Who really discipled an entire generation of Black Americans? For decades we’ve blamed politics, poverty, systemic racism, and countless other social factors for the decline of Black culture. While those issues certainly deserve discussion, I believe we’ve overlooked one of the most powerful cultural forces of the last forty years.
Hip hop didn’t simply entertain a generation. It catechized one.
In this episode, I explain what catechesis is, how culture functions as a form of discipleship, and why I believe mainstream hip hop became one of the greatest worldview-shaping institutions in modern Black America.
We’ll also discuss why many churches stopped confronting the culture and instead sought cultural relevance through celebrity relationships—and the devastating consequences that followed.
This isn’t simply about music.
It’s about worldview.
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Here’s my question for you: Do you believe hip hop merely reflected problems already present in Black America, or did it actively shape and normalize them?
Keep the discussion respectful, thoughtful, and grounded in truth. I’m looking forward to reading your perspectives.
April you are absolutely right 💯 now that you have really given a breakdown of what the effects of how play a role in what is happening . I’ve been fatigued for quite sometime now. It’s embarrassing.
I keep saying this and I will continue to say this until my breath runs out. It was not like this! I just wasn't I was born on the year that Hip Hop started (1973) It was about the community and bringing the community together to party and have fun after the elders played their music. But we have to remember soemthing and when we talk about Hip Hop. Hip Hop is true the lyricism, but always remember….It's a culture. Culture is attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, shared by a certain group of people. How is this shared? Through what is called the five elements. Breaking, djing, emceeing, beatmaking and graffiti art, expanded there are actually nine elements but expressed through those five categories of thought. Hip Hop started right as it was going into the crack era. That's when it really exploded but even then the lyricism fought against the poverty and crime with the lyrics. There was a time where Rakim said that there was depression, hatred, a lot of fighting in the black community and Hip Hop came along and started to give a boost of confidence, you saw brothers rhyming and bigging each other up, and made them feel where they were nothing, like saying "Yo man! you got the illest lyrics!" I haven't got time and don't want to waste your time to talk about this but what happened we started to see a check and started to get paid and then the music changed from being something that gave commentary and making you wary of the traps of the urban community to glorifying the same thing that we were fighting against. How does this happen? Let me give you one tip that the devil uses. All he has to do is make what you are rebelling against acceptable to do or think. It's very simple. Women rejected being called Bi– and Ho— but all that was needed was say the word B— means that a woman who is handling her business and a strong independent boss woman and now all women are using the word b— to define themselves. When you are getting paid a certain amount of money and you are going outside of that you won't get paid for saying anything positive.
Let me leave you with a thought from a lyric from KRS One classic song My Philosophy to help you understand. Listen to the lyrics of this…
Who gets weaker? The king or the teacher
It's not about a salary it's all about reality
Teachers teach and do the world good
Kings just rule and most are never understood
If you were to rule or govern a certain industry
All inside this room right now would be in misery
No one would get along nor sing a song
Cause everyone'd be singing for the king, am I wrong?!
The whole point is who is controlling the artist? When you sign that contract, who has creative control? What is selling records? Many artists are selling their talents instead of talking about uplifing the community it's talking about destroying it, but like Nas said at the end of his album Hip Hop is dead "You know who killed Hip Hop…ITS YOU THAT'S LISTENING TO THIS ALBUM! You didn't appreciate it! You didn't honor it! You want to get money, get that money with Hip Hop, but to the rest of us…This Hip Hop is real…" What is our music producing that's the question. May God bless April.
I would say more of Rap music more than Hip-Hop
Unaccontability caused this. I think this was always the case. It's now available online. I dont embrace this culture at all.
I am NOT African American. Im American. This wild culture is NOT part of me
Hip-Hop, Drill Music, Rap Music, Trap Music, EMO music. It's not Hip-Hop it's the sub-genres. Remember the song "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious 5. KRS-1 "My Philosophy". Queen Latifah "U.N.I.T.Y. " You even got Cambatta "King Of The Jungle" 🤔
Amen Sister, stand on that shit!!! We're so cooked!!!!!!!
"In the last days dangerous times will come. For people will be…lovers of self…lovers of money…haters of good."-2 Tim. 3:3. (Amplified Bible)
You'll notice there are no more hip Hop Awards shows 🤷 very telling.
GANGSTA RAP CAUSED IT
If u listen to the music of the 50s n 60's n 70's, compare the lyrics to music today…very different ❤
They are preaching another gospel. It has no power unto salvation. Religious leaders that are thieves and robbers according to Jesus.
What did Jesus wear??? Did he wear, silks, gold, expensive jewellery???? Did he have people bow down to him as a matter of course???? So why are the men on high, who are supposed to be speaking His lessons, His scriptures, representing Him???? Not a go to church christian, but had scripture classes at school as a kid, some of it kinda stuck ❤
If u spend time with ur kids the don't have to create a world from what they hear, they'd be too busy learning how to be human ❤
This should be a PSA.
Q: Do you believe hip hop merely reflected problems already present in Black America, or did it actively shape and normalize them?
A: Yes
I believe that hip hop not only reflected problems in Black America, but it was also birthed out of problems in Black America. Hip Hop was like the forbidden fruit in Genesis. It was palatable and looked delicious, eating it destroys generations. I also grew up during hip hop's origins (I'm 57). I saw how hip hop polarized Black America and looking back at it, I see how it helped destroy the Black community.
Kirk Franklin came out with STOMP. Christian hip hop followed his success. Mary Mary just wanna praise you. Our church was against it at first but Kirk put out a ballad that the choir could sing well and it was over.
I totally agree with all of what you stated. God bless you and best wishes. 😊👍💯
Just why I never listen to rap.
This is one of my favorite videos from you!! I’m careful with hip hop now in my walk with Christ, but this is very eye opening. I just love you, my sister in Christ 🙏🏼❤️
symptom not cause.
music has a psychological and emotional impact and if you keep listening to negative, degrading leitmotifs it will have a hypnotizing effect on you
Facts❤
Im so tired of seeing these yn waering ski mask
The body is an electrical machine and by inserting damaging frequencies combined with lyrics that are violent,the machine becomes poisoned just like some music makes you happy or sad. It has been said allegedly that a meeting of the private prison industry,music industry executives and other demonic 😈 forces(the Man?) to make the music destructive to youth and make massive amounts of money. Now we are seeing the results. The timeline fits.
Obama, Obama, Obama Obama, Obama! Period, full stop!
Hip Hop is the number one genre of music in America!! That's far from Black fatigue
Two Live Crew was a changing point. Women started getting called all sorts of names and the woman danced. I remember thinking, this is not good.
West Coastrap was berthed in violence. N.W.A dropped in 86.
East Coast started degrading women late 80s.
Grew up in it myself. Back in 83 it was good music in the park.
Great job