Topic: The Hip-Hop Thread

[Bogoliubtsy]

Josh, you can be MC Gusto.

When I'm in your neighborhood you better dig a mote.

You're dead mike.

[Schultz]

And you can prove that how? Maybe PhosZoe knows something you don't.

Actually, it's in the hands of the original poster to prove that Mike D is Neil Diamond's son, but I hope this item from the Beastie Boys faq puts this ridiculous assertion to rest.

[SouthSerb99]

Man... AM I SHOCKED TO SEE THIS DISCUSSION HERE!!!! 

More importantly... our beloved ANASTASIOS is infected with the *bacterium* of Hip-Hop and Serbian Turbo Folk! 

Sorry but I'm a OLD SERBIAN NATIONALIST TYPE MUSIC LOVER.... nothing like some Ko to kaze, ko to laze.... 

As for the Hip-Hop... sorry to disappoint... but I love it.  Top 5 of all time..

1.   Dr. Dre  (not because he's the greatest rapper, but when you take his beats + The Chronic + NWA + World Class Wrecking crew) he is just the man.

2.   Tupac

3.    Biggie

4.    Nas

5.    Tie -  Jay Z, Rakim Eminem

Honorable mention....

Whodini, Run DMC, UTFO Crew, Kurtis Blow

To soon to tell

50
The Game
Jadakiss

I still can't believe ANASTASIOS listens to the junk!!! LOL

[Matthew777]

And you can prove that how? Maybe PhosZoe knows something you don't.

"1.12 - Is Dustin Diamond, the dude who plays Screech in that TV show, Saved By The Bell, really Mike D's brother?

Although they look the same and do share the same last name they aren't related. Mike is not related to Neil Diamond either."
http://www.musicfanclubs.org/beastieboys/faq.htm#112

[Matthew777]

1. Dr. Dre (not because he's the greatest rapper, but when you take his beats + The Chronic + NWA + World Class Wrecking crew) he is just the man.

2. Tupac

3. Biggie

4. Nas

5. Tie - Jay Z, Rakim Eminem

Honorable mention....

Whodini, Run DMC, UTFO Crew, Kurtis Blow

To soon to tell

50
The Game
Jadakiss

I still can't believe ANASTASIOS listens to the junk!!! LOL

Do you listen to any underground/progressive/alternative hip-hop?

[SouthSerb99]

M777,

No.  No & No. 

I actually use to listen to a lot of underground stuff when I was much younger (you can't avoid it in NYC), but I really don't anymore.  Pure commercial content only (although you get the odd underground artist if you're buying a mixtape off the streets of Brooklyn).

[PhosZoe]

Actually, it's in the hands of the original poster to prove that Mike D is Neil Diamond's son, but I hope this item from the Beastie Boys faq puts this ridiculous assertion to rest.

Ok I was wrong.  I googled up the same information much later.

[Robert]

Don't forget DMX!

[Schultz]

I'm partial to Dee Dee King, myself.

[Strelets]

Didn't Tupac change his name to Singlepac in his later years?

[Sabbas]

Whatever. We are discussing the artistic merit of such albums. Note that I said it was unfortunate the amount of profanity used, etc. I actually don't really listen to rap music all that much anymore anyway, because I recognize that it can be spiritually dangerous. Your last line--my "response"--is actually quite ridiculous and shows you don't really care what my response would be so I give up and won't be saying anything else.

Anastasios

Anastasios I was actually joking with that last line which is from the song "Dre Day" on the Chronic album which is why I thought you would get the joke.
Thank goodness you do not listen to Chronic album but I still cannot understand what artistic merit that album had.
Sorry if I offended you but I tend to take this seriously because most of the people, usually middle-class or better, who debate the artistic merits of rap music have never lived in poverty and have no idea what it is like. This particularly unnerves because a lot of kids listen to rap and become little monsters. Try walking through any ghetto. There are kids eight and nine years old that already call women 'b**ches and h**s," carry knives in their pockets, and are very violent. Rap music does not help this situation and usually makes it worse.
How can the 'hip-hop lifestyle' be reconciled with Orthodoxy? I really just cannot understand that. The people I knew who were into that sold drugs, drove around drunk and high all afternoon, and were in and out of jail for dumb stuff a lot. How can it be good to promote such a lifestyle.
Anastasios I am interested in your opinion and sorry for the joke.

