[Jesusrox05]

What do you think about rap music? Is it ok for a Christian to listen to it? Should there be Christian rap artists?

[Jason]

Christian Rapt Artists? Are you kidding me? Where would we be without TobyMac? (And his son.. :P )

But seriously, Rap music has a horrible rep.. But so does heavy metal..

Music seems to be a subject like movies.. Really you have two sides. One side feels that Hymns is the only way to go for a Christian.. And I can see their point.. Once you cross to contemporary, you visit other genres of music as well.. I know I did..

The other side says this: We don't all like hymns! Nor can we all be moved by them!

So a Christian not raised in church and who listened to rap (or rock) all their life, a hymn will hardly get them into a praising mood..

Yes, you could say, "But they should listen to the words!!!"

Let me put it to you in this way:

Say you have always been in a church where there was a fast talking, highly animated preacher, and then move to a church with an older Southern Baptist preacher (I'm S.B. so I can say that.. :P ) and all they hear is a drone almost..

It would be of no value to have attended the preaching that day.. They would not have gotten anything out of it because they might have drifted into lala land..

I, personally, can praise God with any type of music. (I personally only listen to Christian) including hymns..

But some newer Christians, or some older who like different music, don't always get what everyone else likes.

[Nerobyrne]

hehe, it's like 2 years later, but I just felt like adding a little thing that I like to point out...

The way music is played doesn't really affect wether it's good or bad, it's the contents and the spirit behind them..

Perfect example, Gospel music is a style in which pretty much all songs are christian worship songs... What if some satanists got it in their head to make a song in the gospel style, but with satanic lyrics? I don't think that would make it christian just cause of the good rep of gospel music.....

So, listen to christian rap music, after all, worship is great, no matter what it sounds like.

[Jon-Marc]

Jesusrox05, on 09 September 2008 - 05:04 PM, said:

What do you think about rap music? Is it ok for a Christian to listen to it? Should there be Christian rap artists?

Rap isn't music in my opinion. Anyone who can talk in rhythm can do rap. It takes no musical talent other than that. As long as you have a pleasant talking voice, a singing voice isn't necessary.

[forgivenWretch]

Jon-Marc, on 04 February 2010 - 03:09 PM, said:

Rap isn't music in my opinion. Anyone who can talk in rhythm can do rap. It takes no musical talent other than that. As long as you have a pleasant talking voice, a singing voice isn't necessary.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc251/jwcpt/AMEN/amenglitter.gif

[Jason]

Jon-Marc, on 04 February 2010 - 05:09 PM, said:

Rap isn't music in my opinion. Anyone who can talk in rhythm can do rap. It takes no musical talent other than that. As long as you have a pleasant talking voice, a singing voice isn't necessary.

I like that Jon-Marc.. :P

and I agree with you somewhat. I think it depends on the rap group though. I listen to two different "rap" groups when I am in need of something to wake me up and those happen to be TobyMac and a group called Group 1 Crew.

TobyMac I like more but Group 1 Crew is more upbeat.. Both do decent on the music side along with the "rap" though I think they might be better described as hip-hop or something because I can still understand them. I usually can't understand those hardcore rap groups :P


EDIT:

LOL at ForgivenWrench, it looks like we posted at about the same time.. :P

[Boyde]

Most rap technically isn't music. Personally, I tend to stay away with rap because 1) I don't like it, 2) I can't understand the words, 3) I really don't like it and 4) a lot of people see it as a gangster style music. Same reasons for heavy metal. Hard rock is a bit too loud for me, so I tend to stay with soft rock. Josh Wilson, Fee, Big Daddy Weave and Casting Crowns are some of my favorites.

[Jon-Marc]

I walked behind a car at Walmart one day and heard Rap blaring so loudly that it was impossible to ignore it. Such people want to force it on those who don't want to hear it.

I heard the MF phrase coming from that car 5 times in the time it took to walk past it, and I used to walk pretty fast.

[TiMeMaSTeR]

There is some pretty awesome Metal songs and music out there. Just to name one group, Skillet's songs are amazing. I have a Christian friend who is into Metal (He has a fro, haha.) and he listens to only to Metal bands if they are Christian.

My personal favourite genre of music is Worship Music, in particular Charlie Hall and even more particular, Vince Gibson.

