“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit-immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” – CS Lewis, “The Weight of Glory”

Hip Hop’s Life Story So Far…
Something interesting is happening right now in Hip Hop culture. The legends and individuals who fathered the art form in the 70s, 80s, and 90s are having to deal with a new stage in life: raising families, dealing with a failing health or career, or suffering loss of loved ones (RIP JB, Dilla, Jam Master Jay, and many more). Looking at it all, you can almost generalize all of Hip Hop's history as a single person’s life story. A story that begins with Hip Hop at its playful youth, being known as the very definition of “fresh” at the local block party. It began with the intention of peace, love, unity, and having fun, bringing hope and beauty to the poor gang-rivaled city streets. As it grew up, Hip Hop became a student of many different ideas. Conscious Hip Hop dove into philosophies, social change, cultural pride, and self-empowerment. But then one day, Hip Hop found it could gain material wealth quickly by doing things a certain way. It slowly became a formula, no longer a freestyle, and fell into the wrong crowd of selfish motives. In that, Hip Hop forgot why it was first made, and started taking its own hype too seriously. And now former fans don't want to associate themselves with the played out Pop Hip Hop they see glamorized on MTV. Hip Hop had become one of the most popular cultures in the world, yet now seems a shallow and unhealthy version of all that it once was, obsessed with its search for more money, sex, and power.

The Underground: Back to Scratch
In response to the negative effect commercialization had on the art form, some B-Boys and B-Girls (practitioners and fans of the culture) rebelled and chose intentionally to go back to the roots of how it first began in order to reclaim the innovation and innocence that was lost in the mix. This movement developed into what is now known as the Underground Hip Hop scene, a more tradition-minded practice of the culture that refuses to be signed by major labels and instead supports itself independently. Although the Underground population is a minority compared to Hip Hop worldwide, they remain passionate in the claim that they are the “real Hip Hop.” The Underground prided itself in knowledge and self-mastery, which helped it progress Hip Hop beyond its stereotyped genre. But in return, this often left it feeling cheated and under-appreciated because it was hard to see any positive impact being made for the people it wanted to save. The problems still persisted and it seemed like a losing battle. The Underground had no problem in identifying wrongs or placing blame and hate against their oppressors, but they didn't have a clear example or hope of how to change it for the better except to not become what they hated or to create a way to escape. Out of this, many theories of universal peace, feel-good habits, and mixtures of various religions arose. These paths didn't lead to a solution that would last. Thus the Underground often ended up stressed in a paranoid state, or simply becoming a temporary diversion that ended up back at materialism and the world's way (Pop). Hip Hop's best effort at a solution by itself didn’t satisfy in the end.

The Death of a Culture
All this now brings us to this popular question raised between both worlds, Underground and Pop: is Hip Hop now dead? What happened to all that innovation and purpose that once made it feel alive? Why do man’s best accomplishments in both worlds offer no cure to life’s ills, yet they all still boast in their path while legends and heroes slowly pass away? With the lifestyle some of these rap artists live nowadays, it seems like all they’re trying to do is promote another way to live it up and die young. In other words, Hip Hop might not be completely dead, but it's suicidal in its search to the same end. In the world’s view, Hip Hop is at the end of its rope. But in God’s view, there’s always hope (Rom 8:24-25). And His reply to that question is not a simple shout to the masses but a very personal message that makes you wonder if you yourself ever truly lived in the first place (Mark 8:35).

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. – Proverbs 16:25

“Hip Hop can never be a way of life, it doesn’t tell you how to raise a child or treat a wife” - Q-Tip “Keep it moving”

“I’m searching for my soul in here, creating something new from old to hear, give me the light, and let it shine, then press rewind, we all lookin’ for something to find” - Stro & Ohmega Watts “The Find”

