How Does Christianity Influence Hip Hop Music?
Throughout any culture religion has had a strong influence and presence on many things and continues to be influential. For example, religions have influenced the food we eat, the video games we play, the sports we watch, and more. It is also present in many of the shows people watch without them knowing. There is so many things influenced by religion it’s amazing to look at it all. Another one is the music we listen to. If the words hip hop or rap music are used in the same sentence with the Christian religion many would not understand as rap is viewed negatively in the Christian church by many. But in fact, Christianity has been playing a huge role influencing hip hop music and it is now being spread throughout the Christian church. Christianity has influenced hip hop by creating many new concepts, artist that rap only about a life with God, songs being written revolving around having faith in God, and the culture divide and spread of hip hop music throughout Christin religions and the increasing popularly it has created.
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To understand how Christianity is influencing hip hop music one must understand what rap music is and what it usually consists of.
When thinking of rap the average person associates it with drugs, girls, and money. The idea of that being combined with Christianity sounds insane. Yes that is what most hip hop songs consist of, but what they overall are focusing on is the struggles of life and what it’s like living a life full of sin and no hope. Christianity plays a part of that considering that they are rapping about a life without God. Many songs will mention God and how he helped them through it. For example, in a song called “Ready Set Go,” by Lil Uzi Vert he says, “Gotta give credit to God.” Christianity has influenced him to rap. So he may have rapped about sinning before, but realizes God is important which is how Christianity is influencing hip hop
music.
Christianity has influenced the come up of many new hip hop artists that would not have emerged other why's. One of the most popular Christian influenced artist is Lecrae Devaughn Moore. He has been awarded many awards as the first Christian rapper to do certain things. Such as, reaching number one on the bill board gospel list. Lecrae has stated he is a hip hop artist that was greatly influenced by his Christian faith. Along with Lecrae there are many other rappers that were influenced by their faith in God. Each of these rappers were influenced by Christianity. The reason for this is they wanted to take the positive teachings in the bible compared to the sinfulness of most rap to create a positive message. They want to have another source of music for people to choose that inspires them to live a holy life through God and avoid sin. By using the influence of Christian faith they were able to do so.
The influence of hip hop music influenced by Christianity is being used to help young teens. According to Brown and Fraser, there is a club in Tampa, Florida, called Club X, where teenagers rap about a life that would be without God. This club is run by the Without Walls international Church organization dedicated to helping young teens. It is a place for kids to hangout, but also get a deeper Christian faith because it shows what not having God can do to a person. They get together on Thursday nights and sing about a life were God isn’t present and they are living a life of sin. Which helps them realize they need to have God in their lives. Throughout the music they can live a more holy life. There is many of these clubs for teens throughout America another one is club life in New York City, where kids do a similar thing and display the same message. Through Christianity in hip hop kids are able to learn more about God and their faith life to help stay out of sin.
Many people are becoming famous through writing Christian influenced rap songs. An example of this is in a song called Prayin’ for you by Lecrae. In this rap song it is influenced by Christian faith because he is rapping about everyday life and how there is temptations everywhere but you have to keep praying. For example, in a song called “Prayin’ For You,” Lecrae writes, “He say he feelin trapped can’t even head up the mall coz every lady’s half-dressed temptin him to lust and fall.” This was one example displayed in the song about everyday sins in life causing people to have inner struggles with building a relationship with God. This is one example of how Christianity influences hip hop music by artist still rapping about ever day life and it’s struggles, but now they are brining God in and creating a different view on their music.
While Christianity is influencing rap and being brought into the religion it is not fully being accepted and having drawbacks. Many people involved in Christian faith are not wanting to accept the influence rap is having with their religion saying it is having negative effect. Yes, Christianity is having a big effect on rap music, but the same type of profanity is still being used creating a cultural divide. Thabati Anyabwile, a Christian minister states, “Christian rappers should note the call pure speech in Ephesians 4:29.While this verse applies to speech primarily inside the church, it’s principals ought to go outside with Christian hip hop.” The influence of Christianity on hip hop has not been strong enough to erase profanity from rap only to include God.
The influence of hip hop in the Christian faith is having traction and becoming more known in America. In an article, Price Deborah Evans states, “For the religious music market, the success of Christian rap is a welcome bright spot. Last year, sales of Christian/ gospel music dropped 15 percent, to 19.5 million units.” With the newfound influence of Christian rap those numbers are expected to increase.
