Holy Hip-Hop for the People, by the People

EMI Gospel released Holy Hip-Hop, Vol. 6: Street Gospel 101: Taking the Gospel to the Streets, on Tuesday. This compilation features artists chosen by the holy hip-hop community via the Internet back in June from a group of 75. It is billed as the only album of its kind with selections coming from "the global community, seeking diverse, quality music tracks."

DJ Device, of RhythmandGospel.net was the producer on this project. Featured artists are K-Love, Chosen, Jesus or Bust, Blessed, Verbal Contact, Fresh Mann, Daril, JCS, N'aeem, TwinSaintz, Shamel Shiloh, and Tru-in-Deed.

Christlike Entertainment Roundup, Pt. 2

More info. on the Nov. 6 release of The Blackout (including early purchase opportunities) and the album release party, on Oct. 31:

Additionally, take a sneak peek of some Blackout songs here. 

And lastly, the Andale White Flag Mixtape was pushed back until next year, but CLE promises more heat from him in the meantime.

Go Phillies!!!

[pic from New York Times--Philly news pics were a bit too big to fit the posting space. : (] 

Going off on a tangent...Our Phils just won the World Series! If you're familiar with the Philly area, you may know of the mythical sports "curse" (when the statue of Benjamin Franklin on City Hall ceased to be the tallest object in the skyline, in 1987). Looks like it's a wrap for all that! 

Reach Records: Lecrae's Rebel Saves a Life

Reach Records recently sent out a press release recounting the testimony of someone who listened to Lecrae's acclaimed album, Rebel, and decided to give his life another chance. The communication appears below in its entirety:

Hey Lecrae,

I dont know if you check this or not. But I just heard your new album front to back. Im not gonna lie to you. Im kinda drunk right now. Ive been battling with the existence of God, and with trying to fill my life with things of this world and they werent getting the job done that I wanted them too. So I began to give up. I had thoughts of Suicide. I didnt want to be alive.

I started drinking after a year break from it. Tonight or soon to come was the time I was gonna end me. I guess I hadnt done it yet because I had a gut feeling that there is something missing that I havent tried yet to fill me with. 

I heard 'Indwelling Sin' and it saved me. It straight up saved my life. I heard the song as you having a conversation with Sin. I dont know if thats how you wrote it. But after hearing you shut down sin in that song, and rebelling against it, gave me a spark of hope. I felt dirty all over, like I was covered in mud. I got in the shower (but you cant wash off alcohol sadly enough) and for the 40 min I was in there I just let the water hit me as I thought. And I found a comfort place in my heart to make the decisions I need to to be happy and live a better full life.

Thank you again bro....You are a savior to me....but you have helped me get one step closer to opening up to the true savior...again. 

Much love

God is truly moving!!! Don't keep this inspirational album to yourself. Share it out with your friends who don't know or don't listen to holy hip-hop. 

Holy Hip-Hop Hits the Airwaves!

First the secular charts with Lecrae, now the airspace on the regular! Illspot.net reports that DJ Wade-O is getting a syndicated show, in the New York City/New Jersey metropolitan area, "The Wade-O Radio Show." It starts on Saturday, Nov. 1, on WRDR The Bridge. 

According to Illspot, Wade-O's show could reach 6.5 million ears in the broadcast area, not to mention folks listening in online, at www.bridgefm.org. The Bridge, a Christian radio station, focuses on Bible study and worship music.

The show will air from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays, promising "news, commentary and giveaways, without the drama," according to a message on Wade-O's MySpace page. Sounds like guests also will pop up from time to time. 

