Christian Hip Hop Music; A Controversial Musical Approach
Reaching a New Target Audience, Hip Hop Music is Climbing in Profound Numbers
With origins dating back to the late 80's, out of the Bronx in New York City, hip hop music has become the second most requested genre falling a close lead behind classical music. With 30% of all music purchased in the last year, hip hop is, historically, common in and among block parties of New York City.
Especially popular among the 16 to 24 year old age group, hip hop music lends its roots to the West African and African American musical backdrop. Progressing into what is known today as gangsta rap, hip hop music has remained increasingly popular around the world. In the religious sector, the move to incorporate hip hop music, using Christian lyrics, has hit a niche in a new listening audience and is well received by young adults and some religious leaders across the country.
Christian hip hop, as it is commonly known, made its first debut on the scene in the 1990s with many artists utilizing the familiar beats of hip hop while incorporating their own spiritually based lyrics. To add to the complexity of this new style of hip hop, many Christian artists began incorporating rock, techno, reggae and R & B into the unique Christian hip hop sounds.
The move to incorporate Christian Hip Hop into churches across the country has taken on a life form of its own. Evangelical Christians find the acceptance of Christian hip hop, within the praise and worship programs, increases the attendance and involvement of the youth. With lyrics deep in faith and spirit, the number of artists on the scene of Christian hip hop has significantly increased resulting in a whole new line of fan based materials for the young adult and teenage music and religious sectors. This, in combination with the increase in church attendance, has found many religious leaders searching out this new genre of music.
With the positive impact Christian hip hop has provided in the evangelical community, especially to teenagers and young adults, there remains a negative connotation with the term "hip hop". For some evangelical Christian leaders, the fear of being guilty by a sort of gangsta rap association is of constant concern.
For these religious leaders, the balance of appealing to an ever growing congregation demand while remaining true to traditional values, may lead to a complex environment in which to pray and hold services. However, with the diligence of many youth group leaders, in addition to the youth themselves, evangelical Christian leaders find the Christian hip hop music, in moderation, provides an additional avenue in which the young adults of today are provided with more inspiration.
As hip hop of all classes continues to grow, the statistics of 30% sales may well surpass the classical music market within the next several years. With the addition of the Christian hip hop sector, and promotion by religious leaders, the potential growth of hip hop music may very well push this genre into the number one music selection.
Published by Christine Cadena
Education and professional experience in psychology, insurance and health & wellness. Christine provides unique and informative web content in matters related to these same subjects. Content is evergreen i... View profile
- Hip Hop Church Starting in Bradford, Pennsylvania Open Arms Community Church and Grace Lutheran Church are partnering together to start the Remix Hip Hop Church.
-
Going Global with Holy Hip Hop Musician XROSS
Local musician gone global, an online interview with Holy Hip Hop artist XROSS.
-
An Interview with Holy Hip Hop Musician M.A.J.O.R.S
Infectious hooks, head-bobbing beats, and ill lyrics-that's how Holy Hip Hop musician M.A.J.O.R.S. brings it. But he knows it's not just about making people bob their heads; it'...
-
10 Great Christian Rap & Hip Hop Groups
You hear "Christian rap" and you probably automatically think "lame." But there's some good Christian rap groups out there. Here are 10 of them.
- Hip Hop Production 101: The Hook An article breaking down the definition of a hook and how it fits in song structure.
- Mobsters of Light Bring Hip Hop Music and Culture Out of the Darkness
- Hip Hop Music May Have More to it Than Meets the Eye!
- Christian Hip Hop: Can Christianity and Hip-Hop Mix?
- Respecting Women: Hip Hop or Rap?
- Born to Bring It: An Interview with This Holy Hip Hop Musician K-Drama
- Holy Hip Hop Sites
- Hip-Hop Pioneers and the History of Rap Music
|
|
- Christian hip hop music is most popular among 16 to 24 year old church attendees
- Christian hip hop began to proliferate the market in the 1990s
- Second to classical music, hip hop is considered the top marketing genre.
5 Comments
Post a Comment@Amina: I stand corrected. I had never heard of Griots. It stings to be wrong, but it feels good to learn. Thank you :)
@cghearn Oh but, hip hops roots ARE in West Africa. Yes it's roots are also in jazz, blues, funk and original rock and roll, but the idea of hip stems from a group of people in Africa call Griots. They travel from place to play doing poetry and lyricism to a drum beat or musical "stage". The original hip hop was much like that, in fact, it didn't incorportate the melodic and harmonic influences of jazz, funk, etc. but the beat breaks in those music genres. The beat breaks were looped and people would rhyme to them.
@shamontiel: Thank you; that is what I was just going to say.
Also, it's roots aren't in African music. Hip-hop's roots are in jazz, blues, funk and original rock & roll.
I' m not tryina hate, but you should really do more research and update this post.
Where did you get these statistics from? Hip hop is over 25 years old, so there's a whole slew of a hip hop fanbase that is over 24. I find guys in their 30s heavier into hip hop as much as I do a younger age. As far as gangsta rap, that's ONE category in hip hop. You have conscious rap, gangsta rap, mainstream/commercial rap, underground rap, etc.
good post, thanks for sharing this