WHAT IS CHRISTIAN RAP?
HISTORY
Since hip-hop started in the 1970s, various hip-hop artists have expressed their spiritual beliefs, including Christianity in their lyrics. 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 Hammer's #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", 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. [1]
The first commercially released and distributed Gospel rap album was Stephen Wiley's 1985 album Bible Break, distributed by Benson Music Group.[2][3][4] Reverend DeWayne GoLightly (aka Rev. Rap') was the first Christian hip-hop artist without a commercially released Gospel rap cassette. More commercially successful was the crew known as P.I.D. (short for Preachas In Disguise) who released five popular, funky Gospel rap recordings ("Here We Are", "Back to Back","The Chosen One's", "Born with the Gift" and "Violent Playgrounds" ).
In the late 1980s, other crews emerged, including dc Talk and S.F.C (Soldiers For Christ). S.F.C was led by Californian African-American 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 & S.F.C. were instrumental in bringing up and exposing newer Gospel groups such as LPG, Tunnel Rats, Future Shock, T-Bone.[citation needed]. Christian emcee Danny "D-Boy" Rodriguez was another well known early Gospel rap artist but was murdered in 1990 in Texas.[5]
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. 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. S.F.C.'s (Sup, QP, DJ Dove) 1992 album Phase III is considered to be a turning point in Christian rap.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed] P.I.D. around this time re-invented themselves as the group Preachas, although their only album under that name was Violent Playgrounds.[citation needed]
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.[6] Recently, a number of artists and labels such as End Of Earth Records, LifeLite Records, 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.[7]
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 stunning duet "I Know The Truth" with Tonex in which she raps.
Artists and style
Artists such as Willie Will, Lecrae, Trip Lee, 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 artists include Tunnel Rats, LPG, Future Shock, Zane One, Afaar, Soul The Interrogator, 'Big Ran, Manafest, Risen Tunes, Brethren, and Skribball, choose to be simply hip-hop artists who are expressing themselves and 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[who?] 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.[8]
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, and Dirty South (Pettidee) or even mixed with other styles of music such as trip hop or rapcore.
Christian Music Industry
As with many inchoate and newly formed musical genres and subgenres of Christian Music, Christian hip-hop initially had difficulty finding an audience. Founded in 2002, Pioneering talent firm TRÜ PRAISE Productions was the first all Christian Hip Hop booking agency and soon became the Premier Booking Management Agency and Marketing Firm for Gospel Hip Hop Artists. 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.[9][10].
Performances
Live events such as RapFest (held annually in August in New York City) 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. FIRE 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.[citation needed]
Churches and Christian Audiences
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.[11] There are some[which?] 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, have started a hip hop church Krosswerdz.[12] The church has been modelled on Crossover Church in Tampa, Florida.
There is a Holy Hip Hop Music Awards[citation needed], 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.[13] 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.[14][15].[16]
Secular and Mainstream Audiences
Holy hip-hop has enjoyed some crossover acceptance as well. One of the early accepted artists were D.O.C., who matured under the guidance of former Prince guitarist and vocalist Dez Dickerson,[citation needed] 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 (pronounced "five-two") 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".[17] This also led to the single being disparaged by VH1 as # 26 on their "Top 40 Worst Moments in Hip Hop"[18], an issue the artist addressed in a follow-up song titled "Dear Slim Pt. 2".
The United Kingdom has also recently received Christian rap with groups such as Jahaziel and One Love; although their music has been increasingly played in underground Christian hip hop circles, they have yet to achieve mainstream success. Recently Jahaziel received airplay on London's Choice FM with DJ Richard Blackwood as the host, who has expressed enjoying his work, namely the song "In My Neighbourhood". The hip-hop gospel scene also exists in Japan, with artists such as Yoshi Blessed and Hinds 57 who is now in the comedic pop group BAD. In other countries Christian hip hop has started to emerge in recent years, for example in Germany, New Zealand and South Africa.
Nigeria has over the years also been influenced by spiritual hip-hop culture. Several groups have been formed blending Western flow with contemporary Nigerian culture, causing a strong following of Christian rap. Artists such as Roof Top MCs and Bouqui are making gospel hip-hop mainstream.[citation needed]
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