Congrats to DJ Wade-O! If you're in that neck of the woods, here are the frequencies where you can hear the show:

• 103.1 FM: NYC/Northern NJ
  
• 89.7 FM: Monmouth/Ocean Counties, NJ
  
• 99.7 FM: Sullivan County, NY
  
• 94.3 FM: Pomona, NY
  
• 98.9 FM: Poughkeepsie, NY
  

In the meantime, Wade-O's latest MySpace broadcast, Episode 80, is up. It discusses recently announced Stellar Awards nominees, saying that Da' T.R.U.T.H. will be performing during the ceremony (that interview will air in a couple of weeks, Wade-O says). Wade-O also weighs in on secular rapper David Banner's appearance on the new Mary Mary album, The Sound, and allows Cy to speak on the T-Pain "swagger jacker" situation. 

Sphere of Hip-Hop Fund Drive

I saw on Dturn's blog that Sphere of Hip-Hop is having a fund drive to enable them to keep doing what they do extremely well.

I was impressed to find out on Sphere's site that they have donated thousands upon thousands of CDs and volunteered loads of time to organizations that reach out to hip-hop heads. "We really need your support to not only maintain what is happening with Sphere of Hip-Hop but to also continue these other projects. A little financial help goes a long way."

To donate, visit here. While you're in the neighborhood, check out the Sphere store and available podcast.

Interesting Post: Where Do You Hide God?

Saw this on GODSurfer. Nathan, writer for the blog Living Kingdom, asks us to consider whether we are being forthcoming about being followers of Christ and, if not, why we think this is:

"Why do a lot of Christians hide in the shadows? I do believe that we need to be cautious because we don't want to turn people away from us by being loud and obnoxious in our faith. We don't want to be condemning of other peoples lifestyles or choices. God loves all of us no matter where we're at on the journey to eternity. Here's the thing, if there are other Christians that work in my office, I don't know them for being believers; just as they don't know me as being a believer. Like I said earlier, I don't deny my Christ directly; however I do deny him through omission; and to quote my wife, "a lie by omission is still a lie." When the subject of church or religion comes up I may say something cliche but then I quickly and uncomfortably change the subject. It seems ok for me to admit that I go to church but anything beyond that is taboo." (Check out his blog for the rest of the article.)

This is good food for thought. I can say for myself that I'm typically an introverted person and don't share much about myself willingly, so going into great detail about my faith, solicited or not, would feel awkward. I am, at something less than a snail's pace, shedding some of the shyness I have by adhering to "let go and let God," but there's still work to be done. Is something holding you back, too? Take a moment to consider what it would take for you to come out of the shadows for Jesus. And let's pray that we can become as bold as God needs us to be.

2009 Stellar Award Nominations Announced

I saw on Gospelflava.com (official media sponsors of the event) that the nominees were announced today in Nashville. The Stellar Awards recognizes and honors African American gospel artists and is produced by Chicago-based Central City Productions, Inc.

On the urban front, nominees for Rap/Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year are:

• Da' T.R.U.T.H.: Open Book
  
• Flame: Our World Redeemed
  
• Frontlynaz: Game Over
  
• Sho Baraka: Turn My Life Up
  
• Trip Lee: 20/20
  

Urban/Inspirational Single/Performance of the Year nominees are:

• Canton Jones: "My Day"
  
• CeCe Winans: "Waging War"
  
• Deitrick Haddon feat. Ruben Studdard and Mary Mary: "Love Him Like I Do"
  
• Jonathan Nelson feat. Purpose: "My Name Is Victory"
  
• Kirk Franklin: "Declaration (This Is It)"

This year's awards show will take place on Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Grand Ole Opry House, in Nashville, according to the Stellar Awards Web site. Hosts will be Kirk Franklin, CeCeWinans and Byron Cage.

9th Annual Fla.vor Fest Coming in November

From Nov. 6-Nov. 9, the ninth annual Fla.vor Fest conference and music festival will take place in Tampa, FL, at Crossover Church. 

This year's theme will be "Focus: Adjusting Our Lenses on the Creator." The event will be hosted by Urban D and the Crossover family. There will be general sessions and more than 20 workshops in 5 tracks (Emerging Urban Church, Hip-Hop Youth Ministry, The Artist in Ministry and industry, Outreach Track, and Worship Track.) Phillip Rood, of Rapzilla; Tommy "Urban D" Kyllonen and Sho Baraka will be among the speakers.