[Sabbas]

This is exactly what Bible-belt fundamentalists said about jazz, blues and then rock music. This does not stem from the music itself but the racial stereotypes associated with the music.

Matthew no offense but you do not know where I am from or what I was doing in high school. I am not a racist or a bigot. I grew up with people of different races and my best friend is Mexican. I listened to gangsta rap from the time I was eight years old. When the "Chronic" and "Doggystyle" came out I was all over it. Things just got worse after that. By the time I was in high school I was doing dumb stuff everyday. Everytime I was out riding it was gangsta rap that was heard down the block.
If anyone knows what Rap music makes you feell like doing and what it does to your mind I do.
Furthermore I am not a Fundamentalist. I am not looking through Mr.Ed lyrics to find Satanism. When youngmen can think of nothing more then 'gettin' busy' something is wrong.

There is no way the Beastie Boy could ever be "gangsta" Mike D. AKA Michael Diamond is the son of Neil Diamond.

Also, since when is Rancid punk? If the band was born post 1985 it's post punk. The actual scene died long before you were born.

Actually the Beastie Boys album "Check Your Head" was gangsta in a lot of ways. I remember that when my friend and I first heard the album we could not stop laughing at that skit with the guy named Chico. What fools we were.

[Asteriktos]

The most respected group seems to be Niggers With Attitudes (NWA). Either that or Dre, who probably had the largest hand in turning countless thousands of suburban Christian kids into sexed-up, drug-taking, gangster thug-wanna-bes. Anyone who thinks I'm exaggerating probably didn't go to school in a mostly white, suburban or rural, high school in the 1990's.

This thread is enough to make you question why people even participate at discussion fora.

PS. Isn't it a bit hypocritical to sit around talking about NWA when the forum censors the first word in that name (in the singular at least). I get the feeling that Robert is changing that to include the plural as we speak though, so if "I'm a racist" appears in the above post, that will be the reason. Guess it's part of the uniform look the OC.net wants to be famed for You better not mispell a word in a thread title... but hey, we'll insert words about you being a racist all we want if you say w i g g e r or something 

[Robert]

The most respected group seems to be Niggers With Attitudes (NWA). Either that or Dre, who probably had the largest hand in turning countless thousands of suburban Christian kids into sexed-up, drug-taking, gangster thug-wanna-bes. Anyone who thinks I'm exaggerating probably didn't go to school in a mostly white, suburban or rural, high school in the 1990's.

This thread is enough to make you question why people even participate at discussion fora.

PS. Isn't it a bit hypocritical to sit around talking about NWA when the forum censors the first word in that name (in the singular at least). I get the feeling that Robert is changing that to include the plural as we speak though, so if "I'm a racist" appears in the above post, that will be the reason. Guess it's part of the uniform look the OC.net wants to be famed for You better not mispell a word in a thread title... but hey, we'll insert words about you being a racist all we want if you say w i g g e r or something 

HA! It didn't change.

Altho, I'm not for censoring speech, I think another admin added those word filters.

NIGGER

[Anastasios]

Guess it's part of the uniform look the OC.net wants to be famed for  You better not mispell a word in a thread title... but hey, we'll insert words about you being a racist all we want if you say w i g g e r or something

Justin,

You are so fun to talk to sometimes

[SouthSerb99]

C'mon guys, lighten up... not everything in this world is so serious.

I grew up terribly poor, most friends were visible minorities (as a matter of happenstance because of socio-economic reasons), got into a lot of trouble as a kid (the kind that young people often get into) and listened almost exclusively to rap. Never did drugs, never b*tch slapped a h* because I knew the difference between life and entertainment (dare I say "art"). At the end of the day, I had a strong family to give me the realities of right and wrong. Dre's Chronic wasn't going to turn me into a gang banger, heck, it wasn't even enough to make me wear silly baggy pants.

The fact that anyone needs to chastise anyone else for the music they listen to... don't we have better things to do with our time???

PS - I guess about the worst thing I did was become a trial lawyer... but you can hardly blame that on Dre and Tupac.

[Bogoliubtsy]

The most respected group seems to be Niggers With Attitudes (NWA).

Um, I believe that's Niggaz.

[Arystarcus]

How is it that nobody has mentioned Joe Budden?!?!   

Shame on you!

It's because of Fitty cents that he slipped under the radar and nobody paid him any attention.

