I need to write this to get some pressure off my chest. Actually, this has been a long time coming, since 2004 when a guy by the name of Craig Lewis, who I believe, is the lead pastor of Ex Ministries in Fort Worth, Texas. From 2004 (maybe earlier) to present, dude has been on a rampage against the hip hop culture, even going after Christian artists like Cross Movement and Reach Records. Now, before I get started on my tangent, I'm going to let you know, I do not listen to Christian music and to be quite honest, I don't listen to hip hop music much, either. But when I saw a post from Ex-Ministries concerning the hip hop culture, "Christian rappers", and rap in general, I got a bit heated. Now, I do agree with some of the points he shared. Yes, it is true that God can use any form of art to reach people in this crazy world. Yes, I do believe that the majority of hip hop right now (mainstream of course) is out of control in certain aspects. Yes, we shouldn't look at ourselves as gods (although a lot of Christians do! Due to their belief in the word of faith doctrine). However, I do not believe hip hop is demonic or came from the devil. Okay, so he lists "The Zulu Nation" created hip hop and says it comes from demonic roots. Well, he failed to forget about Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and a lot if unnamed guys who honed/began this art form and different "sect" of world culture sometime within the 1970s (those from NYC, will have more of an accurate time period). The thing that really pissed me off is Lewis' insistent use of demonizing the hip hop culture. This includes speech, dialect, dress, trains of thought, identity, values, beliefs, codes, relationships, and many more aspects of this culture. This also includes the different sects within the hip hop culture, which is mostly split between two categories (and within these categories innummerable categories), underground (independent) and mainstream (industry puppets). Well, this can go for every other culture in our world today from Islam, rock n roll, blues, Christian, atheism, science, sports, politics, you name it. So let me "expose" Craig Lewis' hypocritical bull---- he's been spewing for years and have led much of the younger generation he's indoctrinated to lose who they are and where they are from (as the Revolutionary a With Tattoos says, "creating another generation of coons-people who forget who they are and where they're from"). If the hip hop culture is demonic, then I guess Satan created it, matter of fact, created all cultures and the music found within them. Wrong. The last time I read the bible, it says that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights (it's always been humans who "perverts it" -Phanatik of Corss Movement). To break it down, everything, even some of us a-holes/bigots in the world, are created by God. This includes hip hop. You see, Mr. Lewis fails to forget, it was hip hop from the 80s to the 90s that brought out a lot of topics the church distanced itself from. Teen pregnancy, abortion, rape, the drug game, political corruption, speaking on sex protection (AIDS/HIV), pursuing education, "fighting the powers that be" oppression towards the African American community, "friends", and even enjoying the "summertime." The list goes on. But what was the church doing? Speaking in tongues, passing the offering plates taking away hard earned money from the poor, keeping people in church 7 days a week to keep themselves from "the world", condoning child, sex, spiritual, emotional, and financial abuses/scandals, and it's favorite pastime, condemning the world (Lewis' pedigree). Mr. Lewis and all those riding his jock of his erroneous teachings, I've got two questions for you:
How can you separate rap from hip hip when they are synonymous (the same)?
If you condemn or judge one sect of culture, shouldn't we condemn ALL world cultures?
The last time I've heard, only God can judge, not us, for we have the ability to discern from the good and the bad. Mr. Lewis, stop hating on hip hop, because you're actually hating on other forms of art and life, too. Let me explain:
For hip hop comes from rock n roll, bebop, jazz, blues, country, reggae, and of the grandfather of them all is classical. I wonder what music your music ministry plays in your services, hmmmm, maybe all the musical forms I just mentioned, especially in your worship sessions. Hypocrite. And I can only say that because from time to time, I'm one too. At least I admit it.
I'll admit, hip hop isn't what it should be, but revolution is coming again and those a part of it are going to pick you a part, line by line. As Paul states in Colossians 1:16-17 in Barney style, God will use any and everything for His purpose. I've got couple of NEW TESTAMENT scrips on deck, too about the NEW COVENANT (since you're stuck on the old, as most pimp preachers are....).
Til next time, my friends.....
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