So! You’ve not too long ago heard of Christian Rap, and also you’re wanting to listen to extra of it and extra about it. Or possibly you’ve identified about Christian Rap for a while now, however you need to brush up on some particulars. Both method, you’ve come to the appropriate place!
Right here chances are you’ll discover a useful primer to the circles of hip-hop referred to as “Christian Rap,” which for our functions contains hip-hop with a big proportion of Christian listeners. We’ll stroll by means of a really temporary historical past of the subgenre, some distinguished artists to know, and some locations to listen to extra. Learn on, adventurer!
It goes with out saying that this temporary historical past section has no probability of being complete. In case your favourite doesn’t get talked about, my apologies. The best way I see it, Christian Rap historical past might be boiled down to 5 important phases:
The Originals: What if Christians Rapped?
In fact, in some unspecified time in the future, somebody needed to get the ball rolling and be the primary to rap about Jesus and put it on a file. The beginnings of Christian Rap might be discovered within the Eighties with the likes of Stephen Wiley, Michael Peace, and later D-Boy, S.F.C., and others. Sadly, these pioneers usually confronted issue gaining traction. They have been “too churchy” for the world and hip-hop was “too worldly” for the church. This leads me to the following stage of Christian Rap historical past…
DC Speak: Christians Rapping is Cool Now!
Within the late ‘80s, Liberty College college students TobyMac, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max got here collectively to type DC Speak, a band that was lively till the early ’00s. Although the identify DC Speak is extra identified now as a rock band, the trio initially had a hip-hop-leaning pop-rap fusion sound. DC Speak undoubtedly paved the best way for Christian Rap to search out its acceptance with Christian listeners. Earlier than even releasing an album, DC Speak had already offered hundreds of copies of a demo tape (Christian Rhymes to a Rhythm) at Liberty (a personal Christian college).
The truth is, one of many greatest hits of their early years was referred to as “I Luv Rap Music” off their second album Nu Thang. Their third album Free at Final propelled them to mainstream success with its use of sampling and groundbreaking manufacturing.
After the pioneers blazed a path and DC Speak opened the door for an viewers, the stage was set for Christian Rap to develop into the phenomenon it’s in the present day.
The Cross Motion and Different Supergroups
Within the late ‘90s and early 2000s, a number of supergroups related to Christian Rap and underground hip-hop emerged onto the scene. One of the vital distinguished of those was The Cross Motion, a Philadelphia-based group comprised of The Ambassador, The Tonic, Phanatik, T.R.U.-L.I.F.E., Cruz Cordero, Enock, Earthquake, DJ Official, and others. This group was characterised by theologically-focused hip-hop, with the “Christ” in “Christian Rap” the very clear heart of almost each track.
Additionally they based Cross Motion Data, serving to to propel the careers of the following era of Christian Rap (reminiscent of Da’ T.R.U.T.H., FLAME, and Lecrae).
Different important teams from this period embody Deepspace5, Tunnel Rats, and L.A. Symphony. Many members of those teams are nonetheless lively in the present day!
Attain Data: Taking the World by Storm
I hope it’s clear by now that the principle gamers of every stage genuinely are standing on the shoulders of the giants earlier than them. Through the late 2000s and early 2010s, lots of names have been placing out high quality music. Amongst them are Lamp Mode Recordings, Humble Beast, Collision Data, Reflection Music Group, God Over Cash Data, and Illect Recordings.
So far as total impression goes, although, one identify stands out: Attain Data. Not that lengthy after the label was based in 2004 by Ben Washer and Lecrae it appeared like each youth group on the earth was rocking out to Lecrae, Andy Mineo, and Journey Lee, whereas 116/Unashamed was a world phenomenon. Christian Rap noticed its first Grammy and the bar raised for Christian hip-hop excursions throughout this period.
The Current
We’re now residing in the course of an enormous buffet of high quality Christian Rap. Simply take a look at Joshua Galla’s weekly record of CHH releases! There’s no definitive “heart” of the subgenre; fairly, gifted artists are thriving in many alternative lanes.
Attain Data sees continued success whereas including artists like WHATUPRG, Wande, Hulvey, and Limoblaze to its roster. Different labels like Humble Beast, Illect, Wrath and Grace, God Over Cash, and RMG proceed to thrive, whereas indie tribe. is bringing again the supergroup mentality and internet hosting festivals.
Christian Rap OGs like Ambassador, Pettidee, and KnowdaVerbs are releasing comeback albums. Platforms like Trackstarz, God’s Home of Hip Hop, FiveTwenty Collective, and the Kingdom Alternative Awards present necessary infrastructure for Christian Rap artists and followers alike. There’s critically an excessive amount of to even cowl for this introduction, so make sure that to take a look at the Rapzilla Christian Rap playlist and skim on to study some particular names which are price realizing!
Lecrae
Proper off the bat let’s speak about one among Christian Rap’s most influential artists (if not the most influential). If there was a “Mr. Christian Rap,” it may be him. Within the early 2000s, Lecrae was busy co-founding Attain Data, beginning the 116 Clique, and releasing a number of albums with some assist from Cross Motion Data.
2008’s Insurgent and 2010’s Rehab started a run of albums that propelled Lecrae into the general public eye, serving to to show Christian Rap into the phenomenon it’s in the present day. In 2012, Lecrae launched his first Church Garments mixtape totally free on DatPiff, garnering greater than 100,000 downloads in beneath 48 hours. Lecrae’s Gravity, additionally launched in 2012, was the primary Christian Rap album to win a Grammy Award.
Lecrae has launched greater than 10 full-length albums and is thought for his hard-hitting model and willingness to handle powerful matters, whether or not gun violence, religion struggles, melancholy, or hypocrisy within the church.
NF
In the event you stated Michigan rapper NF was essentially the most profitable rapper on this record by the numbers, you’d in all probability be proper. He’s had a number of studio albums go platinum, he toured with Logic, and in 2019 he beat Likelihood the Rapper to the #1 spot on Billboard once they each launched albums in the identical weekend. Born Nathan Feuerstein, NF turned the primary rapper signed to Capitol Christian Music Group (house to artists like Chris Tomlin and The Newsboys) in 2014. He’s identified for his darkish and cinematic model, intense and emotionally-charged lyrics, and all-out music movies.
Though he’d personally classify himself exterior of the style, lots of his followers can’t let him go. There’s additionally the tendency until objectionable materials was made, for everybody to categorise him as a Christian artist as a result of that’s the place he began.
His latest album Hope factors lots to his Christian roots once more, so who is aware of!
nobigdyl.
#AllLowercaseWithAPeriod! nobigdyl. may be a thorn within the aspect for editors and spellcheck, however he’s actually not a reputation to neglect. The Tennessee rapper has made himself noteworthy by constantly placing out high quality content material and elevating these round him to be one of the best they are often. Particularly, dyl. is a founding father of the group indie tribe., one other identify price realizing (take a look at their 2021 album UPPERHAND!). nobigdyl.’s model is easygoing and refreshing, however he’s not afraid to deal with powerful matters like suicide or delight both.
Derek Minor
Subsequent up is Derek Minor, a hard-hitting artist and producer with a knack for the enterprise aspect of the music business. He co-founded Reflection Music Group (or RMG) in 2009 alongside Doc Watson and later RMG Amplify. All-in-all, Derek Minor has performed a important function in serving to dozens of very gifted artists attain a broader viewers–all whereas constantly releasing albums himself. A spotlight is his sequence of 4 albums, Your Soul Should Fly, Excessive Above, The Lure, and the ultimate installment By Any Means, which tragically by no means launched.
Thi’sl
With an unimaginable testimony and buckets of knowledge, every time Thi’sl says one thing it’s a good suggestion to concentrate. Not solely an artist but additionally a label proprietor (Full Trip Music Group), motivational speaker, and writer, Thi’sl has been within the Christian Rap sport for a very long time, showing on the unique 116 Clique compilation album in 2006 and being lively in music lengthy earlier than even that.
Thi’sl’s music is unapologetically for the streets, unapologetically evangelistic, and unapologetically actual, weaving collectively tales of drug dealing, gun violence, and God’s saving grace. Try “Actual Dwell Perpetually” or his album Lovely Monster.
Propaganda
Steeped in each battle rap and slam poetry, Propaganda brings a singular sound to this record. The California artist obtained his begin with the Tunnel Rats earlier than partnering with Humble Beast (a label that can come up a number of extra instances on this piece) to launch a number of albums.
Lyrically, he’s identified for tackling necessary points with a thought-provoking, pull-no-punches method–simply hearken to “Crooked Methods” and also you’ll see what I imply. Propaganda has not too long ago launched a sequence of albums referred to as Terraform which are price a pay attention–although I’d additionally level to 2012’s Glorious as a worthy basic.
Bizzle
“God Over Cash!” That’s the frequent chorus of rapper and entrepreneur Bizzle, in addition to the identify of the label he based. Bizzle began out as a mainstream rapper earlier than being saved in 2008. Since then, he’s dropped mixtapes and studio albums like no person’s enterprise and signed a number of artists, together with Datin, A.I. The Anomaly, and a number of others. Bizzle has at all times been unafraid to talk out in opposition to issues he sees on the earth round him, whether or not that be rap tradition or broadly.
Shai Linne
Shai Linne is without doubt one of the best examples of what he has coined “lyrical theology,” that’s, hip-hop that communicates wealthy religious ideas in an articulate method. His first album, The Solus Christus Mission, was launched in 2005, however the Philadelphia emcee was lively within the area even earlier than that. He hails from Lamp Mode Recordings, a file label that’s house to a number of different lyrical theology-heavy acts, reminiscent of Timothy Brindle, Stephen the Levite, and extra.
