Hip-Hop Gets Religion

Dec. 13, 2006 — -- Run of Run-DMC. MC Hammer. Chris Martin. Kurtis Blow. All these performers are rap legends of the 1980s and '90s.

But besides the baggy pants, break dancing, bad hairstyles and nostalgic fans, these rap pioneers have one other thing in common. They are all at the forefront of a religious revival within the hip-hop nation.

In September 2006, the original rap superstar-turned-preacher, Kurtis Blow, and Holy Hip-Hop Music got together and established a groundbreaking record label, Music Ministry Recordings.

The strategic alliance is part of an exclusive agreement with industry heavyweight EMI Gospel in which Holy Hip-Hop Music and Pastor Kurtis will produce, distribute, and market Music Ministry Recordings.

"Pastor Kurtis Blow is always on the forefront as a pioneer and person who not only can see clearly what is to come, but has no trepidation in acting on vision to fulfill destiny and to accelerate movement," says Panchetta Harris, general manager of Holy Hip-Hop Music. "These qualities are why Holy Hip-Hop Music and EMI Gospel are proud to be in close covenant and partnership with Pastor Kurtis Blow, fulfilling the mission to advance hip-hop ministry, advancing the Gospel worldwide without delay."

Spreading the Good Word While Staying True to Rap Roots

Blow, who co-founded The Hip-Hop Church and now serves as its rapper, DJ, and worship leader, is scheduled to release his CD in April 2007. He wants his upcoming album to spread the good word, while remaining true to its rap roots.

"It's a compilation CD. We rap about God and we rap about Jesus and the Bible and salvation, sanctification, redemption, the good news," Blow said. "Whoever picks up the CD will get an opportunity to listen to the word of God, the messages that will be in the CD are all inspirational, positive, elevating messages."

Rap and religion may seem like an incongruous mix, but Blow and other performers say they are joining forces to expand their scope and deliver their message to a larger audience.

"Don't get it twisted, God has always existed," raps Blow. "In terms of these young people out here who love God but do not like to go to church, only hip-hop can bring them back to the church."

Spiritually Satisfying and Profitable

Organizations and congregations preaching the message of the hip-hop church movement are popping up all over the country. From Los Angeles to Atlanta to the South Bronx, followers of the gospel rap genre are packing churches, meeting halls, and concert venues just to get a taste of rap's next big thing.

However, this is not the first time that rap and religion have collided. As far back as 1985, rappers such as Stephen Wiley, who recorded "Bible Break," the first gospel rap album, fused hip-hop beats with inspirational lyrics to remix the church's message and renew people's faith. Back then it was considered a musical anomaly by the majority of the rap community and blasphemy by some religious traditionalists. Now even chart-topping hip-hop artists such as Kanye West -- especially in his 2005 hit "Jesus Walks" -- are finding that singing about God is not only spiritually satisfying, but profitable as well.

Here's one sign that mainstream music is catching on: For the first time, the 2007 Grammy award will recognize religious rap by offering up a new category, "Best Gospel Rock or Best Gospel Rap."

"It's a great opportunity for gospel rappers," says Blow. "We call them true schoolers, the guys who are rapping about God to get their stuff heard. It's an opportunity for them to showcase their talents and to minister in song the word of God, and that's our bottom line, to get the word of God out there to the mass of people."

Rap Hard Sell to Hard-Core Christians?

However, while religious rap is rising in popularity, many congregations are beginning to wrestle with what this new form of worship means.

Accepting the hip-hop church movement means recognizing rappers as messengers and their rhymes as sermons, homilies, and lessons, not an easy thing to swallow for many in the Christian community.

Despite -- and perhaps because of -- its controversial nature, the hip-hop church movement continues to attract followers. Religious rap both stands up for and challenges current notions of Christian love, faith, and identity and gives today's youth a vehicle for expressing themselves and sharing their faith with the world.

In the end, Blow said he hopes to remind us that it doesn't matter what side you're on, but who you're fighting for.

"These are ways we're fighting back, letting the kids know that we have hip-hop, but there's a way that you can take this hip-hop and use it for something good, use it for something to liberate your community, or inspire your neighbors to do good," he says. "These are the messages that we're bringing out with the hip-hop church. It's just the message that this is the best kind of hip hop that you can do, the hip-hop that praises God."