Can Hip-Hop Be Holy? Part Two

This is part two of the Spiritual Minded Magazine featured series Can Hip Hop Be Holy, if you missed part one, please feel free to click on the link above and check it out. Now as promised here is part two of the series, enjoy & keep the comments coming folks!!!

The Bible make seven references to making a joyful noise to praise God. It doesn’t say anywhere that noise has to be what we call Contemporary Gospel Music, or the shouts and praises you hear in your local church on Sunday. If a Hip-Hop record, no matter who the artist is, and what songs he made before and after, makes a song that praises the Lord, does that not make God happy because it’s a rap record from an quote, unquote gangsta rapper, or a secular artist?

Bone Thugs N Harmony have a great record in 2007 on Strength & Loyalty with Yolanda Adams called, ‘Order My Steps (Dear Lord).’ Are we to ignore the song because of BTNH’s past songs. If thats the case, since none of us is without sin, none of us could be witnesses for Christ! Do you think Yolanda Adams would have recorded that song with them if they weren’t sincere when they made the song? Is she now not a respectable representative for Christ because she did the song with them?

Several years ago, I interviewed a group called the Gospel Ganstaz, when they first came out for one of the various underground Hip-Hop publications I used to write for. They were former LA gangbangers, members or both the Bloods and the Cribs, who turned their life around. Their music has been credited with reaching other gangbangers and cats who were working in crack houses that weren’t attending church or listening to gospel music. Their music is a little edgy to say the least, but if they saved souls and brought lives to Christ, is God not pleased? That is our purpose as belivers right, the Great Commission, ‘to go out and make disciples?’

God uses what He wants to get his message to His people. Older believers who don’t understand Hip-Hop, give us labels and put us down, but I say this to you. Make a joyful noise and praise God however you are led to. If that happens to be through the very powerful medium of hip-hop, by all means praise His holy name and spread the word to the unbelievers! Make a joyful noise! Don’t let others prejudices prevent you from praising the Lord the way you want.

I will admit the music in the beginning of this movement was quite corny, but now we have real emcees, DJ’s and producers repping Christ through music. People seem to be more caught up in tradition, that they are not being effective in reaching the youth. Who wants to listen to someone that just judges them. The problem with tradition is, it makes you reluctant and reject anything that isnt what you are used to.

The pharisses and sadducees were reluctant to accept Christ because His message was different that the traditonal Laws Of Moses and they had Him crucified. The disciples and the jews were reluctant to share the Word with the gentiles. Today’s church is the jews and the Hip-Hop generation are the modern day gentiles. Older believers have to be careful not to miss the message because they dont like the messenger or as Cash Hollistah said in 16 Bars At A Time (remix) w D-Class, ‘…you just missed Christ over tennis shoes and baggy jeans’

Lasty I say, if Hip-Hop has the influence everyone says it has on the youth. You know kids wearing baggy clothes, disrespecting women, getting high, commiting all these crimes and selling drugs etc. If the problem is the kids are emulating and imitating what they hear on these songs and see in these videos. How much more effective with it be when God takes back control of the music. If God uses Hip-Hop and Hip-Hop artists what do you think the kids will do then when its the music they see and hear more and more?

I won’t make that same mistake and try to shove what I believe down your throat. I will say this, the enemy has us so busy, spending all this time debating this topic, who is out there effectively spreading the Word and saving the lost? In closing I ask you again, can Hip-Hop be holy? You be the judge!