It's too bad commercialism triumphs over quality!

[Mo the Ethio]

WHAT !!!!!!! NO LOVE FOR ICE -T!!!!!  THE ORIGINAL GANGTER?? 
   Just kiddin.Though ther are a FEW positive , consious artist in the biz today,  I too left behind the rap thing (see St. Moses prior to his convertion) . It stimulates the passions ( for me at least) of lust and hate too much .I also find it to largely offencive to Mother of God and my daughter. I lack the ability to separate the music from life. Now when I wake up I hear, Glory to God, " AS MANY HAVE BEEN BAPTISTED INTO CHRIST.."  instead of " Kill those niggas..blah, blah ,blah.........fuck them bitches..blah, blah, blah,... it may seem harmless, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

                             +++    MOSES

[Mo the Ethio]

umm , dude ..I didn`t write "fool"

[Matthew777]

How can the 'hip-hop lifestyle' be reconciled with Orthodoxy? I really just cannot understand that. The people I knew who were into that sold drugs, drove around drunk and high all afternoon, and were in and out of jail for dumb stuff a lot. How can it be good to promote such a lifestyle.
Anastasios I am interested in your opinion and sorry for the joke.

There is a huge difference between the "gangster lifestyle" and good hip-hop. Most of the hip-hop music that I listen to does not involve gangster themes. Listen to some Grits for some Christian hip-hop.

[Sabbas]

Thanks for backing me up Paradosis and I do remember seeing a lot of rich white kids acting gangsta back when Snoop Dogg was in. Of course we all thought they looked like idiots whenever we would see them driving by in expensive cars with their stereos blaring. It makes me wonder what on earth was going on in their minds and how they could possibly relate to any of the lyrics. I don't think too many rich kids have to worry about getting beatin up for walking around at night.

WHAT !!!!!!! NO LOVE FOR ICE -T!!!!! THE ORIGINAL GANGTER??
 Just kiddin.Though ther are a FEW positive , consious artist in the biz today, I too left behind the rap thing (see St. Moses prior to his convertion) . It stimulates the passions ( for me at least) of lust and hate too much .I also find it to largely offencive to Mother of God and my daughter. I lack the ability to separate the music from life. Now when I wake up I hear, Glory to God, " AS MANY HAVE BEEN BAPTISTED INTO CHRIST.." instead of " Kill those niggas..blah, blah ,blah.........fool them bitches..blah, blah, blah,... it may seem harmless, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

 +++ MOSES

Thank You for that comment Moses. It is good to know someone else gets it.

There is a huge difference between the "gangster lifestyle" and good hip-hop. Most of the hip-hop music that I listen to does not involve gangster themes. Listen to some Grits for some Christian hip-hop.

I hear this a lot and I do agree that you are right about this but still you hear enough innocuous hip-hop you may end up liking gangsta rap because of the similarity of beats. Even though I know it is really harmless in many ways and probably wouldn't inspire anyone to do bad things it is still exciting the passions and should not be listened to constantly. Whenever someone gets the point of listening to five hours a day of any kind of popular music something is a little screwy.

Once again I am not a fundamentalist but I think that it is better not to listen to rap music, or any contemporary popular music for that matter, because it excites the passions particularly when listened to often.

The only reason I commented at all was when I started seeing albums like the "Chronic" being discussed like that is the kind of music a Christian listens to.

[Matthew777]

Thanks for backing me up Paradosis and I do remember seeing a lot of rich white kids acting gangsta back when Snoop Dogg was in. Of course we all thought they looked like idiots whenever we would see them driving by in expensive cars with their stereos blaring. It makes me wonder what on earth was going on in their minds and how they could possibly relate to any of the lyrics. I don't think too many rich kids have to worry about getting beatin up for walking around at night.

As for how contemporary music excites the passions, so will riding in an roller coaster, holding a girl's hand, or almost anything worth enjoying. Listening to Mozart excites the passions. Being an Orthodox Christian does not mean having to live in a cave. 

[Mor Ephrem]

As for the Hip-Hop... sorry to disappoint... but I love it. Top 5 of all time..

1. Dr. Dre (not because he's the greatest rapper, but when you take his beats + The Chronic + NWA + World Class Wrecking crew) he is just the man.

