'Holy hip-hop' challenges Christian tradition but not the message
By ANGELA MACK
Star-News of Wilmington
WILMINGTON, N.C. | Take Back Ministry isn't your average gospel group.
Dressed in fitted caps, jeans and Nikes, the seven members - all younger than 35 - work to save souls. But a lyrical flow meshed with hip-hop beats of bass lines and percussion taps is what they use to bring others to Christ.
Blank stares and folded arms don't stop them from spreading their message in sanctuaries across Wilmington.
Jesus is their hype man. That's enough to get amped about.
"Our words hit people's spirits," said Krystle Marbley, 21, a singer who's known on stage as Krystle Klear.
Some call the music "Christian rap"; others label it "holy hip-hop." Either way you describe it, this new form of gospel music is spreading across the United States, giving young souls something to move to while keeping their spirits right.
"It's a new day in Christ," said rapper Jamelle Grant, 19, who goes by P-Grant.
Gospel rap is . . . . .
Gospel rap is controversial, though; some churches won't even allow it. Grant and other gospel rappers know that many church members, especially older, traditional saints, can't hear past their loud, up-tempo gospel tracks. But hymns like Amazing Grace and Precious Lord aren't keeping young people in the pews.
Besides, Marbley has an answer for those worshippers who don't believe rap belongs in the church. She suggests they turn to the book of Psalm and read the poetry of David.
"Hip-hop is poetry. ... David was a rapper," she said. "This originated from God, so don't be fearful. We are taking back what the devil thought he had. ... People are looking for that message again. Where you think they gonna find it at?"
Carla Allred, 19, a junior at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, first heard Christian rap about five years ago during a church youth event in her hometown of Hickory. She had lost interest in secular rap, which she found distasteful and full of lyrics that disrespected women. Her CD collection needed something new and positive.
Now, she plays Christian rappers like the Grits, LeCrae and D.A. Truth in her car and at home.
"They're really real with it," she said. "They mean what they say and they live what they say."
Allred said youth need to hear the gospel in a way they can understand it. As a church youth leader, she encourages churches to allow young members to express themselves through rap, if that's how they choose to deliver their testimony. "Do not shun rap as this completely horrible thing," she said. "God can take anything and make it his."
That's a testimony Nakia Hamilton, 31, a Take Back Ministry rapper who goes by Crazy Redd, shares with others.
Hamilton's mother introduced him to hip-hop at age 7. He spent years as a secular rapper, opening for rap groups like Outkast and Wu-Tang. But, the writer, producer and performer said doing two to three shows a week and releasing underground albums still made him feel like he wasn't going anywhere.
"I gave up all that I had for Christ," he said. "I got saved. I truly meant it. From then on I just never turned back."
At a July group rehearsal for Wilmington's Freedom Fest, Take Back Ministry turned the Lord's Church on South Fifth Avenue into a high-energy praise party. The group's members raced back and forth in front of the wooden pulpit screaming, "Get live for Christ!" Grant two-stepped to the beat. Jay James, 22, known as Minista Payne, pointed to the sky as he spit his verse.
Take Back Ministry has sometimes showcased its spiritual gifts during Sunday services at Union Missionary Baptist Church. Teresa Huffman, the church's youth pastor, said the first time the group ministered at Union, some older members' body language and facial expressions showed they weren't feeling the music. "It wasn't what they wanted to hear at that time," she said.
The second time the group appeared, they came with a more mellow tune and rapped about how God changed their lives.
"The older folks that Sunday were up and out of their seats," Huffman said. "Some were running around the church."
Now more kids at Union are putting their writing skills to use and coming up with spiritual raps of their own.
"It encourages them that they can still be in the church and have a good time," Huffman said.
But, Christian rap isn't being welcomed by everyone. Linda Thomas, youth choir director at St. Stephen AME Zion Church in Wilmington, said the congregation is open to some contemporary gospel music, but out of respect for pillars of the church, no rap music will be allowed.
"We don't do the rap," said Thomas, who considers herself "old timey."
Thomas said members don't want to stray from St. Stephen's rich history and strong foundation in old Negro spirituals.
Emory Anderson, 22, of Fayetteville, also admits he's not a huge fan of Christian rap.
But he's borrowed some of the genre's fast-paced structure to turn his gift of writing into inspirational spoken word. The Hampton University graduate and son of a now-deceased pastor operates his own Christian publishing and production company called Blessed Witha Gift. He's performed everywhere from Hampton, Va., to Chester, Pa.
He's not looking for the shine, though.
"I'm not even trying to be a celebrity. I'm trying to put this word out there," he said.
He uses his experiences to capture his listeners' attention about topics such as chasing women, homosexuality and lust.
"I'm hitting close to home," he said, adding that some people think Christianity is about being "super sanctified" and failing to provide youth with spiritual lessons they can use in everyday life.
That's why it's important for music such as Christian rap and spoken word to be seen as something more than a beat, Anderson said.
"There needs to be more focus on the lyrics, on the message," he said. "I know there's people out there who are hungry and they need a word."
Chris Sims, 21, a Take Back Ministry rapper and track maker (he creates the beats and melodies for the songs), sees the group expanding its ministry outside of Wilmington.
"We are going to be the group that will take it to the next level," said Sims, who has a day job at Costco. "Somebody gotta pray for 50 Cent. Somebody gotta pray for Ludacris."
Still, even within the Christian music industry, people are skeptical about gospel rap's success. But they still see the genre as a necessary ministry to take Christ to the streets.
"It's really a movement to change the communities that have suffered so long," said Scott Holden, 27, a local Christian music producer and concert promoter. "It's also speaking to the church saying it's time to come out of these walls and see all the trouble that is really going on. Don't ignore it. ... People are dying, literally."
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