Religion is a powerful thing that can drastically influence anything. With hip hop it was able to take a sinful thing and turn it into something with a power full message that really got through to people. Especially teenagers. Without the whole new Christian hip hop genre, there was still influence of Christianity in traditional rap. With many artist giving “credit” to God for where they are as a rapper. As Christian faith became influential more artsy were born that wanted to only have the influence of God in their music. Which led to rap songs solely based off the Christian fairs and artist like lacrae making it even more powerful. It also brought fourth Clubs such as the one in Tampa where kids could go and rap about the sins in their life and grow in their faith with God. Ultimately, Christianity in Hip hop music has been very influential and created many new things and inspired many people.
To understand how Christianity is influencing hip hop music one must understand what rap music is and what it usually consists of.
When thinking of rap the average person associates it with drugs, girls, and money. The idea of that being combined with Christianity sounds insane. Yes that is what most hip hop songs consist of, but what they overall are focusing on is the struggles of life and what it’s like living a life full of sin and no hope. Christianity plays a part of that considering that they are rapping about a life without God. Many songs will mention God and how he helped them through it. For example, in a song called “Ready Set Go,” by Lil Uzi Vert he says, “Gotta give credit to God.” Christianity has influenced him to rap. So he may have rapped about sinning before, but realizes God is important which is how Christianity is influencing hip hop
music.
Christianity has influenced the come up of many new hip hop artists that would not have emerged other why's. One of the most popular Christian influenced artist is Lecrae Devaughn Moore. He has been awarded many awards as the first Christian rapper to do certain things. Such as, reaching number one on the bill board gospel list. Lecrae has stated he is a hip hop artist that was greatly influenced by his Christian faith. Along with Lecrae there are many other rappers that were influenced by their faith in God. Each of these rappers were influenced by Christianity. The reason for this is they wanted to take the positive teachings in the bible compared to the sinfulness of most rap to create a positive message. They want to have another source of music for people to choose that inspires them to live a holy life through God and avoid sin. By using the influence of Christian faith they were able to do so.
The influence of hip hop music influenced by Christianity is being used to help young teens. According to Brown and Fraser, there is a club in Tampa, Florida, called Club X, where teenagers rap about a life that would be without God. This club is run by the Without Walls international Church organization dedicated to helping young teens. It is a place for kids to hangout, but also get a deeper Christian faith because it shows what not having God can do to a person. They get together on Thursday nights and sing about a life were God isn’t present and they are living a life of sin. Which helps them realize they need to have God in their lives. Throughout the music they can live a more holy life. There is many of these clubs for teens throughout America another one is club life in New York City, where kids do a similar thing and display the same message. Through Christianity in hip hop kids are able to learn more about God and their faith life to help stay out of sin.
Many people are becoming famous through writing Christian influenced rap songs. An example of this is in a song called Prayin’ for you by Lecrae. In this rap song it is influenced by Christian faith because he is rapping about everyday life and how there is temptations everywhere but you have to keep praying. For example, in a song called “Prayin’ For You,” Lecrae writes, “He say he feelin trapped can’t even head up the mall coz every lady’s half-dressed temptin him to lust and fall.” This was one example displayed in the song about everyday sins in life causing people to have inner struggles with building a relationship with God. This is one example of how Christianity influences hip hop music by artist still rapping about ever day life and it’s struggles, but now they are brining God in and creating a different view on their music.
While Christianity is influencing rap and being brought into the religion it is not fully being accepted and having drawbacks. Many people involved in Christian faith are not wanting to accept the influence rap is having with their religion saying it is having negative effect. Yes, Christianity is having a big effect on rap music, but the same type of profanity is still being used creating a cultural divide. Thabati Anyabwile, a Christian minister states, “Christian rappers should note the call pure speech in Ephesians 4:29.While this verse applies to speech primarily inside the church, it’s principals ought to go outside with Christian hip hop.” The influence of Christianity on hip hop has not been strong enough to erase profanity from rap only to include God.
The influence of hip hop in the Christian faith is having traction and becoming more known in America. In an article, Price Deborah Evans states, “For the religious music market, the success of Christian rap is a welcome bright spot. Last year, sales of Christian/ gospel music dropped 15 percent, to 19.5 million units.” With the newfound influence of Christian rap those numbers are expected to increase.
Religion is a powerful thing that can drastically influence anything. With hip hop it was able to take a sinful thing and turn it into something with a power full message that really got through to people. Especially teenagers. Without the whole new Christian hip hop genre, there was still influence of Christianity in traditional rap. With many artist giving “credit” to God for where they are as a rapper. As Christian faith became influential more artsy were born that wanted to only have the influence of God in their music. Which led to rap songs solely based off the Christian fairs and artist like lacrae making it even more powerful. It also brought fourth Clubs such as the one in Tampa where kids could go and rap about the sins in their life and grow in their faith with God. Ultimately, Christianity in Hip hop music has been very influential and created many new things and inspired many people.