...r my Influences

I didn't realize how much time and 'letters' i was going to spend on HolyHiphop when i began 3 posts ago.

*Sigh*

It seems the more i research the issue, the more problems i find on "our side". For the sake of ___________ i dunno I won't mention names of the artists, but if you really wan' know, holla @ me. I was looking up websites of artists (not exactly well-known, but somewhat popular) with upcoming cd's to listen to samples. I came across 1 site/blog/myspace of a christian grp and listed under the influences were Jay-Z, Ludacris, Beastie Boys and others. Am I the only 1 who thinks there's sumthin seriously wrong with this?!?!

Now yeah there were some christian artists listed (oh Jay-z was #1) but why oh why would any christian artist be drawing inspiration from the world when we have the ultimate access to the ultimate reserve of originality and freshness and... That besides the point, considering the 'gutter' quality of the lyrics of these "influences" why even listen to their work? and then glorify them and their junk, (that's oh by the way "Contrary to the Word of God and everything Christlike" ) by honoring them as 1 of ur motivations and influences? I'm speechless. What ever happened to "come out of them and be ye separate?"

Maybe I'm taking it too seriously. But let me not hear any rappers complain on how the secular world gives them no props, when they hail them as models they look up to.
I had heard good things about this grp but i don't think I'll be laying out any green to cop their album. I'm not tryn to get a watered down version of the secular rap industry.

And other site of a christian artist had a link that took me to a frontpage with a busty naked woman with tatoos, it wuz literally porn. Wow, was all i could say, and i don't think there's much else to add to that.

I know in a banana bunch of 10, one always got 2 be bad. Majority of HHH stays true to inspiration from above, but some are tryn to be mirror images of secular rappers in the gospel industry, w/o the offensive lyrics. Let all of 'em be sincerely reminded, God doesn't take cues or ideas or styles from the enemy, from the devil. It's the devil that's the thief, that's always stolen from God. and how are you supposed to reach them, if you're coming with the same tired old style?

Follow up on HolyHipHop

I've been doing some more research into the current issues and i found this excellent article I just had to share it with ya'll.

Here's the link, Enjoy. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/issues/2004-07-21/music.html

Also, here's an excerpt from da Truth's interview with gospel flava:

GOSPELflava.com: "Do you think that hip-hop is too self-oriented and does holy hip-hop test the waters at times with songs that come off as egotistical and narcissistic?"

Da' T.R.U.T.H.: "There is no question that it is that way. Oftentimes we forget that scripture tells us to "let another man praise you" and that we are "treasure in earthen vessels." God detests pride (praising and boasting in one's self). Christian hip-hop is guilty of perpetuating arrogant views. The way that we offset that stigma or stereotype is by exercising Christian discipline and virtues. In other words, we are to be blameless and give them a solid reason to despise us rather than adopting egocentric lyrics to fit in."
http://www.gospelflava.com/articles/datruthinterview2005.html

And i saw sumthin else that i found to complain about :)....
what is it with album covers of gospel artists that look just like those of their secular counterparts? I just saw the cover of Pettidee's upcoming project and I'm not liking. See www.beatmart.com. I like Pettidee, I've heard some of his work and itz tight but this "thug love" titled cd has already turned me off, along with the dark shades, the bling chain, the platinum teeth and the huge watch. He looks just like every secular rap cd cover i walk by in the store, I won't stop to look twice. But that's just what i think, he's a christian and I'm sure he has his reasons for the cover choice; I'm just not feeling it.

Rap, gospel flava'd

I haven't had a nice healthy music post...here it is.
Okay, so, uhm, I'm wondering, what will it take for gospel rap to experience commercial success? Urban and r&b gospel has had relatively good success with icons like MaryMary, Kirk Franklin, Donnie, Yolanda, Cece etc But for some reason, the rap world at large hasn't opened up to gospel rap.

Is it becos there's so many secular rappers that the idustry has been saturated? but then there're also many singers out there too.

Crossmovement has been holding it down for years and have built a great ministry. More recently they've had huge success with artists like Truth, Flame, Amb. etc. But this success has been limited to the gospel charts with exception from da'Truth's feature in the Source. I've heard some really hot albums from artists who've been around for years but are given no major props.

