BOOK FACTS: The Chemistry behind Hip Hop - Soup for your Soul

 I have been hanging in the balance of deleted twitter and facebook accounts, reinventing myself into the less dramatic and less political world of just being the Poet-me, rather than the social network music-promo nut I was. All the while, I have been waiting, waiting, waiting for a moment when I would feel all the bull behind the scenes of supporting the shamefully, still, somewhat-fledgling music market of "Holy Hip-Hop", would be worth my time and energy...not that alot of great music and ministry has not been dropped (Go check out dasouth.com, rapzilla.com, kifalme.com, rekcity.com etc, and see what I mean). And, not that the industry actually needs my services. I ain't that vain (well, except on Tuesdays, after 8:00pm O_O). I was merely looking to return to my former love of sharing the music of Artists of skill and purpose, in a manner that kept my use of my time firmly in the realm of simply enjoying the share, rather than getting too wrapped up in the religiosity and politics of it all. But since those, of late, who have been putting it down wiv ah niceness have decent promo support, I just have not been feeling inclined to really go all out with my usual promo blitz... Anywhooo...more on my behind the scenes rants later...Today, let's just focus on the great stuff...

 I am SUPER-excited-hit-the-jackpot-while-homeless over this upcoming #BOOK "Through My Windows: The History Behind Holy Hip-Hop", by Christopher J Cooper, of Beesyde Ent. More commonly known as Emcee, Soup The Chemist (formerly Super-C & Sup The Chemist of SFC fame), the book's Author helped pioneer a market for what is now known as Holy Hip-Hop, or Christian Hip-Hop. With his band "SFC" (Soldiers For Christ), and with his own solo career, he issued in a flair and perfect synthesis of Deejay and Emcee, setting new standards for quality and creativity within the struggling late 80's and 90's market of a just-born Holy Hip-Hop. SFC's 'Phase III' album of 1992, is laudably noted to have given substantial attention to the Holy Hip-Hop industry, made up of a rather insipid motley crew of Jesus Emcees, only a handful of whom, truly had talent for running their mouth on the mic (trust me, I tell no lie S.M.H smh).

Now some of y'all may be a bit sensitive about me cussing out Rappers who were rapping for the Lord, but, yo!...even Jesus cussed the fig tree that had no fruit...and the tree was not even in season to be able to produce anything to eat! Some people may find salvation in Jesus Christ and discover they are called to ministry, but, frankly, not every Hip-Hop shower-rapper is called, anointed, and gifted to bless the mic WITH ministry AND solid Hip-Hop. Sorry. Just the truth. Ya know, just like the FACT that I could, by motion of the Spirit of God, rush to the aid of people in a burning building, pull them out to safety, saving their lives, but, er, um...that would not make me a Fireman, now, would it? (ya feel me?).

The music of SFC and Soup The Chemist was crucial to my first walk towards a life committed to learning, and living the way of Jesus Christ, not simply for their lyrical Gospel content, but because they expressed that Gospel with excellence. My husband, of The Day Jesus Spoke Hip-Hop ™ fame, an avid Hip-Hop head, and all-round Jesus-music connoisseur, introduced me to Soup's discography when I was emerging out of an atheistic life, with cats like KRS-One, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Method Man, Nas, and even my own baby brother, Young Spray, blowing in my ear. So when I chose to put aside the musical things of a secular world, to refocus and reshape my mind towards Christ, I was seriously hard pressed to enjoy music, especially when Hip-Hop, one of my favorite genres, had been spear-headed, on the God side, by Stephen Wiley's Bible Break (No offense to Wiley, but dat track was the epitome of wiggedy wiggedy wack kindergarten rap).