2. Tupac

3. Biggie

4. Nas

5. Tie - Jay Z, Rakim Eminem

I agree with 1, 2, and 4 (not in any order), but can't really say about the others.  I'm not partial to Biggie, and Jay-Z is sometimes good, sometimes not so good.  I don't have a top five list, but I'd add NWA and Snoop.

Anyone ever listen to Tony Touch?   

[Mo the Ethio]

Did anybody mention Slick Rick?
   Matthew: Lighten up dude. I am not suggesting that we live in caves . We are not monks on Athos. And truth be known, I still own that first N.W.A. album ( yes , album ..it was that long ago ) and I bought that first fifty cent CD. I have never heard of Christian rap but as I have already stated , I know that not all rap is gangster related. But the majority of it today IS gangster themed . It`s your thing, do what you gotta do . And the things that I now say come from first hand experience ( convert with a "questionable" past...me ) just be careful,brother, because the words and the music WILL influence your thoughts , your heart , and your soul.

[Matthew777]

just be careful,brother, because the words and the music WILL influence your thoughts , your heart , and your soul.

I listen to the Beastie Boys, who are essentially a comedy-rap group, I listen to Christian hip-hop groups who focus on Christ-centered themes, and the Roots who rap  about political/racial issues.

[Sabbas]

As for how contemporary music excites the passions, so will riding in an roller coaster, holding a girl's hand, or almost anything worth enjoying. Listening to Mozart excites the passions. Being an Orthodox Christian does not mean having to live in a cave.

Good Joke! I have considered seeing that movie. Maybe I will this summer if I am not busy. There was another semi-serious movie called "White Boys" that my brother saw. He said it was funny but also very accurate about wiggers . . . or is it wiggaz?

But seriously I have had girlfriends, gone on roller coasters, and I probably listen to Wagner and Debussy a little too much. Being an Orthodox Christian should at least mean moderation. All I am saying is that there is better music out there. I can talk about the 'shivery heights' of "Tristan und Isolde" but I certainly cannot say that about Ski lo or Cypress Hill. I am not saying you should live in a cave but that as Orthodox Christians we should be careful of wasting our time in worldly pursuits whether it is rap music or classical. I remember that St.John of Kronstadt used to criticize the nobility for spending too much time at plays and operas.
I admit that I am definitely far from the ideal and probably enjoy eating dinner and drinking beer with my friends too much but still I am just reiterating what I have been told and read. I have no reason to question the wisdom of the Fathers.

I listen to the Beastie Boys, who are essentially a comedy-rap group, I listen to Christian hip-hop groups who focus on Christ-centered themes, and the Roots who rap about political/racial issues.

I have only heard one rap song with Christ centered themes. Somehow it didn't seem like rap. I think I have heard the Roots a few times but I cannot remember what political persuasion they were. As for the Beastie Boys being comedians, I would say that is true now and in the beginning but not always.

And the things that I now say come from first hand experience ( convert with a "questionable" past...me ) just be careful,brother, because the words and the music WILL influence your thoughts , your heart , and your soul.

Good advice!

[Matthew777]

I have no reason to question the wisdom of the Fathers.

Oh, yes. I believe it was Augustine who once stated, "The good Christian should beware the hip-hop artist and all those who bust rhymes and scratch turntables. The danger already exists that the rappers have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of hell."

 
                                                     

[SouthSerb99]

I agree with all yall (ATL influence) and hip-hop shouldn't be the central part of anyones life (but I think you can say the same about listening to Barry Manilow to).

Like I said earlier, I think it is entirely personal.  I grew up on the stuff, but never let it influence my life.  In fact, I always got a kick out of the kids (especially the white ones) that dressed the part.  Inevitably, you have a "hip-hop" discussion with one of them and find out there knowledge of hip-hop goes back about 4 years.

Truth is, I liked hip-hop before it became "popular" and "trendy" to like it.  I liked it, when everyone was listening to Rock.  Back in the early eighties, I even got called "Disco-Boy" for liking hip-hop (it shows you how well versed the "rockers" were in hip hop). 

In the end, I can appreciate some of the concerns some have.  It just wasn't that way for me.

Mo,

Slick Rick... a legend... can't believe I left him off my list (Children's story is one of my all time fav's).

Mor Ephrem,

To me NWA is better recognzied as "pioneers" of gangsta rap, rather than great music.  I think Dre really found his grove after he left (although I suppose I can see that there is an argument that his best work was done with NWA).

