to Reach Records and has recorded both independently and as a founding member of the 116 Clique. Originally from Dallas, Texas, he now resides in Washington D.C.. He first gained...
, Sho Baraka
Sho Baraka
Sho Baraka is a Christian hip-hop artist and writer who has recorded both independently and as a founding member of the 116 Clique. He was originally signed to Reach Records until leaving in March of 2011. He then co-founded a record label and group known as "High Society" with fellow Christian...
, KJ-52
KJ-52
KJ-52 is a Christian rapper from Tampa, Florida. The "KJ" part of his name refers to his old rap alias, "King J...
, Blaze, modern messiahs, and Tedashii
Tedashii
Tedashii "Tdot" Anderson, known simply as Tedashii, is a Christian hip hop artist and member of the hip-hop troupe, 116 Clique. Tedashii has released three solo albums, Kingdom People, Identity Crisis, and Blacklight, on Reach Records...
see themselves as preachers or ministers who proselytize to non-Christians or try to preach a Christian message using hip-hop as a medium. Others, such as Tunnel Rats, LPG, Brethren
Brethren (Australian group)
Brethren are one of the longest-serving hip hop crews in Australia, celebrating 20 years in 2009. The group comprises Matthew Peet aka “Mistery” and Claude Rodriguez aka Wizdm....
, Manafest
Manafest
Chris Greenwood better known by his stage name Manafest, is a Canadian Christian rapper and rock artist from Pickering, Ontario....
, GRITS
GRITS
GRITS, also known as G.R.I.T.S., is a Christian Hip Hop group from Nashville, Tennessee. Their name is an acronym, which stands for "Grammatical Revolution In The Spirit." GRITS is made up of Stacey "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter, both of whom were DC Talk dancers.Their song "Ooh Aah"...
and Skribbal, choose to be simply hip-hop artists who are expressing themselves since they are Christian. Their music contains expression of their faith. This also relates to the argument similar in Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
and other Christian music
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
genres where some artists welcome being called Christian artists while others would not want it to be labeled as "Christian music" so to not tie them down to the Christian music market. Others see themselves somewhere in the middle, who may constantly acknowledge their faith in songs but are not typically considered Christian hip hop artists and see themselves as both preachers and entertainers and welcome acceptance in both the Christian music market as well as crossing over
Crossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
into secular markets.
While many notable studios and artists share influence in holy hip-hop, no one style dominates. Christian hip hop features all conventional hip hop styles, such as Midwest, Westcoast (T-Bone
T-Bone (rapper)
T-Bone is a Christian rapper. His father is Nicaraguan and his mother is Salvadoran. His name came from being called 'Bones' as a youngster because he was very skinny...
) and Eastcoast (Christiano), and Dirty South (Pettidee) or even mixed with other styles of music such as trip hop
Trip hop
Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...
, rap rock
Rap rock
Rap rock is a cross-genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock is often confused with rap metal and rapcore, subgenres that include heavy metal-oriented and hardcore punk-oriented bands, respectively....
, or crunk
Crunk
Crunk is a music style that originated in Memphis, Tennessee in the mid-to-late 1990s and gained mainstream success around 2003–2004. Performers of crunk music are sometimes referred to as crunksters. An archetypal crunk track most frequently uses a drum machine rhythm, heavy bassline, and...
.
Christian hip hop is also embraced and performed by UK artists such as Jahaziel Elliot, Guvna B, FaithChild, Melvillous, Sammy G and Simply Andy & Just C. Some of these artists also incorporate elements of UK Garage, giving their music a more British sound. The GL Live music event 2010, held in the UK saw a fusion of Christian rappers both American and British celebrate their faith together whilst demonstrating their own unique styles. This event was hosted by Simply Andy and included performances by American rappers Trip Lee and Tedashii.
Industry
As with many inchoate and newly formed musical genres and subgenres of Christian musicChristian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
, Christian hip-hop initially had difficulty finding an audience. Despite early rejection, Christian hip-hop has managed to follow other forms of Christian music, such as Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
, in becoming a dominant force within contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
. Christian music awards shows such as the GMA Dove Awards and Stellar Awards
Stellar Awards
The Stellar Awards is the first Gospel Music Awards show in the country, honoring Gospel Music Artists, writers, and industry professionals for their contributions to the Gospel Music Industry. The Stellar Awards ranks high in status as the only Gospel Music television awards program syndicated in...
have added rap and hip hop categories.
Performances
Live events such as RapFest (held annually in August in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) as well as conferences such as Flavor Fest (held annually in November at Crossover Church in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
), the Holy Hip Hop Music Awards & Artist Showcase (held annually in January in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
),the Texas Holy Hip Hop Achievement Awards (held annually in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) and the Life Line Christian Rap Music Conference (held annually in April in Little Rock, AR) founded by CEO of Divine 7 Entertainment, R.J. Jenkins aka Ron Daniel (stage name), have helped to foster the genre among evangelical youth and young adults. SoCity Fest conducts nationwide Gospel Hip Hop Artist Retreats, Artists/Industry Conferences, New Artists Showcases and is a Traveling Music Festival organized to encourage and enrich Holy Hip Hop artists in their ministries, while giving them insight on navigating the music industry. Other notable events include The Yuinon and H.P., based in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
Markets
There are differing views whether any form of hip hop can be considered Christian, but a consensus is that if the lyrics themselves have Christian teachings, then the song and music can be called Christian. There are some church congregations that have adopted hip hop-themed musical worship.In Australia, a multi-denominational group of Christian hip hop artists, led by Mistery from Brethren
Brethren (Australian group)
Brethren are one of the longest-serving hip hop crews in Australia, celebrating 20 years in 2009. The group comprises Matthew Peet aka “Mistery” and Claude Rodriguez aka Wizdm....