There will be concerts on 2 different nights, featuring more than 40 artists (national and underground) on 2 separate stages.

British Holy Hip-Hopper Jahaziel Wins MOBO Award for Best Gospel Act

Rapper Jahaziel won a Music of Black Origin (MOBO) award for Best Gospel Act on October 15. Others nominated in the Best Gospel Act category included Tye Tribbett and Kirk Franklin, according to Illspot.net. 

The MOBO Awards ceremony, which has been around since 1996, is held every year in the United Kingdom. The awards are given to artists around the world (of any race or ethnicity) who perform music that originated amongst the African diaspora, such as hip-hop, R&B, gospel, reggae, and British-grown genres like garage and grime, "black music born out of adversity that has evolved into mainstream popular culture--urban," as explained on the MOBO Awards Web site.

Jahaziel's first album, Ready to Live, has received critical acclaim. He will release his first video next month. Additionally, he is back in the studio preparing a new album for release next year.

For more on the brother from across the pond, check out this video, where he shares his testimony on God and his desire to rap for God:

News Roundup From Christlike Entertainment Crew

• October 17: Andale's White Flag Mixtape drops for FREE.

UPDATE: Andale's Web page is saying the mixtape is "coming soon."

• October 20: Kingston's mixtape Kingston & Fam drops for purchase on iTunes and CD Baby.
  
• October 31: Album release party for The Blackout, at Deliverance Outreach, 851 Garretsburg Road, in Clarksville, TN. In addition to Pro, the "family event" will feature Andale, Brothatone, Doc Watson, and others. Free candy, T-shirts and CDs will be given away.
  
• November 6: Pro's album, The Blackout drops.
  

Additionally, check out some video clips from Pro about The Blackout:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Thanks for the shout-out!!!

The Ambassador Shooting "Gimme Dat" Video Next Week

The shoot will start at 10 a.m. on Monday, October 20. No further details on Ambassador's MySpace page right now, but try checking there later.

New Video From Urban D

It's called "Peter."

Review: Lecrae's Rebel

One of the things that’s most attention-grabbing about Lecrae’s new release, Rebel, is the amount of passion he puts into each song. The love he has for Christ and the urgency he has in getting out the Lord’s message bathes the album in an emotional tone that makes it hard to resist. This rebel, who has recently succeeded in topping various Christian and secular charts and has pushed holy hip-hop further into public consciousness, is literally compelled to ride or die: “Lord, kill me if I don’t preach the gospel/I’m still in my 20’s but I’ll die if I got to,” he proclaims on “Go Hard.”

“Breathin’ to Death,” with its haunting mélange of mournful singers, strings and piano, stirringly captures the desperation felt by a believer who can’t stop sinning. Lecrae’s voice ebbs and flows from a whisper to a roar as the subject of this song suffers through an internal struggle of good vs. evil. “Still I refuse to let your truths make me better/I'd rather eat flies and maggots instead of bread/and its killing me slow but I can’t get it through my head/You were stabbed, You were murdered/and for me is why You bled/but I spit on your bloody face as if I never cared,” he laments. “Desperate,” with an attention-grabbing chorus sung by Cam, similarly is laden with tangible sorrow. Both songs do not leave the protagonists wandering in desperation, however; they culminate with a desire to reconnect with God. “Desperate” ends with an acknowledgement that “even when I feel lost I know in You I am found.”

