Trailblazin Ministries Blog

Holy Hip-Hop

Prosperity Gospel Hip-Hop

Written by LaRosa Johnson
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Filed under: Faith, Holy Hip-Hop

Somehow, at least to me, these three words don't sit well together. The more I think about it, it burns a fire underneath me and makes me desire to spark a revolution or reformation. I've already taken up enough space on my blog discussing the ills of the prosperity gospel message, but it's really starting to bug me to see it creeping into the holy hip-hop arena. I mean, to be real, it's not like this is anything new; this theology has been around for years and it has been in holy hip-hop just as long as the scene has been around, for the most part. One thing that I'm noticing though is that it is becoming more prominent and becoming accepted as the norm in the scene.

It's not unheard of to hear a Christian emcee spit about being iced out or driving a Cadillac Escalade. It's all the more common to hear songs about getting your "breakthrough" and your "blessing" or the sort. Not to mention the multitude of songs that are starting to pop up aimed at addressing the haters who have something to say about their blessing. With the influx of CDs that I get in the mail for review, along with just some of the random stuff that I happen to check out online, it definitely seems to be a trend that is on the incline and picking up steam as this gospel message gains popularity.

All of that got me thinking, and the main question that came into my head is this: how is this type of "gospel" music any different than their secular counterparts? No, they don't have half-naked women in their videos sippin' on the most expensive alcoholic beverages possible, but the message is still the same, is it not? Get rich and all that you can so that you can be happy in this life. The only difference is the methodology; instead of saying they got it by their hustle or illegal means, they turn it around to say that it was God (which I don't doubt in some cases, so let's be clear on that) and God wants them to be rich, so why not? Different means and ways of saying it, but it's still the same message.

Last time I checked, the Word tells us that we are to lay up our treasures in heavenly places where moths & rust can't ruin them. We're also told that we are aliens to this world and to concern ourselves with heavenly things. We are also constantly warned about having the wrong motives for desiring riches, and so on; which I believe many people have, especially those involved in prosperity theology (as it seems very self-centered and what God can do for me... and I'm not talking out stuff I don't know about, I came from those churches). Since when did that become the gospel? Come to Jesus and get yours?! Nah fam, whatever happened to it being all about God and glorifying His name?

Something needs to change, and I'm not sure where it needs to start. I don't want my fellow holy hip-hop brethren spitting stuff that is no different from what the world is telling their listeners to do. Let's remember what holy hip-hop is: it's hip-hop that is set apart for the glory of the Lord. If that is what holy hip-hop is, then let's do whatever we can to police ourselves and make sure that the music we are putting out and labeling as such is worthy of its name, hence having music that honors the Father, Son, the Holy Spirit, and His Word. I'm off my soap box. Rant over.