Hip-Hop

As part of her class, this young woman recited (is that the right term?) "Go Hard" by Lecrae in American Sign Language. This seriously impressed me because the verses are certainly not simple and she even seems to get her groove on a little bit. That's the way to do a class project! Great song and great job!

Thanks to DJ Wade-O of the Wade-O Radio Show for pointing out these vids!

Jodie Walton posted a blog over at Illspot.net, a Christian hip-hop community site, asking if the secular hip-hop industry is really as good as people claim and if it really is better than the Christian one.

Walton makes several points. First, there are many rappers who replace their lack of talent with the typical subject matter of drugs, guns and sex. Plenty of the skilled rappers choose these topics too but many more simply don't have the rhyming skills or beat-making ability. There are "less talented" rappers in the Christian scene too but they seem to be steadily getting better.

Second, unless these secular artists are one of the big stars, they are spending someone else's money (from a record label or big star) to get their records made. For Christians who are trying to get started in the rap game, it's not that way. They are often spending their own money to rent studio time, get their discs burned, and get their music distributed. That while working a full time job and often ministering at their church.

Walton also mentions that the secular rap industry is resorting to single record contracts. This is a setup for a bunch of "one hit wonders". You hear a great song on the radio from a guy and the next month, he's gone. This happens all the time. For Christian rappers, they keep on going for years and years even without backing that might buy them an add in the very back of a magazine. Why? Jesus is the ultimate backing. He takes care of our every need (note: not our every desire). If He wants any of us to keep doing the ministry we're doing, He will make it happen, one way or another.

“Let's stop having hoop dreams and wanting to have our names in lights, cause that's gonna cost a couple grand, lol. And let's just get back to the great commission (Matt 28:19), and do our ministry in excellence. If you get big, it happens, but until then, spend your money wisely and let's go fishing!”

Check out the full blog post over at Illspot! When you do, be sure to get some of their free downloads of some great tracks from artists you should know about!

According to Rapzilla, Lecrae's album "Rebel" released last week and is now topping the Billboard Gospel chart and places just below T.I.'s new album on the Rap/Hip-Hop chart. "Rebel" is also high on the iTunes charts - it is currently #5 in the Hip-Hop category and was as high as #3.

Philip Road over at Rapzilla said Lecrae's new album "is now the highest debuting album in the Christian Rap industry, and Lecrae is proof that the ministry of Christ-centered Gospel Rap is truly a form of music that we should all pay close attention to."

I became aware of Lecrae last year when he released "After the Music Stops". While certain tracks, like "Jesus Muzik" are a blast to listen to, the entire album comes back to that simple question - after the music stops, what will you do with the message you have learned? In "Rebel", Lecrae points out that being a Jesus follower is actually rebellious. The rest of our culture is doing their own thing - but Jesus was a rebel and counter-cultural. Living a moral life, spreading the Gospel, and making disciples is the ultimate rebellion. Lecrae samples a preacher who says "If you really want to be a rebel, read your Bible, because no one is doing that. That's rebellion. That's the only rebellion left."

Check out Rapzilla's interview with Lecrae about "Rebel" below: