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When thinking about the concept of Hip Hop Religion for the first time, it often leads to pure confusion. When I tell my friends I am taking a class called “Hip Hop and Religion,” for example, I consistently get asked questions like, “Are you serious?” and, “What do those two things have anything to do with each other?” To be honest, before this semester I would have been wondering the same thing. After all, as this article points out, most people hear hip hop and think of “excess liquor, flashy jewelry, luxury cars and literal wads of cash,” which are not usually things associated with religion. So, some people may deny that hip hop could never be associated with religion. Or, if it is associated with religion, it must be strictly from Christian hip hop groups like Krosswerds who “[criticize] overtly materialistic artists” and perform only family friendly shows. In other words, people believe that themes of religion are not to be found in commercial rap. 

As this article points out, though, religion actually is found in commercial rap, and it is becoming a bigger and bigger part of the hip hop culture every day. While this article does kind of make the argument that religion can be found in some commercial rap artists like Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West, it argues it in a way that implies religious hip hop is in a different category that all of the songs that mention things like sex, drugs, and money, which I do not think is right. Rather, the majority of commercial and mainstream hip hop songs and artists all have some connection to religion. 

Sex, drugs, and money are not just things that need to be looked over when looking at mainstream hip hop through a religious perspective, either. These themes instead actually play a vital role in developing emotional depth in hip hop music, demonstrating a need for faith that especially resonates with people in the inner city who experience daily “hell,” as Talib Kweli would describe it.  While some Christian rappers might view mainstream rap as materialistic, people in the inner city view rap artist’s exaggerated wealth as extreme hope, which is what allowed for Tupac Shakur to become such a huge role model, and later religious symbol, in hip hop culture. I hope this blog succeeds at demonstrating that even though sometimes it is more obvious than others, the vast majority of mainstream hip hop artists relate to and show themes of religion in some way, shape, or form. Before this class, I never would have believed that, but now even extremely subtle religious themes in hip hop music scream out to me.

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When I first read the title of this article, I could not help but laugh at how ridiculous and narcissistic it sounds for someone to admit to listening to nothing but his own work. After reading the article, though, it became apparent that Lil Wayne does not refuse to listen to other hip hop artists because he thinks their music is inferior, nor does he listen to his own music because he wants to, but because he has to know the words to his own songs for a show. If he could have it the way he wanted, he would not have to listen to any hip hop music at all. The article explains the Lil Wayne refuses to listen to hip hop music because everything that has already been released is officially old hip hop music, and he understands that he can not come up with new, original, and innovative ideas for hip hop music if he listens to what is already out there. He “loves the shift in hip hop sound” and recognizes how important and okay it is for music to evolve over time, which is very similar to the way a large number of people view religion.

On the first day of class, we discussed the definition of demotheology, which is the belief that masses of people have the right to change the character of what their religion looks like. In a direct comparison, Lil Wayne looks hip hop music in the same way demotheology views religion, recognizing the importance of evolving alongside and staying relevant to the masses. This idea of religion being able to change based on what people need to get out of it is extremely important when it comes to the history behind hip hop religion. From the very start, hip hop’s popularity, especially in the inner city, has been centered around the idea of hope: hope of a better life, perhaps outside the ghetto. However, one major thing that would stand in the way of this hope is organized, unchanging religions.

 Growing up in the ghetto puts someone into unimaginable situations, often times stealing away the chance of anyone who lives there to ever be free of sin. In the ghetto, people are often forced to do unimaginable things to make any kind of living, or even sometimes survive. Talib Kwelli’s “Hell” describes perfectly how organized religions in the ghetto lead to “mass confusion looking for absolution.” Kweli describes the importance of how “God skipped past the church and came to [him]” directly, outside of organized religion to give him hope. After all, how are people supposed to focus on going to heaven before they ever escape hell on earth? And how are people ever supposed to better themselves if they are left hopeless, believing that their god will send them to hell for things they had to do to survive? Hip hop plays a huge role in convincing people from the ghetto that not only does God have a place for them in heaven, but He has a special place for them in places like “Hip Hop Heaven” and “Thugz Mansion” described in the very popular songs. The fact is, just like Lil Wayne needs to create new and different music to entertain his audience, religion has to change to give people hope, and hip hop religion has driven those changes.

