Can Hip Hop Be Holy?

[Cheryl]

A few weeks ago I spoke with Saideh Brown, author of "Can Hip Hop Be Holy?

Much to my surprise she was emphatic about the fact that Hip Hop can never be considered holy. It must be said that Saideh Brown came from a Hip Hop background. Not only did she make a career out of Hip Hop, but she is a native of New York which is where Hip Hop was born.

In my research for this particular show, I learned alot about what Hip Hop is and what it isn't. Contrary to what I first believed, it is not a genre of music. Instead it is a cultural movement that was started by Afrika Bambaataa. It was his response to the ills of society that plagued African Americans that lived in poverty in the city of New York. It was merely an afterthought that rap, (a musical genre), became associated with the movement.

The Hip Hop movenent lifted up pimps, prostitutes, and drug dealers, as the people to whom one must aspire to become. Hip-Hop has changed the very appearance of its followers by creating a look, a way of governing yourself, and a language that should be spoken.

Now this movement is beginning to pop up in church services all over the country. The belief is that you can still walk the walk , talk the talk, and dress the dress of a Hip Hopper and still be holy.

The question that many in the church are asking is, "Where's the change? Isn't it when people see the change in others, that they see that change is possible for them?

The Bible says, "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature." Why try to redeem something that was birthed out of lack, poverty, rebellion, and ethnocentricity? Why not allow God to gift you supernaturally to deal with the spirit in the youth that is pulling them to Hip-hop in the first place?

Should we allow a man that looks thugged-out, and gangstered-up, to get up and validate the Hip-hop lifestyle in church? Many of our youth cannot get decent jobs or even finish school because they refuse to change their look for our society. They want to look gangster and thugged-out like the Hip-hop artists they see, but those artists are paid for looking like that, and our kids can't get ahead looking like them. And now, there are Christian versions of these thugs and gangsters? Shouldn't we reach out to them with an example of how the power of God changes a person rather than how your insides can change, but it does not affect the outside?

Do effective youth ministries really need gimmicks? Are we diminishing, watering down, altering, and apologizing for the Words of God when we try to include Holy Hip Hop in today's church? Are we saying that the church needs to become worldly in order to attract the attention of today's youth?

Or is the opposite true? Is this really a viable way to reach our youth? Is it okay as long as we quote scripture and tell the good news?

I realize that this is probably one of the first unchurched generations. We need to find ways to reach them and bring them to the body of Christ. It is the hypocrisy that exists in some churches that has turned many of them away, but is Holy Hip Hop a viable solution? Some would argur that God would want us to be all things for all men.

What do you think?

[Brent Mason]

Interesting question. I wouldn't necessarily say that the church should alter its own image to draw people closer. God is too big for that. But todays youth is so stuck on the image of hip hop that in order to reach out to them, I believe there should be a common ground, a sort of meshing through a ministry.

Besides, gospel is all about the lyrics. Music in itself is subscribed to the words that comprise it. Gospel lyrics could be combined with hip hop music and that would not mean that the church has changed anything about itself. But that is an opinion.

The ultimate goal of the church is to bring people to Jesus Christ. Be it through music or through worship and conviction, the gospel is reaching more people all the time. Compromise is a man's way of settling differences but God's way is not our own.

That's my thought.

Brent Mason
Author of Portentum: Africa Reborn

[Teisha Bourne]

Brent interesting concept. Hip Hop music? Does that genre of music subscribe to anything that would change lives or inspire greatness. I used to watch BET videos religiously, but then the songs got so raunchy I got turned off and I turned them off. I asked the above question because seems like most of Hip Hop music revels in vice. Oh the music is bumping mind you but can we actually separate the familiar 408 beat from its accompany just as familiar lyrics. Will holy lyrics on that type of music be misconstrued as just another vehicle to bum and grind to. Can young adults see God in this hybrid music? I don't know, but I certainly hope so.

[Brent Mason]

No doubt about the possibility of negative impacts. There is an awful lot of mishaps going on in music right now. I can't drive down the street for 10 minutes at a time without something coming on the radio and I have to change the station due to my kids being in the car with me. Because if it was just me then I be bumpin to the music, snapping my fingas and all that.

But I digress, we can only hope that our youth, and all youth for that matter, find God through fervent prayer. Music is good and all, but ultimately it's the account that we give of God's good grace and power through testimony, humility and conviction. Worship is the best approach I know. We just have to find a way to get them to the church and maybe an attempt to reach them through music will peek their curiosity to see what it's about.