The Rebirth
In the Christian perspective, what Underground Hip Hop attempts to do is nothing new. At its core it wants to be reborn (or resurrected, John 3:3), to no longer be held back by the weighted past, because sin is heavy and carries with it judgment (Rom 6:23). But what they missed is that Christ is an essential replacement for that old life, to take away the burden (Rom 6:4) and be a counselor unto the new life (John 14:26). Without God's good news, there is no example for forgiveness to the world, and without the promise of forgiveness, it’s hard to have a hopeful perspective in anything good this life has to offer. Without a new path to follow and the power of God in the mix (Acts 1:8), Hip Hop could simply slip back into its old ways. Or even worse, it pretends it’s even better off with its own ability and ego, but eventually lets us down. And that was what often happened. The Underground Hip Hop scene is, at its best potential, a staging ground for reception of the Savior, much like the Jewish (Underground) and Roman Empire (Pop) cultures in the Bible. The Pop scene was good at spreading influence and giving a common platform of communication to the world, but promoted and glorified the wrong things, "Tellin' it how it is." They looked deep into the mirror to reflect the pain of their lives and communities, but turned and forgot who they were and what they could do about it (James 1:23-24). The Underground, on the other hand, often pointed towards faith and the soul as being significant to the answer, even sought for truth in their rhymes, but always fell short by relying on its own power, or settled for substitutions that didn’t quite last (Acts 14:16-17). All the while, God seeks us (1 John 4:19), offering all beauty that is true inspiration, righteous everlasting justice against evil that provides rest and peace, and a heavenly father to those abandoned by the world. All this completes what Hip Hop and the world was missing and, more importantly, completes you, His creation (Isaiah 64:8). So the more important question than ‘what can I do to change the culture’ is ‘whom do you need to trust?’

The Redeemer
Who is Yeshua (Jesus), son of God and Man? Scriptures say, 'Friend of sinners' (Matt 11:19) and forgiver of past prostitutes and thieves (1 Cor 6:9-11). Advocate of rights for all slaves, foreigners, genders (Gal 3:28), widows, sick, oppressed, and fatherless (Isaiah 1:17). Teacher, promoter, and healer (Matt 4:23). Slave to all yet king of everything (Mark 10:44). God that came in human form, born of a virgin to be pure and not cursed (Isaiah 7:14). He lived a good life without wronging anyone and doing everything right (2 Cor 5:21), yet he gave that perfect life up (1 Peter 1:19) to be murdered on the cross by the hidden agendas of politics and religious fundamentalists of the time. But more than that, he turned that evil plot into a good purpose by trading his life for ours; innocent for guilty. This decision provided eternal justice for the wrongs committed against God, big and small, so that all who trust him may enter a place of perfection with God known as heaven. Death on the cross wasn't the end, his body was three days later resurrected to show the defeat of death and he still lives today through the faithful who carry his cause as the church; teaching, healing, taking care of the poor, and spreading the good news! Many religions point the way to true ideas or teach aspects of the truth and the meaning of life. But Jesus said he is the truth, the way, and the life (John 14:6) and that no one comes to God the father but through him. Saying truth is not found in culture, but is more personal. If Jesus' life is the truth, the message of our whole existence is that God loves us enough to die for us so that we can live forever for and with him (John 3:16).

The Purpose Given
It’s time we wake up to the fact that Hip Hop as a whole culture, nation, or society will never match the importance of the individual lives which Jesus redeemed, including yours and mine. It’s the everyday people we meet, the oppressed and poor, the artists and the audience, who have been given the chance to live forever, not the culture. It’s our responsibility to let them know they are loved (Luke 4:18)! We had the roles in reverse; we often felt in order to be significant and relevant, we needed to follow what society and culture dictate. But we weren’t made for Hip Hop, Hip Hop was made for us. Made for us to care for our people, seek truth, express ourselves, enjoy, and even worship with. The problem was that we often replace God’s given position with a rap star or ourselves, and they or we can’t live up to that amount of hype. The action of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is saying we could not save ourselves, and so doing gives us a gift of life now, in living for Him. All we need to do is flip our perspective, walk in faith and acknowledgment of our wrongs (repentance). Salvation is a gift, not by our works (Eph 2:8-90) so we don’t have to stress or worry. It’s the glory of God’s being and not man’s accomplishments that makes life a success. How do you know the worth of something unless someone pays for it (Luke 12:6-7)? God paid with His life, giving up His place and position of comfort to replace our pain and guilt. And when you realize who’s the real owner who paid the price and took the bullet for you, life is valuable and can be used correctly; just bring whatever you have and ask the Father. Instead of hyping up our name, we can now proclaim THE NAME (Isaiah 12:4). Imagine using the arts of graffiti, breaking, emceeing, deejaying, and the rest of Hip Hop culture with a God-commissioned message. Our past lives are not useless, but now truly used (1 Cor 15:58)! Now that’s living, in this world and the next. Hip Hop, whether labeled dead or not, Pop or Underground, rich or poor, guilty and innocent, can be made alive in the hands of the Resurrector by the act of true love: sacrifice.

“And we’re fortunate, found where the fortune lives, got a gift that we could not afford to get,when we do all we can but still miss the mark, change isn’t from habits, it happens in the heart” – Lightheaded “Unconditional”

Christ Jesus: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – John 10:10

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