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In all honesty, when it comes to music, I am mostly oblivious to what I am listening to. Even if I like a song enough to know every single word, I probably still would not be able to name the song if asked, let alone the artist. Also in full disclosure, for pretty much my whole life, whenever someone has asked me what kind of music I like, I have always responded with, “Anything but rap or country.” So, as can be imagined, I am especially unaware of hip hop artists. I did not really know what to expect when I opened this article, as I did not recognize Lizzo’s name or picture at all. I was just scanning it to see if I could find something having to do with hip hop religion, and sure enough, I saw that Lizzo is known for a song called “Good as Hell.” So, with the word hell in the title of one of the songs by the person who now has the top selling female rap album, I had to investigate. The second I played the song, I immediately started singing along to it and realized how oblivious I am. I do not just know the song, but I really, really like the song. Now, I get to analyze it.

“Good as Hell” not only reflects what we have learned in class about the discussion of the afterlife in hip hop music, but it does so in a way that also categorizes Lizzo perfectly into the fly girl archetype for female rappers. When discussing how the afterlife is described in various hip hop songs we have looked at, we came to the conclusion that songs like “Hell” by Talib Kweli and “Hip Hop Heaven” both focus on the here and now, describing heaven and hell as tangible places and experiences in life. In Lizzo’s “Good as Hell,” she describes the miserable feeling right before a breakup as a hell-like experience when  is constantly crying over and fighting in an unhealthy relationship. Then, the chorus of the song goes into all the ways a woman can empower herself to break up with anyone who does not treat her right and still feel good about herself in a hell-like situation, hence the line “Feeling good as hell” and the name of the song. In the fly girl archetype for a female rapper, women are empowered to be confident, independent, and proud of their sexuality. This song constantly repeats the lines,  “Cause if he don’t love you anymore, then walk your fine ass out the door,” directly showing women’s empowerment through the independence it takes to break up with guys and the confidence and pride in their own sexualities to show off their fine asses as they leave the guys in their lives behind, perfectly reflecting the fly girl archetype.

Overall, not only did I discover a hip hop artist that I really like for once, but this article helped me connect this class to reality. This whole time, there has been a hip hop religion song titled “Good as Hell” in the top hits, contributing to Lizzo’s rise above Cardi B in the charts. If there is any evidence of hip hop religion making it into the mainstream, this is it.

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Rap battles are making their way onto Netflix soon in the form of a hip hop competition show that Cardi B organized. There have been countless competition television shows for aspiring singers who want to show off their powerful and beautiful voices, so at first it may be easy to think, “Do we really need another one of these shows?” when first hearing about the upcoming Netflix show Rhythm and Flow. However, hip hop music is a completely different artform from other kinds of music, almost uncomparable in the kind of talent each requires. The difference is all in the title of the shows. To win The Voice, you have to have a great voice. To win Rhythm and Flow, well, you have to have rhythm and flow. It is not about singing at all but the art of hip hop, so there really is a gap that this show will fill. 

There are so many undiscovered, underground rappers out there, as is obvious with the popularity of SoundCloud recently. While underground hip hop really is the foundation of hip hop and many people, such as Parker Edison, enjoy being underground rappers, there are undoubtedly people who would love their chance at going mainstream. Hip hop has always been founded on the idea of hope, and Rhythm and Flow will provide a direct passage for a rapper to move from the underground to mainstream, potentially directly moving someone out of the ghetto and into a better life. This is an opportunity that has not been seen before in hip hop and will likely have an impact on hip hop culture.