Rap is inherently in-yo-face type of music and centrally egocentric. I've never enjoyed hearing rappers say their rhymes make "demons take flight" or they "bust the enemy's camp" etc. And 1-thing that perplexes me about most christian rap is they continue to mention secular rappers in their songs. You can hardly hear a gospel rap album without some form of reference to Tupac, biggie, east coast this and west coast that. Or they say sumthin along the lines of 'I'm too hot', 'demons flee when they see me', or 'the blind see when i rhyme' or 'i rock the mic'.

It is in essence sounding like secular rap, just using different words and references. Of course it's not all gospel rap, but majority. I think until gospel rap seperates itself from these tired trends, and finds its unique identity and method of expression, it'll sound like every other lamar, rick and Johnny.
People like original and fresh work. Every breakout rapper had sumthin that was different, new and original. Gospel rap has so much more cos it carries the message of Christ. But rappers must be careful not to cloud n block that message when they in essence give credence to secular rap by rapping about it.

I'm not saying don't mention secular artists, no. But don't do it in every song, or every other song, infact 1-song on an album is enuff. We must not forget its not about how phat your ryhmes are or how clever the rhythmic comparisons are...if your music is not backed by the annointing, you're simply making noise. And I find myself not being able to relate to the lyrics of some gospel rap cos they're essentially "street" or i think a betta word is "thug-aimed". By that i mean their tracks are all the same, virtually aiming at only the street audience. You can't generate a national audience like that, unless of course God called you specifically to reach the streets.
Diversity is a beautiful thing and I respect any rapper who's album reaches a troubled youth, a single mother, a happy family, a pastor, white and black folk, a young urban gurl like me, college kids, etc with different songs.

NEwayz nuff said.
For your reading pleasure, here's an article about the state of HolyHipHop i found on SOHH.com the popular hiphop website. I certainly don't agree with a lotta whatz being said, but i think its an interesting read, along with the readers responses: http://blogs.sohh.com/media_check/archives/2005/09/christian-hiphop.html
Check out these links to some of my favorite rappers on the local scene in the east coast:

Juma (www.jumamusic.com), Dkun Frost (www.beatmart.com), Conquest (from Brooklyn) his new site will be up soon, (www.etherealhiphop.com and www.face-s.com) Ethereal and Stereotype, worcester's very own; and my personal favorite Rez (from Connecticut) www.maestromovement.com).

I knowz ya'll gats 2 love these soldiers.

Passin' on...

So much has happened since my last post. Victory and tragedy, happiness and sadness, but in all things everlasting joy endures.

I was really suprised when i got the news of yet anotha plane crash back home...suprise was soon replaced with shock and sadness over the loss of lives and the pain on the faces of their families. This time the media giants gave the crash a lot of coverage, they usually don't. While there's much to be said, much to be complained about on the situation of air travel in Nigeria, I doubt much will be done. Seems to me like everywhere else on earth, all most officials and leaders do is talk, and never take action. And of course its the people that suffer their incompetence. I simply offer my prayers 4 the victims families, pain won't last always.

Richard Pryor...
I can say most of the lines in the movie "see no evil.." He was a great comedian and human being. I didn't get to meet you here on earth, hope to see you in heaven.


While we on the topic of passing on....I really don't follow the arguement behind why Tookie Williams should have been granted clemency. For those who don't know, Tookie was a convicted felon who co-founded the brutal gang "Crips". He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1981 for murdering 4 people. He changed in prison and has since become an anti-gang advocate and written books and donated to communities. Many celebrities and anti-death proponents have been fighting for his clemency, citing his changed ways as reason enuff to spare his life.

I'm not for the death penalty. It's brutal and should really have no place in this society, but some crimes are so brutal and the perpetrator so unrepentant, I hardly care. If it were my choice, I'd have let Tookie live, the death of no one pleasures me.
But think about the victims and their families. They want him dead and they have every right to feel that way, considering the irreversible loss they've suffered. So are the outsiders, people who really have no say in the matter, say a couple books he's written and anti-gang advocacy should be enuff to grant him clemency? can good-will books compare and equate with 4 lives? no.

I understand a 2nd chance is selfless and beautiful, but i also understand we must suffer the consequences for our actions. I don't support the death penalty, but if it was my mother that had been killed, I'd want him punished, killed too. But I'm not in that position and neither are 99% of the people raving about this case, so let the rest of us just back off.