Now, admittedly, I was not all the way feeling SFC's first full album effort, "Listen Up" (1989), either. When my husband, who loves this album, just a wee bit much for my sanity, slapped it on high volume, at the beginning of my Christian Hip-Hop conversion, it was at a time, in the late 1990's, when Hip-Hop (and I) had grown passed that Big Daddy Kane, Whodini type of sound that the early SFC pumped out well. Thankfully, God had truly used Hip-Hop to speak the Gospel to my husband, so his collection, by the time we met, was significant enough to allow me a sound album sampling of Soup The Chemist and SFC (among others). Without a doubt Soup (and SFC) stood out among the handful of Emcees I respected from that era of my Christian journey, and my experience of the early days of Holy Hip-Hop. His music has continued to be a timeless 'go-to' for those days when I need to renew my mind and remember why I fight that good fight of faith in a world full of assnine people who tempt me towards going to hell, just so I can revel in the satisfaction of knocking their block off (oh yeah, as Soup once rapped, I am a "Saved Man In the Jungle" for sure! lol)....er, but I digress :-).........

The book, "Through My Windows: The History Behind Holy Hip-Hop", by Christopher J Cooper, aka Soup The Chemist, is representative of the journey of this Emcee, Deejay, and now, Author, whose 1987 debut on the EP "Fully Armed", led to an armory of albums that still speak today of how we can cope with a life in this world, holding fast to the hope of Jesus Christ. The book is his personal story of his walk with God, his music, and his, and others' efforts in forging the way for an industry to even exist today, so Emcees, called by God, can consider using their talent to impact, and change the culture of the world.

In the preview of the first chapter of the book, found on his revamped Beesyde Entertainment #WEBSITE, Soup The Chemist drops you off at his window, to look in and peep the world from whence the music and ministry came...and nah, his window pane ain't all that clean and pretty. In his usual flair for anecdotal drops of wisdom he challenges you, with his quick-paced narrative, to not only flow with him on his journey, but to open your mind, your heart, and think, within the experience, of the wisdom that lies outside those experiences you get to peek at. I forewarn you; like his songs, you will ride a wave of information, flowing effortlessly off his pen, then feel like you've been dropped off with thoughts and questions that require you to either rewind the chapter, or keep pressing play for the next page. The book, in it's entirety, thankfully, can be pre-ordered via his Kickstarter campaign, so your need to 'bump his track' will not be too long away satisfied.

Take a preliminary look, through his windows, behind the scenes of the curious world of music, ministry, the mind of an Emcee, and his love of Hip-Hop...PREVIEW Chapter 1 of "Through My Windows: The History Behind Holy Hip-Hop", by Christopher J Cooper, aka Soup The Chemist: http://beesydeent.com/book.html

PRE-ORDER and SUPPORT this pioneer Emcee towards the printing of this book by DONATING here BY APRIL 21, 2013: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/519197365/through-my-windows-the-histroy-behind-holy-hip-hop (and hey! your support can also offer you an opportunity to get with the man in person to chew the fat over an appetizing dinner.)






A Deejay's Hands © 2012 Kalinago Woryi

His hands could rock n groove me,
when the dance had left my feet.
When the pressures of the day had wound me up,
his get-up,
don't-stop,
can't-stop,
won't-quit breaks would rotate over,
and over,
and over in my head.
And as he made the bridge between Deejay and Emcee,
toasting n bubbling,
chanting n rapping,
I could feel my pores moving,
opening wide,
sucking every sound,
deep
down
into my blood,
boiling over,
spilling out of me,
in a rushed breath of relief,
mouthing in rhythm,
rapping along,
singing;
no, shouting,
at the top of my lungs,
above the beat,
swaying,
lifting joyful hands,
praising away the Monday blues,
like it was Friday night;
no, like Sunday morning worship -
Yeah bwoy!!! Thank God, for a Deejay's hands!


FOLLOW Soup The Chemist:

facebook:  Christopher J. Cooper http://www.facebook.com/christopher.j.cooper.39

twitter: @SoupTheChemist http://www.twitter.com/SoupTheChemist

Beesyde Entertainment:
web: http://www.beesydeent.com
facebook: Beesyde Ent. http://www.facebook.com/Soupdachemist

KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN (((EXPIRES APRIL 21ST, 2013))): http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/519197365/through-my-windows-the-histroy-behind-holy-hip-hop

MUSIC FACTS: The best kinda breakfast - Coffee & Grits

WE R CONSOLED! Breakfast shall be served, ya hearrrrrrd?