The article talks about the process of organizing Rhythm and Flow, and the producers apparently made it a priority “to authentically document the often harsh realities of life that’s rooted in hip-hop and reflected in the music,” which I was actually surprised to read. While hip hop has been growing to one of the most popular music genres in this generation, it does seem like people who follow commercial hip hop have kind of lost touch with the genre’s history. In fact, the average person who listens to mainstream hip hop is probably unaware of the harsh conditions the genre rose from in the first place, which is the reason so many people likely find hip hop offensive. It is also likely the reason so many people find it so hard to believe that hip hop and religion are as closely tied as they are. If this show documents its contestants’ lives and what they went through to get into hip hop successfully, it has the potential to educate millions of people about the roots of hip hop and potentially its connection to religion. 

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Dr. Dre is introduced as an icon in this article. I believe that is a gross understatement. Dr. Dre is a legend in hip hop. A rapper, producer, and later even an entrepreneur. When watching Straight Outta Compton in class, I was absolutely blown away by his success story. There is no doubt that the entire hip hop community looks up to him as an idol. So, it is very sad news for the entire community that he is struggling immensely with Type 2 diabetes and has now lost his eyesight after he got his retinas reattached. Instead of sulking in his misery, though, Dr. Dre did something a true hip hop artist would do. “He felt like he was knocking on death’s door,” but instead of fearing death, he just accepted it as a possibility and turned to faith to keep him going, continuing to be a role model for everyone.

Dr. Dre’s comment about knocking on death’s door is very similar to the themes in Tupac Shakur’s song, “Death Around the Corner.” As Tupac describes how he sees death around the corner, he shows a lack of fear and a great motivation to continue on with life in the lines, “I can’t give up, although I’m hopeless I think my mind’s gone all I can do is get my grind on.” Tupac has a clear belief that fearing death is not necessary. In hip hop culture, the most important thing to do in the face of death is no to fear the afterlife but to live the best life possible for as long as possible, and this is the same thought process I see reflected in Dr. Dre’s interview. He is facing death head on, but after turning to faith, he not only lives on for himself but he started The Dr. Dre V.I.C, a foundation for the visually impaired to help others facing similar health issues.

Beyond just his lack of a fear of death, Dr. Dre also shouts out the late Dick Gregory, thanking him for the blessings knowing him has given him in the “resurgence” of his life. This was a very spiritual statement, and it reflects what we have learned about the importance of honoring those who have passed in the African American culture, as we have really seen emphasized in KRS One’s “Hip Hop Speaks from Heaven,” which shouts out Prince, James Brown, Scott La Rock, Tupac, Marcus Garvey, and others. We constantly read about how artists theoretically feel about death and the afterlife and discuss it in class, but Dr. Dre is a hip hop artist who is actually facing death, and he has proven that a hip hop artist’s attitude about death is not just written in lyrics and forgotten, but actually lived out.

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There are a number of hip hop artists who have very strong beliefs, and Chance the Rapper openly talks about his faith. In the early weeks of this class, we talked a lot about the different definitions of religion. While there were many different technical definitions, the one thing we decided on is that all religions have some form of the golden rule, or treating others how you want to be treated. This is undoubtedly the main teaching in many religions, so it makes sense that Chance the Rapper has been inspired by Jesus to believe that “when you see people who are in need, you don’t just pass them by...do something beneficial to help them before you leave, because that’s your imprint.” Just as he believes, then, he has donated and helped raise over a million dollars for The Public Schools Foundation, giving back to the community.

 Chance the Rapper has religious values, and he follows through with them in a very public manner through philanthropy. What I found very interesting when reading this article, though, is that it tries to make is seem like such a surprise a hip hop artist like Chance the Rapper is a religious philanthropist. The article makes a specific point to mention that the album he was on the Ellen DeGeneres Show promoting “is laced with profanity.” I found this comment very unnecessary, as the only reason I see for the writers to have mentioned it in the way that they did is to get their readers to question how someone who releases explicit albums could be associated with a deeply religious, giving man. The comment just goes to show that, despite how prevalent religion actually is in hip hop, people still view the two subjects as polar opposites, almost as being mutually exclusive entities. 