, have started a hip hop church Krosswerdz. The church has been modeled on Crossover Church in Tampa, Florida.
There is a Holy Hip Hop Music Awards, and the 2007 awards received appearances by Kurtis Blow, GrandMaster Caz, Cheryl "Salt" Wray and Mase walked in unannounced and went to Pastor Eddie Velez on stage in front of a packed audience to apologize for saying that Christian rap was not of God five years earlier. 2007 Holy Hip Hop Music Awards also received a written endorsement letter from the mayor of Atlanta acknowledging the event's support by the City of Atlanta and recognizing its 7th year. However, EX Ministries and other churches explain the distinction that Hip Hop culture and Rap music are not the same. The lyrics and music is not wrong but incorporating hip hop culture in the music is the problem. They conclude that "Holy Hip-Hop" is still associated with the mainstream Hip hop culture that they view as incompatible with Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
's teachings.
Crossover
Holy hip-hop has enjoyed some crossoverCrossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
acceptance as well. One of the early accepted artists were Disciples of Christ
Disciples of Christ (hip hop)
The Disciples of Christ are a Christian rap group which originated in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the early 1990s. They released three albums for Star Song Records and later formed their own label, We are One/Throne Room Records.- Beginnings :...
(D.O.C.), while the gritty Gospel Gangstaz
Gospel Gangstaz
Gospel Gangstaz is a Grammy-nominated Christian rap group from Compton and South Central, Los Angeles. The group has featured members formerly affiliated with the Crips and Bloods gangs, Mr. Solo, Chilly Baby, DJ Dove and Tik Tokk....
were ex-Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
and ex-Crips
Crips
The Crips are a primarily, but not exclusively, African American gang. They were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969 mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams...
who began ministering to gang-affiliated persons.
One of the most notable mainstream reactions to Gospel rap was to KJ-52
KJ-52
KJ-52 is a Christian rapper from Tampa, Florida. The "KJ" part of his name refers to his old rap alias, "King J...
and his single "Dear Slim", which was written to Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
in an attempt reach him with the message of Christ. The song became famous and controversial among Eminem fans when it was featured on the hit show Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
. KJ-52 began to receive hate mail
Hate mail
Hate mail is a form of harassment, usually consisting of invective and potentially intimidating or threatening comments towards the recipient...
(including death threats) from Eminem's fans, though KJ-52 claimed that the song was not a "diss". This also led to the single being disparaged by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
as No. 26 on their "Top 40 Worst Moments in Hip Hop", an issue the artist addressed in a follow-up song titled "Dear Slim Pt. 2" and "Washed Up." In contrast, the GRITS
GRITS
GRITS, also known as G.R.I.T.S., is a Christian Hip Hop group from Nashville, Tennessee. Their name is an acronym, which stands for "Grammatical Revolution In The Spirit." GRITS is made up of Stacey "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter, both of whom were DC Talk dancers.Their song "Ooh Aah"...
song "Ooh Ahh
Ooh Ahh (GRITS song)
Ooh Ahh is the title of a song recorded by American Christian hip-hop group GRITS featuring tobyMac. It was recorded on their fourth studio album entitled The Art of Translation. It was produced by Ric "DJ Form" Robbins and Otto Price for Incorporated Elements. The song was written by Ric...
" received positive exposure on various TV Shows and movies, such as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is a 2006 street racing action film directed by Justin Lin. It is the third installment in the The Fast and the Furious film series and currently the sixth in terms of series chronology...
and Big Momma's House 2
Big Momma's House 2
Big Momma's House 2 is a 2006 American crime comedy film directed by John Whitesell and written by Don Rhymer. The film is a sequel to Big Momma's House and stars Martin Lawrence reprising his role as FBI agent Malcolm Turner. The film was released theatrically on 27 January 2006, and was...
. It was also featured as the theme song for the second season of MTV’s hit show The Buried Life
The Buried Life
The Buried Life is a reality documentary series on MTV. The series features Duncan Penn, Jonnie Penn, Ben Nemtin and Dave Lingwood attempting to complete a list of "100 things to do before you die." The pilot episode aired on January 18, 2010, and the show was renewed for a second season in 2010....
The hip-hop gospel scene also exists in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Catholic hip hop
In the early 2000s many rappers in the Roman Catholic faith began including religious lyrics in their songs, as well as making careers out of Christian hip hop. Today, a number of active Catholic rappers and DJsDisc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
are involved in what is known as the "Catholic hip hop scene". Various well known artists in the Catholic hip hop scene include Alkalyte, Massmatics, Sammy Blaze, Move Merchants, Flip Francis, Paradox, Manuel 3, M.A.S., Point 5 Covenant, Paul Jisung Kim, and Fr. Stan Fortuna
Stan Fortuna
Fr Stan Fortuna, C.F.R. is a Catholic priest notable for his evangelical musical contributions of various genres, primarily Catholic-based jazz and hip hop....
. Catholic hip hop exists in the underground hip hop
Underground hip hop
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
scene, and is yet to be noticed by mainstream hip hop labels.