When DC Talk dancers, Stacey "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter, stepped up to da mic back in 1995, in true b-boy stance, they were a breathe of fresh air upon a genre of Hip-Hop that had been struggling, save for the sweat and tears of a handful of Emcees.

The electric duo converged together as G.R.I.T.S, and, together with another notable group, Cross Movement (now, simply, Cross Movement Records), swiftly set up another level of creativity and Poetry, and matched it with much needed industry infrastructure and media exposure. G.R.I.T.S garnered 'mainstream' attention by way of 2-time nomination for Grammy Awards, prime time media coverage and radio play, and even scoring television/movie airplay for a couple of their singles (“Ooh Ahh”, featured in the theme song for MTV's 'The Buried Life', and in movies, 'Fast and Furious', 'Tokyo Drift', 'Big Momma’s House '; “Here We Go", featured in 'Something’s Gotta to Give'.)  That said, y'all might be like what? Who? So, yeah, I realize these trailblazers might be new to you, but oh, they got big history moccasins for ya'll to fill! Lemme tell ya!...


Seventeen years on the grind, and this perfect pair of Emcees have truly been the embodiment of their band name, G.R.I.T.S - "Grammatical Revolution In The Spirit." As Indie Artists, they have belted out a discography that would make the average big-budget, signed Artist wince: Eleven studio albums, 800,000 records sold worldwide, and the creation of an independent record label, Revolution Art, which houses cross-genre Artists (rock/pop from Hearts of Saints, eclectic RnB/Hip-Hop from Jade Harrell), and even outsources badnessssss music production duo, Studio Caffe. Beyond the depth of pure Hip-Hopoetry and innovative beats, G.R.I.T.S has managed to produce an onslaught of albums during a time when media infrastructure, for their musical content, was either non-existent, wack, or just plain uncoordinated, and, of drip-in-an-ocean significance, when compared to the realm of what we all recognize as the 'secular' (for want of a better term) industry machine. So yeah! I give 'em mad props!

My husband put me on to G.R.I.T.S (the food and this band) years back, when I was a new Christian, and an old Hip-Hop head, not very tolerable of the insipid (c)rap that made up all too much of what was being mis-labelled "Holy Hip-Hop". Frankly, if my husband's stereo had not made a quick turn to G.R.I.T.S' Mental Releases album (and the few choice Emcees who made it passed my ear canal without being sneezed out my nose, including dope Emcee & DJ, Soup The Chemist of SFC fame), I might have given up on Hip-Hop as a genre of music that could be creatively used by Christendom (sorry, but my God said we da salt of the earth and, let's be honest, there just weren't no flavor in alot of Hip-Hop with Christian lyrical content back then).

As a result of the scarcity of dope Hip-Hop that spoke to my walk as a Christ follower, and the sheer stellar talent of G.R.I.T.S, I admit, I became fat, and full, devouring every album they ever put out. When they announced their retirement after a heavyweight career in Hip-Hop, it was a tough pill to swallow. The dynamic duo set a high bar in terms of creative output, and pure unadulterated Hip-Hop, that bridged street and steeple, and spoke, both, to the inner core of my being, and the Poet in me. I sighed, heavily, at the end of the first full rotation of their last album, Quarantine.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! it was a deep delight and joy when I first peeped the news, last year, on Pettidee's youtube channel, that Coffee planned on releasing a solo album. I admit, at first the news was tinged with melancholy. Coffee, with no Bonafide, sounds like coffee with no brown sugar and goat milk (ok ok, that was a cheesy pun, but ya get me? A girl was going through! lol). But, now, the reality of this news is impending upon us, and I am too Fred-Flintstone-off-from-work-on-a-Friday-happy to focus on that small detail of sadness (sniff). The FACT is, Coffee Jones is dropping a much anticipated solo EP in a couple weeks and I am stark raving mad with excitement!!!

Poetically titled, "Fresh Brew", I anticipate a classic mocha-latte delight from Coffee - cinnamon freckles and all, to add to my decadent plate of G.R.I.T.S. Breakfast will undoubtedly be served!