While seeing how the article went out of its way to mention the article’s explicit content upset me now, I do realize why there is a mental barrier for people to understand how it is possible for a kind, religious man to go home at the end of the day and write and perform such obscene lyrics without hesitating. It is a hard concept to wrap one’s mind around, and I know that because it has taken me all semester to slowly come to understand that hip hop lyrics are just hyperbole, not meant to be taken literally. I still vividly remember the disgust I felt when watching 2 Live Crew’s “Me So Horny” video for the first time, and I suppose that is still how a lot of people feel about all explicit rap music, leading them to disassociate the music and their creators from religion entirely.

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When we first learned that some people still believe Tupac Shakur’s spirit lives on, I thought it was a little extreme, and I did not believe that there were actually so many people who believed it. If anything, I thought it was an old joke about an old conspiracy theory about Tupac never having actually been murdered. That is why I was kind of shocked to have found this article in my search for current events in hip hop. This article is about people freaking out over another man named Tupac Amaru Shakur, exactly,  being arrested in Tennessee. It is clearly  poking fun at the idea of Tupac’s spirit still living on by showing a number of tweets reacting to the arrest, but, while the article was not very serious, it does show just how much of an impact Tupac Shakur left in the world of hip hop. While most conspiracy theories that sound as ridiculous as an artist faking his own death and escaping to Malaysia to write more music would have died down within 23 years, this one has not. People are obsessed with talking about Tupac, and for good reason. Tupac bound hip hop with religion almost single handedly, starting off by writing songs all about his relationship with God, and later ending with him being remembered as a religious figure after his death.

We talked all about how Tupac is a prophet of the inner city, and one of the reasons he is thought to be a prophet is based on the fact that Tupac was given several postmortem honors, including a hologram at Coachella. This overwhelming reaction to this man’s arrest in Tennessee, I believe, is yet another postmortem honor. The arrest reminded a mass number of people of the great Tupac Shakur, and it was taken as an excuse to honor and celebrate Tupac Shakur even more, as a group, over the internet. Dia de Los Muertos is a Mexican holiday dedicated solely to remembering and telling stories about those who have past so their memory will never be forgotten. This is one of the greatest honors someone can be given after they pass, as people continue to live on in memories. Tupac has had such an impact on the inner city community and hip hop culture that when something as silly as a man with the same name getting arrested comes up, people feel the need to remember Tupac, keeping his spirit “alive.”

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“Jesus is King.” I do not think it would be possible for someone to come up with a more religious title for a hip hop album. After building up to this release with a year of Sunday services in the church turning hip hop songs into gospel in what were essentially mini concerts, it is needless to say that this album was going to be a big one. Not just a big one, but a questionable one, especially in the context of religion. Kanye West was raised Christian, and religion has always played a role in his life. Recently, though, he has consumed his life, and now his music, with religion. As this article describes it, the album is “condescendingly religious...drowning in the overwhelming influence of Jesus.” While sometimes it is an effort to find the religion hidden in hip hop, that is not the issue here. The issue here, rather, is how exactly Kanye west got to the point of being this religious and why he decided to release an entire album of gospel music.

According to the article, Kanye claims to have gone through a religious awakening in the past year. As already mentioned, Kanye has been religious since childhood and has released two previous hits, “Ye” and “Jesus Walks” before his religious awakening. So, maybe he has been on this path for a while, even though he was never known as an official Christian rapper before. Regardless, the album is out now, and people are left to interpret it however they wish, though its sermon-like qualities are hard to ignore. We learned about the qualities of prophets and how they are obsessed with God when we discussed Tupac, but Kanye West has shown no other signs of being a prophet, so he really just seems like a celebrity using his fame to try to reach as many people as possible and get them to be obsessed with God as well. Perhaps he is just trying to get people to renew their sense of faith, providing hope to people who need it as hip hop artists have known to do. 

Other than that, I honestly do not know what to make of the release of this album, even with all we have learned in the class. It is almost too blatantly religious to analyze. Either Kanye truly wants to convert as many people as possible through releasing this album, or he wants to make as much money off of this album as possible that he can easily get due to shock value. Or, it is probably just a fair mix of both.