Christian Hip Hop’s Best of 2010 Nominations

“Coming in Hot” by Andy Mineo and Lecrae, dropped in celebration of the Reach Records’ Summer 2018 playlist and Better Late Than Never Tour. It was THE concert song. For months, the two performed for hundreds, even thousands of fans at a time, each concert attendee rapping about “[c]oming in hot, just like the fajita” and reminding listeners “[y]ou don’t have to ball or rap to get them racks on racks.” Now, nearly three years after its initial release, the song is about to receive an RIAA gold certification, a feat Andy has accomplished only once before with the ever-popular […]

In last week’s article on “Social Justice and CHH,” I considered the portraits of Christ painted in the lyrics of Propaganda, Lecrae, and KB. I suggest that artist commitment to social justice is primarily a commitment to Christ. It is through a theological interpretation of placing Christ among the oppressed that these artists level a concern for social justice. In this article on “Social Justice and CHH,” I focus on the legacy of Sho Baraka who I liken to a griot. According to Flora Bridges, “In African culture, the storytellers, called griots, were elders in the community who remembered the […]

It’s crazy to think that we’re already past Easter. 2021 seems to be flying by, but not without artists continuing to jump onto my radar. Here are some Christian Rap artists I began bumping recently. I’m excited to introduce them to you. Ray June It’s time you’ve heard of Ray June. Ray is crazy creative with the music as well as the visuals. His newest single, “Time“ featuring M.C. is probably my favorite single of the year so far, and that visual is dropping very soon. The first time I heard him was when he had KB on a track […]

Last week, the entire world, and particularly the Christian space lit up with conversations about Lil Nas X’s latest hit, “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” and its accompanying “Satan Shoes” a pair of custom Air Max 97’S sold by MSCHF. This is the very same brand that created the squeaky “Jesus Shoes” accompanied by ounces of holy water inside the sneaker’s air bubble. Since then, the controversy behind the marketing of the shoes and video has led to disruptive conversations on the Internet, plenty of Internet trolling from Lil Nas X, and a lawsuit from Nike against MSCHF.  Where […]

In the second article of “Social Justice and CHH,” I consider themes of pain, prejudice, and poverty presented in the music of WHATUPRG, Trip Lee, and Reconcile. After detailing their personal experiences, I question the ongoing claim that artists merely use social justice as a scheme to boost their popularity. I encourage the reader to consider the lyrics of these artists and how their encounters with injustice motivate their advocacy for others. My concern in this article is less focused on artist experience and more directed toward artist interpretation, particularly artist interpretations of Christ. For CHH, social justice and the […]