I wrote an article for PRISM magazine and this blog  here is my ensuing thoughts. To see the article in full, click here.

Hip Hop is one of the greatest cultural movements in the last 20 years. It has seeped into almost ever facet of life here in the U.S. And as I have traveled around the world, I find that Hip Hop is a voice for many who do not have one. In Paris, the only different between the youth there and here in the U.S. was the language: they spoke French. Other than language differences, there were amazing similarities in style, dress, personality, and social issues. Hip Hop is global, and for those of you who still think it is a “Black Thing” shame on you! It is much bigger than just a “Black Thing.” The media would have you believe it’s that, but in reality, Hip Hop is diverse in philosophy, pedagogy, theology, and spirituality; not to mention extremely diverse in ethnicity and culture.

What Hip Hop has done is create a voice for many who would otherwise not have one. But, what about the mess we hear on the radio? How does Soulja Boy’s song “Crank it Up” even begin to convey a “voice” for many? Moreover, how does rapping about one more SUV or girl you’ve had sexually uplift a community? Well, I tell you, these are all great questions, but we must begin with what Hip Hop really is and therefore, what is its missiological significance to really understand what makes a song like Ludacris’ “Pimpin All Over the World” such a hit.

Let’s first begin with a working definition of Hip Hop:

Well, what the heck is rap then?

Rap is the main medium of the Hip-Hop culture that brings definition, value, understanding and appreciation to the social isolation, economic hardship, political demoralization and cultural exploitation endured by most ghetto poor communities. Thus, rap is the musical expression that compliments the oral communication of its culture. Rap also captures and esteems the ghetto poor existence as valid and real to all people of color (Including European Americans). Rap brings the revenue, which fuels the culture and its message.

To put it simply, rap is something that is being done, Hip Hop is something that is being lived—KRS-One. Anyone can rap, but not everyone is Hip Hop.[1]

Hip Hop is a voice and a community for many that do not nor have not had either one of those prior (c.f. Dyson [Between God & Gangsta Rap] 1996; Kitwana [ The Hip Hop Generation] 2003; KRS-One [Ruminations] 2003; Master P 1997). Hip Hop culture has provided many, including myself, a safe, productive alternative to the streets.

Trice Rose states in her foundational book “Black Noise: Rap Music & Black Culture in Contemporary America,” that Hip Hop culture emerged as a source for young people of alternative identity formation and social status in a community, to have that social status and identity within a system that had abandoned them (1994: 34). Moreover, Hip Hop culture provides an outlet and a voice for many young people in the inner city today. In addition, Angela Nelson[2] states, “The racial oppression of black people in many ways has fueled and shaped black musical forms in America” (1991: 51). Rap music is one of those forms. Nelson George[3] states, “Contemporary rappers, like early bluespeople, are responding to the ‘burden of freedom,’ in part by relaying portrayals of reality to their audiences through their personal experiences” (Nelson 1991: 56).

There are also 9 foundational elements of Hip Hop culture:

1. DJing/ Turntablism: Anyone can DJ now in days. But, not everyone can spin those records. Early Rap always had a DJ who could not only spin but scratch; a key element to Hip Hop.
2. Breaking: This was an element of the cultural expression of Hip Hop and still remains a key element to the culture. It was in fact a way for gangs to battle without resorting to violence back in the 1980’s.
3. Graffiti: Most people drive by and see artwork like this as vandalism. Which in fact it is not. It is a form of expression and in the early years, a way of getting the word out about new parties.
4. Break Beats: A key element to any rap song. Simple instrumental beats that DJ’s can loop so that MC’s can rap over.
5. Emceeing: Someone who can lead the crowd and keep the hype up. You need a good MC, sort of like a good preacher.
6. Street Knowledge: Any good Hip Hop is going to educate and uplift with knowledge.
7. Street Language: Some might see this as just foul language. While that might be a part of it, this street language is really a form of broken English, Ebonics, Spanglish, Chicano English, & Hyphy language.
8. Street Entrepreneurialism: Most founding mothers and fathers of Hip Hop resorted to, at one point, selling tapes out the back of their car, or grocery cart. Street business is not the illegal drug trade, but simple street hustling that gets some dollars in the pockets of needy individuals.
9. Street Fashion: Anything from baggy jeans (Which you can now find at your local Gap) to neo-Kango hats. It really depends on the individual.

So what is the missiological significance in all of this? Well, Hip Hop is a culture that is truly misunderstood and commercialized. If all you have ever heard of Hip Hop has come from the radio or TV, then you’ve missed out on the deep spiritual, theological, and social justice message that this culture has to offer. Missionally speaking, Hip Hop reaches many different people in many different ways. In my own research, I found that many young people saw Jesus in a new and deeper way by listening to artists such as Tupac & Dead Prez. In its basic missiological form Hip Hop:

q Is about Liberation & Restoration of various people groups

q Promotes freedom from the oppressor; whatever that “oppressor” may be

q There is true restoration in Hip Hop

q There is self-awareness and self evaluation

q Hip Hop questions authority and the ideologies “they” set for society.

q Hip Hop recovers empty answers and begins the necessary dialogue that Jesus once did in regards to the poor, the marginalized, and the downtrodden.

When living in God’s will, the church (like Hip Hop culture) provides relationships, identity, structure, and support in times of trouble. Hip Hop culture was formed in community and has helped give meaning to several generations of young people. The church and Hip Hop share common ground in more ways than one--can we build on that ground and dialogue rather than shake our heads and miss out on an opportunity to be where God is at work?

There are 5 areas that Hip Hop presents as a potential “Gospel” message for this generation:

1. Social Justice & Awareness: artists such as Tupac, Common, Eve, MC Lyte, & Mos Def (among others) provide consciousness on social issues that affect everyone, not just Blacks or the urbanite.

2. Knowledge: What truth does the MC bring to the song? That is the ultimate question. So, for me, songs like “Shake That Thang” just don’t really bring knowledge other than that of disrespecting women. I look for MC’s that can really uplift my own life—such as Tupac.

3. Narrative: Story, story, story. A key element for any rap song. Most not understanding rap music can only see the violence and deep anger. But a rap song is done from one of 3 perspectives 1) The rapper is telling you a story from her or his viewpoint on life, 2) The rapper is telling you a story as an observer of an event, or 3) The rapper is telling you a simple story or allegory that may even be fiction. In simple, do we see such films like The Terminator and say, “Wow, Arnold is a violent person and kills a lot of people in real life, how can he be governor?” Of course not! So why judge certain rap songs the same way?

4. Connection to Jesus & His life / Narrative: Good rap music will begin a deeper discussion on Jesus. The “Meat,” if you will, that Paul talks about in the New Testament. Good MC’s will begin to see Jesus in the most obscure places rather than 4 walls in a building. Moreover, great MC’s like Pac & Biggie will connect you to the story of Christ in their music.

5. Building a Bridge: What connections are being made for humanity and for all peoples to come to God’s table?

While Hip Hop culture is necessarily flawed as part of this fallen world, it does possess many redeeming qualities that should, at the very least, elicit our curiosity. What can we learn from it? What can we bring to it? If we want to live out the gospel authentically we cannot afford to fear things that are unfamiliar or nontraditional. I’ll continue this conversation soon, this is just the beginning and to get our appetites “Wet!”