I didn't view the link but I personally dont have a problem with hiphop. I like the beats, I like the fact that our people and our children are so creative and talented that they can rhyme off the top of their heads. They can tell a story and they lyrics and storyline just flow. Its amazing.
The lyrics in hip hop is something entirely different but you can find offensive lyrics in anything. We need to seperate the content from the genre. I personally don't listen to it a lot or I listen to the radio versions of songs. I tend to monitor my thoughts about things and long ago when I found myself looking at another woman and thinking in my mind "****" I knew there was a problem. I asked myself where that thought came from and I made a conscious decision to limit my exposure to lyrics after that. I personally think that listening to lyrics over and over again affect your mindset and how you relate to others and I was developing a negative attitude about my own people so I knew this had to stop. I used to love eazy-E's voice, but I couldnt take the cussing, it was just to hard on my ears. The funny thing is, a lot of the radio verisons sound better than the explicit ones with all the cussing.
Also you have to know that there are two hiphop elements. True hip hop followers define hip hop as black hip hop and commerical hip hop. Commercial hiphop, with artists like little jon for example, whose music have lyrics with little content or thought, and good beats to make they commercially viable and black hip hop with artists who have truly refined their craft and can spit lyrics with style, rhyme, content, intelligence. Sometimes there is cussing or offensive lyrics, sometimes not. They often complain about artists such as Jayz and Luda whom they say have dumbed down their lyrics for mass appeal and given into pressure from record companies. Record companies also only want to hear sex and violence so artists who would make good music often arent given the chance.
As far as Christian Hip Hop, folx have problems with Hip Hop artists and artists with more modern music like Kirk Franklin which I just dont understand. You have to meet people on their level and if a catchy tune can make someone aware of Jesus or make them listen to a testimony that can change their life whats the problem folx? Jesus got ridiculed for associating with prostitutes and other common folx but he went out to meet them where they were and be with them on a level they could relate to. This debate just seems legalistic to me. When I saw the young boys on Benny Hinn rapping on stage a few years ago and he prayed over them I was in my room jumping up and down clapping. It was powerful and annointed. (Yeah I know some folx dont like Benny Hinn but lets focus people, lol!!)
http://www.angelfire.com/al2/Pray/newsletter_archive/December2001/page1.html
Christians are so quick to doom anything new. Tv. Movies. Music.Internet. All this can be used to bring glory to God and instead of embracing new things, we sit back, condemn it, and then "heathens" take it over and spread filth. THEN we want to sit back and complain and use the results as proof that we were right to begin with. *smh*. Most Christian hip hop artists, truly have a heart for God and a powerful message. They are continuing in their craft even tho Christians, the main ones that preach about being non judgemental, are against them, basically persecuting them and speaking against them on a regular basis. Unfortunately I dont have any artists to recommend. I rarely purchase ANY musics, maybe 5 cds or so in the last 2 years and those were mostly gospel. However I have heard a good sampling of the music, and viewed and read some of their testimonies. Yes I know there is a way that can seem right to a man that in the end leads to destruction, but I personally dont think this is the case here.
As far a secular items in general, life is secular. Even the bible has a love story. That period of time had love songs and songs of celebration and songs about everyday life. God is good, God is Holy, He's also practical and I dont think I'm going to hell because I enjoy listening to will smiths "Summertime". In fact no music or anything else on this earth can make me lose my salvation. You will find some one some where to tell you why you are going to hell for doing everything from working on Sunday, wearing makeup, wearing pants, cutting your hair, and all other kinds of things that will keep you in the very bondage Christ died to free us from. We need to find balance in everything we do. Does what I do affect my quality of life? Yes. Do my actions affect my spiritual relationship with God? They can if I am sinning and out of fellowship. I'm not saying accept any and all things that come your way, we need to discern good from evil and its our responsibility to, but I think we still need to be more open minded and less legalistic and not judge someone who may very well be annointed to bring the message of Christ to the younger generations on a level they can relate to. Personally, I dont think God is powerless. Get them saved first and then God can deal with them and walk them though eliminating from their life what is not pleasing to Him - whether its music, behavior, dress, mindset, character, whatever.
*tossing my 2cents (well ok $1.50) and wondering why Latifahs "Ladies First" and "Latifiahs Had It Up To Here" here is no longer on yahoo launch. Oh well maybe I can find my old cassette.*
I know that it may seem that it is being condemned but, would you agree that teenagers should listen to this type of music? I'm just asking.
I feel that is possible to sing gospel without using those words. IMHO