So yeah! I am consoled, because come the first week of December there will be a new Grammatical Revolution In MY Spirit.........and I remain hopeful that Bonafide will follow suit and bust up on da mic, like WHAAAAAT!!! Whether as solo Artists, or as a G.R.I.T.S, I am down to hear these brothers spit lyrical.


Keep up with the impending, "Fresh Brew" EP, and all things Coffee, Bonafide and G.R.I.T.S:

#FOLLOW

Facebook:
- G.R.I.T.S: http://www.facebook.com/grits
- Coffee: http://www.facebook.com/coffee.jones
- Bonafide: http://www.facebook.com/teron.carter

Twitter:
- G.R.I.T.S: http://twitter.com/OfficialGrits
- Coffee @iamCoffeeJones: http://twitter.com/iamcoffeejones
- Bonafide @TeronCarter22V: http://twitter.com/TeronCarter22V

Tumblr:
Coffee - http://coffeejones7.tumblr.com/

Reverbnation:
G.R.I.T.S - http://www.reverbnation.com/officialgrits

Myspace:
G.R.I.T.S: http://www.myspace.com/officialgrits

Web:
- Revolution Art: http://revolutionart.us/
- 22Visionz (Teron 'Bonafide' Carter is President of this entertainment & media company):
   http://www.22visionz.com/


album update 2 from maurice barrett on Vimeo.

MUSICAL FACTS: The Philly Three (Part 1)...The Appetizer

I love a good Philly Cheesesteak! I cannot count the number of times my family and I have made the spontaneous 3 hour trek JUST to eat a Philly for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and dessert! lol). And I hold the same kind of passion for good Philly-style Hip-Hop. Considering I promote all kinds of music, and as such, all genres of Hip-Hop, I probably should not reveal my bias towards East Coast rap, afterall, I pride myself on having a hybrid and eclectic taste. Now...Let it be known....I am a big time lover of funkdafied Fresh Coast (aka West Coast) and Southern boomtastic Hip-Hop. And I will get trunk-thumped out with the Mid-west on occassion....but yeah....at the end of the day, sorry, the birthplace of Hip-Hop is where my heart is.....yep!....I LOVE REGGAE MUSIC! (lol! 'What??? is? she? on???', you saying to yourself?.....You didn't know that New York rappers, and Hip-Hop, in general,emerged from a form of REGGAE entertainment? Oh ye of little history.....google is thy friend. Suffice to say, many of the main players who brought you the glorious gift of the Deejay and the Emcee, were of Caribbean origin....but I am off on a tangent....back to Philly and...

The Audacity of Rob Hodge:

FUNKY FRESH AND HOT OFF DA PRESS! After years away from the music scene, in he rolls draped with that dirty S-word .............. swagger. Not counting his mixtape, Rob Hodge has not released an official album since 'Born King' in 2006, so his recent and sudden drop of this brand new single, in lieu of promoting his new upcoming album, 'The Audacity" is bringing a wee bit of excitement for me. And I know, I know.......you likely have no idea who I'm talking about, or you know dude only by his quirky and sometimes almost-salacious commentary on twitter and facebook. Still, for those who need that 'google it' moment, here's a quick dip into his website bio:

"Rob Hodge’s music has helped heal broken hearts and uplift the downtrodden. Now, the soul-stirring music has captivated an audience that stretches across the Atlantic, from America to Africa, from conservative reverends to professional athletes and ballers. Rob’s music is the nexus between the conventional setting of the church and the tumultuous lure of street life. Simply put, Rob makes music with substance. By bridging the gap between commercial appeal and artistic integrity, Rob has created a lane for himself unlike anyone before him. From Philly to Paris, audiences have more than just heard Rob’s music – they’ve felt it. Rob stands for what he believes – his music represents the angst of an entire generation."