About Snoop.... I feel like I only like his "Dre Produced" stuff.  Even now with Pharrel, I just don't love his stuff.  When he came out on The Chronic, I thought he might be the best ever, but the whole Master P, No Limit debacle really brought him down, IMHO.

[Sabbas]

Oh, yes. I believe it was Augustine who once stated, "The good Christian should beware the hip-hop artist and all those who bust rhymes and scratch turntables. The danger already exists that the rappers have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of hell."

 
 

Good joke. But seriously, I know that St.Augustine did comment on music at one point but I cannot remember what work. I already mentioned St.Nikodemos the Hagiorite. His work that I am thinking of in particular is Spiritual Counsels. Read the chapter on the sense of hearing.

I agree with all yall (ATL influence) and hip-hop shouldn't be the central part of anyones life (but I think you can say the same about listening to Barry Manilow to).

Like I said earlier, I think it is entirely personal. I grew up on the stuff, but never let it influence my life. In fact, I always got a kick out of the kids (especially the white ones) that dressed the part. Inevitably, you have a "hip-hop" discussion with one of them and find out there knowledge of hip-hop goes back about 4 years.

Truth is, I liked hip-hop before it became "popular" and "trendy" to like it. I liked it, when everyone was listening to Rock. Back in the early eighties, I even got called "Disco-Boy" for liking hip-hop (it shows you how well versed the "rockers" were in hip hop).

In the end, I can appreciate some of the concerns some have. It just wasn't that way for me.

I am glad to hear it was not that way for you. I think a big part of it might have been because you started listening to rap before it turned gangsta. Though I am not sure when exactly the gangsta thing can be said to have started. 1988? NWA was hardcore but one of its lyrics in "Express yourself," I think that was the title of the song, goes, " . . . never smoke weed or ses 'cause it only give a brother brain damage . . . " which was actually sung by Dr.Dre who later named his first album The Chronic! That never fails to surprise people who think they know rap history. I suppose the release of the "Chronic" and "Doggystyle" marks where I place the beginning of the gangsta thing or at least the point when it became 'mainstream.' But the really gangsta stuff, seriously talks about selling drugs and killing people for fun, never really became mainstream. I am talking about guys like Brother Lynch and Dayton Avenue. For instance the chorus of one of Dayton Avenue's songs is, "Runnin in runnin out taking cocaine out ya house." I cannot see that being played on MTV.

[SouthSerb99]

Sabbas,

    I agree with what you say... I think a big part of it is also that I wasn't raised a "knucklehead"... meaning I knew the difference between right and wrong.

    I also think guys like Dre, Diddy, Russel Simmons etc.. are business men more than anything else.  In ways they exploit the weakness of society to benefit their personal bank accounts.

    Think about it with Dre and Eminem.  Dre plucks this white kid out of Detroit (or surrounding areas), knows he's going to be ultra offensive, he's got rapping skills and he knows suburban white America is going to buy his records (big time).

     Eminem was to Dr. Dre, what the Happy Meal use to be to McDonald's.  Too much of either is not very good for you, but they certainly put a lot of money is their bosses bank accounts.

     I also had an opportunity to represent Rush Communications (parent of Def Jam) in a legal matter.  I had an opportunity to meet and speak with Russel Simmons and his CFO.  What was most amazing about Russel is that he may be a corporate gangster, but he is not a street gangster.  My impression is that these guys are ALL about making the green, if that means exploitation, they'll do it... but that is another story.

[Matthew777]

Sweet...

The Grits
Lyrics - They All Fall Down

*coffee*
Blood curdling truth
Working the word in as proof
Besides mine the guidlines of righteous paths taken
Tremendous speaking, fresh out the kitchen
And never switching from the homegrown
Hole it down like the ozone
This is for the playa playa
Make ya holla holla
The kid with no morals
Sell his mama for a dollar
They all fall down
They all fall down
They all fall down
They all fall
I've compiled this alongside with bone
So you can file this under for the opposing a nihilist
Doubt what you know nothing about reactionary
Belief in the scripture's fulfillment are contrary
To popular belief
Hellbound in a basket
Sucking on their teeth
Wound up in a casket
At close, you froze
Already chose the doors you go trough
The life you chose to lead
Determines the place you go to