But this is an opinion out of countless opinions can come of this topic. I'm sure they will voice their opinion.

Your friend,
Brent

[Teisha Bourne]

Well said.

[Lynda J. Sanders]

I agree with you brotha 100%.
Lynda J.

[Trumpeter Carlos Redman]

The nature of this question is flawed. All things on this earth have the ability to be holy. As a musician, I can draw those parallels to Jazz. It was the prostitute dancer's music of Storyville, and song of riverboats plagued by gambling. It was born out of the ghettos and barios. Today it has inspired every facet of music in the world, including gospel. Who are we to be so judgemental of those that speak? Especially, if its not pleasing to hear. If any people should be excluded, it should be the silent generation that gave birth these loud thugs they in haste persecute. Who sings for the convict? The black church? Who testafies about surviving the drug epidemic? The black church? Music is subjective. God is objective. Ignoring the song of the demised and discarded is not Christ-like. Embracing their song is his principle. Change their plight, and they will adjust their tune from one of sameful habits, to one that praises their savior from the confligrations that destroy our culture. Silence can be a sin too.
-Red

[Lynda J. Sanders]

Please give an example how silence can be a sin.

[Trumpeter Carlos Redman]

By slience I mean not solely with music, but also on the issues that plague the Black community. People have a tendency to overlook those that haven't been exposed to righteous living. Fortunately, SOME elite Christians have the means to critique poor people from the outside. Therefore, they can easily try to explain our woes as complaints or rowdy. I've have been formless and come from those places. There should be a large degree of personal responsibility, but when you have entire families with uneducated generations of poverty stricken and stagnant social structures, who bears the dissenting opinion that tells them to strive for greater heights of form? It cannot come from the outside suburbs, but from within educated people in the family, culture, and neighborhoods. Otherwise, it just sounds like harsh criticism from someone who finds it impossible to relate to his or her struggle, and offers little alternative to a formless’ situation. It won't come from censorship, but from those that speak the truth in testimony; And, bear the witness not with silence, but overwhelming in-your-face truth. Hip Hop at times does this. There are some misguided motives at times, but I'll take uncouth commentary over silent complacentcy any day.
Examples
Psalm 33:3 Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy
Psalm 39:2 I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good, And my sorrow grew worse
Psalm 39:3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned
“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” Abraham Lincoln
-Red

[Lynda J. Sanders]

Hey Cheryl,
I was watching Celebration of Gospel recently and it bothered me. But I have been bothered a lot about the entertainment industry lately. I do understand that Hip Hop is reaching a lot of people. But I felt bothered in my spirit by the way we don't appear to be reverencing God through what I watched. We are serving a Holy God. And we are to live Holy. Do those that are being touched by this music being told that through their being reached. I'm not going to say I feel that we need to get rid of it providing it is getting their attention. But what are they learning when the music and dancing is not on. But are these young people that are being reached being delivered, set free and receiving the Holy Ghost. Do they have a prayer life and really have a relationship with God and reading their Word. It is more than just jumping and hoping all over the place. Are they getting the true anointing in their lives that will keep them from commiting suicide when everything in life fails. And all you have is God. This world doesn't make us feel good all the time. Do they understand that we are sinners saved by Grace and understand the true meaning of spirituality. I don't feel that Hip Hop belongs in the sanctuary because that is Holy Ground.

Lynda J.

[Cheryl]

All of you hace brought about some interesting points. Perhaps someday, I can get persons from varying sides to come together for a panel discussion on the issue.

[Lynda J. Sanders]

Me in debate? Lord Jesus :-)

[Black CapaCity Literary Arts Festival]

My two cents.....
Exactly, what is meant by being holy? There was/is a lot of Hip Hop music out there (mostly underground) that speaks, or in the past had spoken on, Islamic concepts. There was a movement in the mid/late Nineties to incorporate Christian beliefs in the music. There are others who also incorporate their particular beliefs/spirituality into their music. Hip Hop is holy, and always has been.

Also, you have to understand...who actually controls the airwaves? What we hear on mainstream radio and cable channels doesn't reflect the majority of Hip Hop music and culture, only the most commercial aspects of it. What, a person can't be holy because they're sport baggy clothing? What kind of elitist crap is that? If an MC were to speak on Akan or Yoruba spiritual concepts in their flow, would that make them less holy because they are speaking on a different faith/belief system than yours?

Hip Hop can be holy, it can be political, it can be empowering. Conforming and assimilating hasn't always been a good thing for us. True history has taught us that.