This post has been edited by TiMeMaSTeR: 06 February 2010 - 04:54 AM

[Jason]

I only listen to soft rap I guess when I listen to it but I wanted to let you guys listen/watch a video with a rap song. (If you want to)

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=RZoSiDDja0Y

Also here are the lyrics if you care not to listen:

Quote

Tedashii - Make War Lyrics

[Intro:] ~John Piper~
I hear so many Christians, murmuring about their imperfections, and their failures, and their addiction, and their shortcomings. And I see so little war! Murmur, murmur, murmur. Why am I this way? Make War!

[Verse 1:]
Bang with me/ba-bang bang, ba-bang with me
No more playing games mane/cause this thang can get risky
So mane if you in Christ/TAKE UP!!/your cross quickly
Stand fearless on the frontline/time to come with it
Do the right thing/WAKE UP!!/and lets get it
I ain't even in the ring/they throwing bows like Riddick
Persistently attacking me/they're even in the back of me
It's either fight or loose my life and I can't take this passively
So what you think I'm bout to do/I'm bout to do what I can do
Trust the ONE who got me through/and fight like it was after school
Never giving up/steady, standing on the battle field
Feet firm to the ground like I stepped on Chappel Hill
Flesh feeling frisky, sin persuades and tempts me/
Satan cheers me on/guilt followed by conviction
It's the same ol' trap/and we fall like we defenseless/
Work your senses/grow in wisdom/stand firm and be relentless/

Hook:
I MAKE WAR!/Cause sin never sleeps/
It's got me in a trance/you can see it in my dreams/
I MAKE WAR!/Man I beat my flesh/
To the death/every breath/like I beat my chest/
I MAKE WAR/sun up/
I MAKE WAR/sun down/
I MAKE WAR/time in/
I MAKE WAR/time out/
I MAKE WAR/against lust/
Against pride/against me/until I die/

[Verse 2:]
Do you even have a clue
What happened to you when He died
When that tomb got rolled when He rose in the sky
I think we emphasis sin so much
That it makes us paralyzed
[ Tedashii Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
And glorify struggle so much
That it makes us terrified
And deemphasize the fact that we have been sterilized from our own lives and thus
We gotta snap out of it
We ain't in no straight-jacket
We free
When Jesus died in our lives something strange happened
He gave us power
Yeah I know that we sinners but since He rose He's renewing the image of God in us
Now, we gotta start making war
Now we can start saying no
To them fleshy impulses that Jesus Christ is paying for
Now we can start taking the lead
Just like the Dalai Lama and start going all out like a suicide bomber
Whatever the sin is we gotta go go go harder
By His grace no time to waste and just just just like there's no tomorrow

[Hook:]

[Verse 3:]
I'm a Christ representer, fin to stand and deliver/
Cause a lot of my believers struggle with their agenda/
So I dropped this on an ADAT/just so you could come play back/
A hit to be encouraged that rocks you with truth from, way back/
So listen up to it ASAP/like you do a Lecrae track/
I'm spittin' written visions to put on heads like a wave cap/
Sinning, nawl we don't play that/cause that's the way that a slave acts/
I'm filled with the Spirit so tell them dog this is pay back/
As you begin to copy the carbon copies of Christ/
And conform to His written image you should be shinning a light/
If you not, why is that?/
Is it fear that's been grippin' you/cause you scared they'll be dissin' you/
Flipping birds while that spit at you/
If you not, why is that?/
it don't matter so bump it/perfect love cast out fear and He ain't save us for nothing/
his is a privilege (privilege)/your life to give to Him (give to Him)/
so stand firm for Him dawg and lets get it in/

[Saint]

I have to agree with Jason on here. I don't really like rap at all, but this last year I heard some christian rap and I found that rap lyrics usually have some of the most deep thoughts in meanings than a lot of contemporary christian artists do.

[Jason]

yup, though granted, it is sometimes harder to catch all the words.. or even any of the words sometimes.

But if something is reaching the lost, we need to try to attempt not to beat it down.

[Saint]

Agreed. I actually got one of my friends hooked on christian rap instead of the secular rap.

[Nerobyrne]

I personally don't like rap music at all, but i'm all for bringing Christ and the good news to those who'd otherwise never hear it.