*hook*
To the naked, untrained eye
Who can't see time fly by
Revolving on a carousel
Living life like a modern day fairytale...
Slow mo', urgent message gets a no-go
What fo'
Can't nobody tell you
Everything is lovey dovey
Till your plans fall through...
They all fall down -x3-
They all fall

*coffee*
Lay it down flat
The ins and outs of this business
Oral with my morals
Things i say seem pretentious
Show change
I ain't deranged
To be looked upon strange
Like the dames in the verbs joint (shoot, we the factors)
You ain't know neah
Rally all my troops in GI Joe gear
Arsenals and weapons abundant
Stop me if I sound redundant

*bonafide*
Sound redundant
Man please appease me
Repeat yourself
Most folks scared of the truth
Living lies
Fooling themselves and everyone surrounding
Deception of perception blind
To what self did deep down
Deep down beyond the black hole
of the soul in control

*hook*
They all fall -x2-

*bonafide*
I was surrounded by the darkness
Of the hearts of mens
Plots for spots to roll rovers
Controlling blocks and lots on top
Where I was charted to be
But failing to see truth
Behind the lies of eyes
Handling G's
They squeeze until my soul was unloaded
Holding to nothing
But folded bills
Concealed like weapons looking to kill
My mind filled
With thrills and pleasures
Life could offer
Walked amongst the dead
Laid to rest in a coffin
Nocturnal destiny
Leading to my eternity
Hourly concerning me
Yet I wasn't yearned
To be all of what
His calling said to be
And bred to be
Actually I thought it was all about me
Took for granted what was handed by the unseen
Invested all my time and effort
Building C
Appealing to my desires
And lustful feelings
Thinking I could make it by the grace of God
Straight disgrace the face of God

*hook*
They all fall -x2-

[cizinec]

Well, having read this stuff I'm happy to say I never liked hip-hop. Where I come from the poor kids listened to George Jones and Willie Nelson. I thought punk was bad. Right now I'm listening to The Toasters. No worries about drug references or other weird stuff. There are some references to fighting, I suppose.

Sabbas,

Wagner? Man, it may as well be hip-hop or punk. As Latin as it is, I've been finding myself listening to Palestrina, Desprez and Tallis lately. I have no idea why. If you want something really fantastic, try "Morimur" with the Hilliard Ensemble and Christoph Poppen on baroque violin. http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Performers/Hilliard-Morimur.htm

It's a little controversial, and I know it's Bach, but I find it hard to beat. I don't mind the recording technique as being "new agey" because I think they capture the essence of the sound.

[SouthSerb99]

I'm still trying to figure out which is more violent.... Hip-Hop are Serbian War Songs! lol 

[Nacho]

I listen to rap once in awhile but I'm a bit suprised so many hear like it that much. How hard can it be to compose a few beats? I think the lyrics and getting the timing down is probably the hardest, but come on I wouldn't even compare these groups to real artist that play real instruments.

[Matthew777]

I think the lyrics and getting the timing down is probably the hardest, but come on I wouldn't even compare these groups to real artist that play real instruments.

The Roots, Jurassic 5 and the Beastie Boys make their own beats and play their own instruments.

[EkhristosAnesti]

Matthew,

Grits are okay, but Christianity or Christian related concepts aren’t exactly the central themes of their songs, they just have the odd couple of references every now and then.

If you want to listen to some serious Christian hip-hop I suggest you check out Cross Movement. Here are some of their lyrics:

From "Closer to you":

God, I say you’re the greatest light of my life
Your cross, the greatest sight of my life
When I believed, the greatest night of my life
Since then it’s the fight of my life, to get at You

...

GǪ‘cause I’m a model of the man
who be following the plan
But like the hood be saying,
“Yo, holla at your man!”
You say, “holla at your God,”
and read the love letter I inspired,
You’re never satisfied until you’re wit me
And it gets me:
I study with zeal and with energy,
on a mission to affect the industry
mature in the faith, and I’m active in the ministry,
All that, and I can still hear you saying to me

Hook:
I wanna be closer to you
I wanna be to be your heart’s desire
I want to be #1
even though you play Me shy

I wanna be closer to you
I wanna be all you need
So won’t you give Me a try
and watch Me change your life