Other songs on the album defiantly speak of contentment with love for God and the goodness that He can offer. “Don’t Want Waste Your Life,” featuring Dwayne Triumph and Cam, with super rapid-fire lyrics, relays that true living can not be found in a spouse, a house, 2.5 kids and a 401(k), but rather in Christ. (Lyrics can be found for this song and all the others on the album at ReachRecords.com (choose Lyrics and filter by artist). “Identity,” with a driving, futuristic beat, declares “you can’t define my worth/by nothing found on God’s green earth/My identity is found in Christ/found in Christ.” “Got Paper” is an indictment of materialistic, secular hip-hop. When the chorus begins with a sampled brag of “I got money, I got paper,” the response is, “So what, who cares? I got Jesus, baby.”

The word “rebel” on the album art is styled like a dictionary pronunciation, implying that if you look up “rebel” in the dictionary, you’ll find Lecrae there. But the take-home message is that by listening to this album and digging deeper through prayer and Bible reading, you can embody the definition of “rebel” in these soulless, corrupt times as well.

Additional standout songs: “Truth,” “Fall Back,” “I’m a Saint” 

Keep on Keepin' on

dTurn at Turned Out posted a great article from Pastor Steven Furtick, of Elevation Church, in North Carolina, on winning souls during the current economic crisis. His basic message is don't back down now on whatever outreach you might be doing, because now is the perfect time to draw others to God:

"This is NOT the time for the church to huddle up in the bunker and wait for the end of the world.  In Joshua 3, God led His people across the Jordan during the flood stage.  Practically speaking, it was the worst possible time for them to cross over.  But from the standpoint of faith, why not cross over during flood season?  Flood season and harvest time go hand in hand.  And the higher the waters, the greater the opportunity for God to show off when He brings us through. 

...

We can’t back down.  It’s harvest time!  People are more ripe than ever to embrace the certainty of Christ, as the earthly things that seemed so certain are shaking and quaking. And God will resource us to reach them with the Gospel as we keep our eyes on Him."

I may sound naïve.  But I’d rather be naïve than faithless. God’s faithless children are confined to wandering in the wilderness of intimidation.

Those who look to Him in times of scarcity and press ahead will see His provision, His favor, and His miraculous, abundant supply.

Don’t back down!"

I agree with the pastor that now is the time to feel encouraged about leading others to the Lord. People are losing large sums of money from retirement accounts and other money stashes that rely on the stock market. Others may be facing reposessions or having to sell off valuables to pay bills or just to get by. As material things begin to disappear, there will be many a person looking for substance, for meaning in life, floating roughly in rapids of confusion without any kind of boat or life preserver. We need to let them know that Jesus is an A-rated life vest for overcoming the seemingly unsurmountable challenges that life will always throw at us.

Please take a moment to read Pastor Furtick's article if you have been feeling down about the economy, and pass on to anyone else who might need to hear this positive message. And pray for the artists we enjoy and others who are bringing The Word to the people. 

For additional words of encouragement, check out dTurn's thoughts on what he learned during a recent blog fast here, here and here.

Lecrae's Rebel Makes Holy Hip-Hop History!

Pencil Lecrae's latest, Rebel, into the history books as the first holy hip-hop album to top the Billboard Top Gospel chart. The album is also #3 on iTunes hip-hop albums list, and #60 on Billboard's Top 200 of all music, besting secular acts like Tina Turner, LL Cool J, and Raphael Saadiq, according to Gospelflava.com. Congrats to Lecrae! Check back in a few days for my review of this album.

UPDATE: Lecrae's response to the love Rebel is receiving, from his MySpace page:

"Sup yall! The album dropped and I must say that I'm blown away at the response. I find it very encouraging that we didn't take the route of trying to minimize and cover up the message of the Gospel, but instead made it very blunt and plain and still God did more than we could have imagined in the first week." 

He's asking listeners to comment on what they have gotten from the album--"Not 'I like the beats' or 'I love that song' but how are you encouraged, challenged, edified, or convicted."