Yeah! nuff said! Whoever he paid to write that paragraph needs a big-spender tip....coz they got da bwoy well painted. Rob Hodge's music has bridged church and street since his official introduction on the scene in 2005. His style can be labelled RnB Hip-Hop, but that would put him too much in a box when he starts dropping throwback soulful samples on top of a mish-mash of beats. Suffice to say, this Philly native is also all Philadelphia when it comes to creative punchlines and flow within, sometimes, unusual Hip-Hop beats. "The Cure" is no different. Even on this more casual freestyle track, his blood and gore honesty, and easeful flow, to a deliriously hypnotic drum and old-school-style sample of a female vocal, leaves your finger to hover on the rewind touch-tab. Surely he can't be doing rap to these drums, right? At first the afro-beat drums seem all off to his flow, and the boom that lays underneath it, yet, by the end of the track, you realize Rob took it to da paint like a true baller.

Now I give him props as a preface to a good slap! The man has kept us waiting and then just drops a hot one, like he rolled up on some homies on da stoop in surprise, to share a verse, after being gone from da hood! Then he (?) has the audacity to be cheeky with it and be smoking a joint on the front cover, talmbout "The Cure"??? I know Tyler Perry's Madea character has popularized the notion of the weed-smoking Christian, but er um....did Rob get one of those Dave Chappelle notions, and run off to the woods to get blunted from reality? Er....Robby, son...Good Christians don't use herbs...well, except maybe some rosemary, a little oregano and thyme...but then again...the politically incorrect seems to be quite 'normal(?)' these days in Christian Hip-Hop. I wonder if it is a marketing ploy to attract the dope heads, then rock their knot with The Cure, aka Jesus The Christ? Hmmmmm....we shall see. Mr. Hodge has promised to release a track (though not singles from The Audacity) every couple weeks until he drops his official album in the Winter of 2012. Hopefully by then, we will be in the know about his controversial cover photo and his shout out to RocNation in the new single. Perhaps he will respond to the Q&A I slipped him....until then, I guess we await the full message of The Cure....and of course, the highly anticipated new album: "The Audacity".

Below is Rob Hodge's new single, 'The Cure'. Available for FREE DOWNLOAD from robhodge.net

FOLLOW Rob Hodge:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/robhodge
Twitter: http://twitter.com/robhodge
Web: http://robhodge.net/
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/robhodge

MUSICAL FACTS: Faith without works is DEAD!

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!! May I present to you Kenya's version of a modern Fela Kuti...Activist- Rapper, Entrepreneur, and a man of creativity, and substance in his own right (steel pans please!)...JULIANI!

In the words of Eric Wainaina (Singer/Songwriter), who has succinctly described Kenya's shooting star:

Possessing an unmatched socio-political nous, beautifully tempered in spirituality, Juliani comes correct with an infectious message of religious, social and political emancipation, fresh and relevant in today's society. His sleek and unique lyrical flow, passionate delivery and electrifying performance have collectively and officially hailed him as "an important voice for our time"

With Jesus Christ at his helm, this young man aims to change his society and impact the world and the Earth's environment with a much-needed brand of Hip-Hop, which is unashamedly Kenyan, unashamedly African, unashamedly street, and unashamedly Christ. With the polished combination of his eloquent street poetry, rapped and crooned in Kiswahili (Swahili), intermixed with Sheng - the vernacular of Nairobi's streets (soon, as he claims, to become a legitimate international language), Juliani hits hard with bars and metaphors that leave you to pause, as you ride upon beat after beat of well produced and fully strung music. If, like me, you don't speak Kiswahili or Sheng, you still find yourself locked in to his versatile flow and easeful punctuations of English. He raps seamlessly in all three languages throughout any song. Many of his tracks, like the haunting Bahasha Ya Ocampo, feature female Singers or Femcees, who rock your heart's core and keep aflame the mesmerizing grooves that Juliani so easily fills.

From the ruggedly raw old school Hip-Hop flavor of Red, Black and Green, and the boombastic jazzy-rock of Exponential Potential, you dip and sway through Afro-beat sounds, jazz, blues, RnB and Pop, onto, a little known, and underrated soulful, hypnotic worship masterpiece, by the name of Niko Ju Juu. Before @JustAlffie of Kifalme.com was kind enough to translate the lyrics into English, for me, the hook to the song was already on heavy rotation in my membrane, and much heavy wailing of my Soul would ensue at the first beat of the song.