In 2017, Shai Linne’s dedication to Christ-centered music led him to make some difficult statements in regards to the state of Christian Hip-Hop on his album Nonetheless Jesus, resulting in some controversy. You’ll be able to learn his follow-up on that right here. Linne’s music is a lyrical tour de pressure (he was as soon as ranked the fourth-best rapper alive) over old-school beats. And it’s as instructional as it’s entertaining; 2014’s Lyrical Theology, Pt. 1: Theology is like an hour-long seminary course and also you’ll love each minute.
KB
“His Glory Alone” is the mantra of Tampa-based rapper KB. The passionate artist launched a number of albums with Attain Data earlier than heading in a brand new path in 2020. His music is normally theologically wealthy, musically high-energy, or (most frequently) each. The 2020 album His Glory Alone represents a few of the better of Christian Rap and pulls inspiration from worship music – for instance, “10k” attracts from Matt Redman’s “10,000 Causes (Bless The Lord).”
KB can be the artist behind the enduringly-popular “Church Clap” and a cohost of the favored podcast Southside Rabbi.
Jackie Hill Perry
The second artist on this record hailing from the mighty mighty Humble Beast, Jackie Hill Perry does all of it. Her two albums (The Artwork of Pleasure and Crescendo) are every masterpieces. On high of that, she’s the writer of a number of books, an acclaimed speaker, a spoken phrase poet, and co-host of the 30 Minutes with the Perrys podcast alongside her husband, Preston Perry.
Her ridiculously spectacular resume isn’t unwarranted, as she brings knowledge and charisma to seemingly all her work, whether or not music or podcasting, or the rest.
Montell Fish
Montell Fish made his entrance on the Christian Rap scene together with his album As We Stroll Into Perpetually in 2016. Through the years he’s fleshed out his sound by experimenting with lo-fi, dwell devices, R&B parts, and extra. What has emerged is a singular model that’s all his personal.
Montell Fish has co-founded his personal label/merch model Lord’s Baby and is thought for his storytelling and his uniquely aesthetic music movies and track visualizers. Camp Lukewarm is a superb place to begin with Fish’s discography.
Though his new path has left the constraints of CHH as a consequence of its content material, we’re nonetheless unclear if Montell is taking part in a personality in a long-term artwork piece.
Andy Mineo
Andy Mineo has been a family identify in Christian Rap for the reason that launch of his debut album, Heroes for Sale, and he hasn’t slowed down since. He’s a frequent collaborator with different Attain Data artists and past and even began his personal artistic collective, Miner League, for artists like Wordsplayed and Willow Stephens. Mineo has proven himself to be proficient at quite a lot of kinds, from the high-energy hype observe “You Can’t Cease Me” to the introspective and trustworthy “Readability.”
Ruslan
The ever-charismatic Ruslan could also be extra well-known as a YouTuber these days, however you shouldn’t sleep on his music. He’s launched greater than 10 albums, whether or not solo or as a part of Dream Junkies (with Beleaf and John Givez) or theBREAX (with Beleaf).
Ruslan has a lightweight however educated west coast model, and similar to his YouTube commentary, he’s by no means afraid to chip in together with his two cents. Ruslan additionally notably based the label Kings Dream Leisure in 2012. His Indie Jones trilogy of albums is price testing and Dream Junkies’ Good Faith is a contemporary basic.
Social Membership Misfits
Rappers Marty and Fern are Social Membership Misfits, and should you couldn’t inform by the phrase “misfits” of their identify, they make a reasonably distinctive duo. The 2 have distinct kinds that you’d count on to conflict, but at all times work wonders once they collaborate. Beginning by releasing free mixtapes within the early 2010s, Social Membership Misfits (initially simply Social Membership) has constructed a cult following by means of their unrelentingly goofy but genuine tone. Try their album Into the Evening, or possibly go all the best way again to 2014 and hearken to “Cops,” a track about police shutting down a pizza social gathering, should you’re feeling slightly chaotic.
Lovely Eulogy
If there’s such a factor as “espresso store rap,” Lovely Eulogy can be a advantageous instance. The group is a trio with a really distinctive model made up of producer Courtland Urbano and rappers Braille and Odd Thomas. Lovely Eulogy songs usually embody distinctive samples, inspiration from hymns, and spectacular lyricism. It’s the proper Sunday Morning spin. Their album Devices of Mercy is a superb place to begin, although all three of their albums are very worthwhile.
There are such a lot of artists, file labels, and so on. which have made the style into what it’s in the present day–too many to depend, not to mention embody right here. This simplified historical past and record of 15 artists is simply a place to begin. Be sure that to tune into the Rapzilla Christian Rap playlist and possibly poke across the Rapzilla website for extra Christian Rap to get accustomed to!
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