Christian Hip-Hop, Heroes, and Harambe


The Ultimate Challenge

Paul offered Timothy a few more important instructions that he would need to keep his charge? “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim 4:5).

As we look at our family, I am no longer certain these imperatives are at the forefront or characterize our community. I don’t say this to infuriate anyone who might disagree, but, in my opinion, our alertness today looks more like fog. In many ways, we have jettisoned various God-given distinctions that would inherently force us to bear hardships. Furthermore, it has become slim pickings to readily see the evangelists to the hip-hop culture. In addition, Paul wasn’t necessarily speaking about the title of an evangelist, he was telling Timothy to “do the work” of one, as is the charge of every Christian.

We are severely hard-pressed to “fulfill our ministry” simply because the minister has given way to the artist. The ministry no longer seems like the focus. With that being said, I would be tripping not to mention the many who have been holding up the banner for years and the many new contributors who have come on the scene. But I think there is no doubt the characteristics and distinctions that used to mark us as a body, have been gutted and discouraged as something inadequate for this current age.

We The People

Lastly, beloved, in that verse (2 Tim 4:5) the phrase, “As for you” precedes all directives and stands out like a hot punchline. Though there will always be times when man’s desires will clash with God’s and heroes will always be available to take up the people’s demands, God’s ability to say, “As for you” has to be the calamine or the cortisone that separates us from the itch of our own wisdom.

“As for you” is for the sheep that know His voice and how to stand alone and firm in obedience, no matter what might seem right in the eyes of men. “As for you” is also a call to stand tall on bended knees in prayer for love, unity, and peace in our family under one Lord, one faith and one baptism. “As for you” also serves as a low-key, “everybody-else-can do-what-they-want, but as for you” brand of admonishment, your parents would administer to make sure you understood your singular accountability and risk of discipline should you follow the crowd.

Family, Uncle Johnny is troubled by the current state of things, but I am still hopeful some things can be fixed. Because I also believe the dilemma of people’s heroes can also be resolved by making Christ, the ultimate hero, and His ways central to all our strategic endeavors. Consequently, because of the supernatural gravitational pull of His nature and His heroics, He alone shifts the dynamic of the phenomena and causes His people’s desire to show you more about Him than they do about the people. He flips it to His advantage and for His glory, which is, in the end, for our benefit and our growth. (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)

Well, this ends our story time for now. Once again I really appreciate the connect fam. I solicit your prayers for our family and for me (with my flaws and all). My love and hope for CHH is for unity and the glorification of our Lord. The sad shame is that Harambe had to be put to death because the stakes were too high for the risk of human life. Sometimes I worry that Christian Hip-Hop will face a similar fate for similar reasons. Maybe, with the Lord’s leading, we can achieve a unity of the Spirit that would possibly pay the dopest homage to a slain primate. Harambe is Swahili for “come together.”

Love Always,

Uncle Johnny.

(John Wells – The Tonic)

Heroes.Kings.Doper Witness.

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