As if that were not as good as it could get, Juliani adds to his virtuoso, the type of passion and energy you can expect from the heaviest of heavy live metal concerts. He jumps onto the stage - literally, immediately engaging the crowd with a combination of his gaping smile, charm, and a bounce and dance that would leave Tigger, of Winnie the Pooh fame, begging for rest. His live concerts are not to be missed, for the sheer entertaining value of counting how many breaths you hold as he reaches hoop-height above the stage, slam-dunking the crowd with energy, great poetry and solid musical ball.

Add to his musical prowess, a natural and determined ambition and drive to truly impact his community, country and the world, through the vehicle of Hip-Hop, and social/political/economic and environmental campaigns, and Juliani makes the average Artist look lazy. He recently flew in, this weekend, to Washington D.C, U.S.A, from Nairobi, Kenya with a full schedule for the Climate for Change Forum, and immediately turned round to fly back to his home town of Dandora, Kenya, to hold a concert yesterday.

From the moment I discovered him, via a facebook share (Dennis Sauke, please stand up!), to an inundating of Juliani's and other Kenyan music shares, offered by some other multi-talented social network buddies, and mutual music nuts (dap to @Kifalme @JustAlffie @Uncle_Fro), I have been all out impressed with Juliani. From his suave and impish glee, his ever-rocking, kinetic trail of dreads, his versatile, retro and classic fashion combos (Did I mention he has his own clothing brand, "RBG Republik"?), to his energy on and off-stage to engage youth and young adults towards a brighter and better society, he is a name, brand and image, which commands notice. The man is simply a tour de force. I dare say, he is the new face of Hip-Hop and the new poster child for how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be utilized in an all-encompassing manner that answers to the everyday living and needs of our communities, countries and globe. It takes more than faith to move mountains. It takes work.....and Juliani appears to have his hand and back to the plough.

Check out his documentary, which invites you to get to know the man behind the music - his childhood (not so long ago), his inspiration, his passion for community, his poetry and his music - as he journeys on a road-trip from Nairobi, to a concert in Mombasa, with five selected fans (This video is multi-lingual - Kiswahili, Sheng and English, with English subtitles throughout):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV5FT_jhmsU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Also...Check out the MTV Voices Article and video interview of Juliani, as he tells how he uses his music to promote positive change among his peers, and impact his world to be a better, cleaner, greener place (all- English video and article):

http://mtvvoices.com/en/2012/06/tve-presents-rapping-green-in-kenya/

You may listen and/or purchase and download Juliani's music here:

- New album "Pulpit Kwa Street": http://www.kenyandownloads.com/JulianiRBG/


- First album, "Mtaa Mentality", available on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mtaa-mentality/id305677000

 - Listen and watch music videos on Juliani's Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Julianimusic%20

FOLLOW JULIANI:
*Twitter: @JulianiKenya - http://twitter.com/julianikenya
*Facebook: Juliani - http://www.facebook.com/JulianiMusic
*Google+: Juliani Muzik - http://plus.google.com/116507519840837638571%20
*Youtube: JulianiMusic - http://www.youtube.com/user/Julianimusic *Web: http://www.julianionline.com/

MUSICAL FACTS: When I grow up I wanna be a Rapper-Poet! LOL

I just love this...you will too...check it, courtesy of "art-ambidextrious", Propaganda. Spinning poetic speech into Hip-Hop flow... you can follow his art flow here: http://twitter.com/prophiphop

MUSICAL FACTS: My Thesis: CHRISTIAN Hip-Hop NEED Jesus!

So it's FACT that, on a whole, what has come to be termed as 'secular' Hip Hop is sorely lacking in morals, never-mind Godliness. But I'm sitting back checking out the latest trends in Christian Hip-Hop circles and I'm thinking, eh? Media-aired sexual indiscretions/dysfunction, division in doctrine, division in business and on personal levels, sneaker/apparel obsession, "diss tracks"...I could go on, but you catch my drift? Yup! Christian Hip-Hop NEED Jesus!