Goodness gracious, Lord. Anybody in the hood ever taste this before?
Ever been chased by the Lord? Embraced by the warmth of the Son
then end up with their face to the floor?
I love what you cooked up to make me look up
Said I could pick your brain if I picked your book up
And ever since the day you and I hooked up
Life has been super-fly like Jimmy Snuka
But I know you want more than Sundays more than clich+¬s
What you want is for me to obey
And if I can’t give that then I can’t give jack
You don’t want just my hands without my heart attached

Without a heart to match, my lip service is dead as artifacts
though I call it worship
And with no ring on my hands and as a single young man
there’s more to give and I can still hear you saying to me

From "What do you see":

Concentrate, your mind should stay in study mode
Tell your buddies, “roll” as you contemplate the bloody robe
Which was worn by the One beaten and torn
Killed by the same dust people He’d formed
But He emptied Himself---paused the wealth
Put independent use of His attributes on the shelf
Loving men who weren’t loving Him but were loving sin
Loving gin, lovin’ a night at the club again ...

...But back to the ugliest things you’ve ever heard of
The murder of the One who took more flack than Roberta
They came in droves the enemy had His veins exposed
they played a game where they claimed His robe
...Only Providence helped Him sustain the blows
Are you seeing the One who owns it all?
The King getting beaten in the Roman halls
Headed for a Roman cross, and heaven is His home and all
But He wouldn’t give His home a call
Soon to dislocate His bones and all
And still wouldn’t wish for His opponents fall

GǪGǪ

No time to blink, but just continue to think of Scripture
Let it convict ya, focus get in to picture
Watch it blow you square off the rector
As it teaches you of the real Victor
Who prevails, you hear the crucifixion details
Now ask yourself why’s your life still derailed
And why we fail to live for the One we nailed
This same Jesus, you know the One we Hail
With lips but not with lives
Time see with the heart and not with our eyes

Peace.

[idontlikenames]

dude....the modern gangsta-rap and post-gangsta-rap industry are tools of the elitist/white/Freemasonic/Disney moguls to perpetuate stereotypes about African-Americans....and unfortunately, America's youth has swallowed it hook-line-and-sinker.....What ever happened to real rap groups who tell it like it is, like Public Enemy or Boogie Down Productions?

[Matthew777]

Matthew,

Grits are okay, but Christianity or Christian related concepts aren’t exactly the central themes of their songs, they just have the odd couple of references every now and then.

I own Grammatical Revolution and I would have to disagree. Their lyrics are definitely Christ-inspired, though the deaper meaning is sometimes implied rather than directly stated. Sometimes, that actually halps the message to get across better.

[Nacho]

Hmmm........Christian themed rap? I have heard the Gospel Gangsta's are pretty good. Might want to check them out. Also, another awesome Christian band is Spoken....I highly recommend their 2nd album which is there self titled album. They sound just like Rage Against The Machine I kid you not. There is not one bad song on that album.

[Matthew777]

Speaking of Christian rap... What about TOBY MAC?!!!

[PhosZoe]

dude....the modern gangsta-rap and post-gangsta-rap industry are tools of the elitist/white/Freemasonic/Disney moguls to perpetuate stereotypes about African-Americans....and unfortunately, America's youth has swallowed it hook-line-and-sinker.....What ever happened to real rap groups who tell it like it is, like Public Enemy or Boogie Down Productions?

Ditto that.

[mango]

boys - can't deal with the 'dude' stuff up there- so american

anyway, if you wanna now what the real gangsters, the ones locked up in prisons listen to, then its gotta be Nas and Roots
just to let you know

Personally I am stil hocked on De la Soul, and hey, what about the French Stuff?! Its beautifull how the language flows while the beats pump, and now problems with bad language, since at least I cant understand it!
But in terms of text, if there are any german speakers out there, check 'Tag am Meer' by the unforgettable Fantastischen Vier!

Christian rap, I don't know man. If I wanna hear hymns there is nothing, not in text nor melody that can compete with it, and if I wanna hear hip hop, then thats something completly different! Two worlds appoart.

Safe.  

[Mo the Ethio]

MANGO......WOA, DUDE ...THANKS FOR HIPPING US HERE IN AMERICA TO WHAT IS POLITICALLY "GANSTER RAP" CORRECT

[Matthew777]

Two worlds appoart.

I would beg to differ. Check out Furthermore, now that is good stuff:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-/209222/ref=m_art_dp/104-7458664-6955159