I won't even go into the sexual indiscretions & dysfunction that go on behind closed doors - and heck, even openly. We all got dirty laundry. It is a known FACT that adultery and pre-marital sex are as rife in the church as it is in the world, as is homosexuality, pornography addiction, pedophilia, etc.; so the Christian Hip-Hop circle is hardly an area of exception.

As for divisions in doctrine, business relationships and personal relationships - nothing new about humanity there. Human beings, as we are, are subject to division and strife among each other. We disagree on a magnitude of levels, whatever our faith, or lack thereof, and irrespective of the relationships we do or do not have with one another.

I could mess with Christian Hip-Hop folks about the way some boast and obsess over sneakers/apparel (& phones/mobile devices) and the brands they sport, but I'll save that idolism blog for another time, and let y'all check into Lecrae's REHAB hospital, I mean album, on that one for now.

That said, I'm not setting aside discussion on these topics to excuse any of these behaviors. Just because Christians and non-Christians, alike, are subject to the same wrong-doings does not excuse Christians (or anyone else, for that matter) from doing what is right. 

But my focus is with the "diss track" culture that is quickly developing in Christian Hip-Hop, which has absolutely no place as a norm among this genre of music in the same way it is with it's secular Hip-Hop counterpart. The entire 'diss track' sensation is seriously disappointing on the whole - whether secular or Christian. But in the Christian world, we are, by God's Word, held to a higher standard:

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret." Ephesians 5:1-12

For those who have been tuning in to the MC Hammer vs Jay-Z diss drama, with Hammer's latest release of 'Better Run, Run' as a response to Jay's supposed 'diss' of him on Kanye's track - many know, but some don't - what MC Hammer has brought serious media attention to is nothing new in the Christian Hip-Hop genre. The "diss-track" culture running through Christian Hip Hop has history that dates back years, with Artists speaking against secular rappers, most, without naming names. I am not going to make this a 'he said', 'she said' post by calling out Christian Hip Hop Artists who have become reknowned for 'dissing' secular Artists, or of those who make subtle passing references and curt remarks regarding un-named secular Artists. Nor will I name those Christian Emcees who air beef about other Christian Hip Hop Artists on record - both outright and by subtle reference.

While I can get with exposing FACT and truth about the evil that runs rampant through most "secular" hip-hop, and even to pull a fellow Believer up on something that does not stand up to God's Word, it seems the culture of Hip-Hop to battle-rap and insult another Emcee is invading Christian Hip-Hop, and risks us misrepresenting the CULTURE OF CHRIST. While I can commend, maybe, one or two Christian Hip- Hop Emcees for exposing FACT and revealing God's truth in addressing other Emcees - secular and Christian - overall, Christian Hip-Hop Emcees are not trying to expose FACT and the truth of God's Word by releasing 'diss' tracks. Too many are in this to gain rep and attention, or are operating out of ignorance, or both, in an ultimate attempt to 'be Hip-Hop', as some proof to the secular world that they can hold their own.

But take note: Jesus hung with the worst of sinners and spoke the truth of God's Word into their lives without bowing down to how those sinners lived. If He was able to relate without being like them so too can Christian Hip-Hop Emcees relate to the secular Hip-Hop world without bending to their way of thinking and doing; without adopting all of Hip-Hop culture.

Sure, "it is wisdom to meet a man where he is, in order to persuade him to come where you are" (L.A Jackson of The Day Jesus Spoke Hip-Hop)...but empathy does not require that we copycat how the other person thinks, feels or responds in order for them to understand where we come from and receive the truth we are delivering. In any case real recognizes real! People who are lost are not looking for Christian Hip-Hoppers to act like them, or else where is the hope in the things of Christ that we speak to them? If the lost want to exit the way they have been living they are not looking for another thug like them, another ho like them, another pimp like them, another profanity-laden tongue like them, another brand-name sneaker-clad baller like them, another 'diss-lyricist' like them...they want something different from what they have. And the only way we can rep that realness is to rep CHRIST CULTURE, NOT HIP-HOP CULTURE for real.


What Christian Hip-Hop needs is imitators of CHRIST CULTURE, NOT HIP-HOP CULTURE, mi Bredrin!