Ambassador The Chop Chop Review

I’m going to try to keep these reviews shorter and sweeter so I can crank 'em out faster…

Chopping it up. Politicking. Building. Communication with your people not only strengthens your bonds with them, but also enables everyone in your group to learn something new. This is what The Ambassador provides with his latest release, The Chop Chop: From Milk to Meat, and what God wants us to do for all His people. The songs on this album, largely drenched in many a rugged “kick and a snare that’ll cave your chest in,” are meant to be dialogues with various groups who need a message from God.

“Jesus,” with its epic, string-laden beat, is a perfect introduction to who The Lord is and what He can do in the life of a sinner. “Talk a Lot” asks for the conversation to continue. “I’m hoping you listen/this is nutrition/you and God, how’s that for a new vision?” he pleads to around-the-way girls and guys. The aptly titled “Listen Up,” a certified head-nodder, replete with flashy organs and a recurring drumroll, discusses being on point for God, Christians successfully fighting sin and death, and reaching the unschooled in the streets, or wherever they may be: “Please let me reintroduce myself/I’m nobody/trying to tell everybody/about a Somebody who can save anybody/in the lobby/in the store or at the mall,” he explains, placing his focus back on the Lord. Ambassador, who holds bible and theology degrees and serves as a co-pastor at Epiphany Fellowship, in Philadelphia, delivers his thought-provoking rhymes in a way that enables you to clearly hear the valuable message.

Additional standout tracks: Gimme Dat, The Cost, Love & Grace

Everyday People: Pro Puts His Life on Mixtape, Album to Teach and Inspire

“Life is not just a big sermon,” said double-threat Pro. Via telephone, the rapper/producer related that his vision of Christianity is of a “regular person” who has Christ at the center of his life. His music is for the common man who needs God-focused encouragement and entertainment.

Pro is a soldier for Christ, with hip-hop as the main weapon in his arsenal. Having been raised by a preacher mother in the church, “I always knew about God,” he said. His faith strengthened following a time during college when he strayed from the spiritual things he knew. The message that he got from God during this wilderness period was, “If you do right by my people, I’ll do right by you.”

One way he strives to do right by his people is by warning them of the negatives of drug culture, as several songs from his recent mixtape, My Name Is Pro, do. Growing up with a father and stepfather who were addicted to drugs, he knows that “it’s a terrible end from both perspectives,” dealers and users alike.

“A lot of cats think they’re just selling a product,” he noted. “You’re ruining people’s lives.” Plus, there’s no retirement package, as he pointed out, either death or incarceration. “That should be motivation for anyone to change their life.”

Users fare no better. He recalled his stepfather pawning furniture and stealing cars to support his addiction, trapped in a vicious cycle of pain. But there is a way out—through the Lord, Pro stated. “I want to give solutions. If you try to move forward, God will move you forward and increase what you lack.”

For those wary of giving their lives to the Lord, Pro’s simple advice is to just try it. “Most likely, you know you’re not happy. Just go to church and follow the principles of God and see if your life changes,” he said. As is often said, insanity is trying the same thing over and over again, expecting to see different results. Non-Christians may keep trying drugs, alcohol, sexual relationships, excessive shopping and other diversions to find solace, with none ever found. “Try something different,” Pro encouraged.

Though it’s certainly life altering to give Jesus a chance, discipline is required for the transformation, he said. “You have to say you really want to [change]; you can’t relapse every time things go bad.”

Pro is saying the same thing with his music and his life that a Christian gospel singer or rocker would say, but there are those who see no value in using hip-hop to uplift the downtrodden. “Your opinion doesn’t matter,” he says to those with an axe to grind against holy hip-hop. “God is the ultimate creator. Whether you like it or not, he created hip-hop. You can’t argue with the results. People are getting saved [through holy hip-hop]; people’s lives are changing.”

He realizes some feel that gospel music is the genre God prefers to use to save souls, but Pro points out that like hip-hop, gospel did not exist at the time of Christ. If anyone denounces hip-hop for not being authentic praise music, they must also take the same approach with any modern-day genre of worship music. “Hip-hop is the music of today,” Pro concluded, “the only music that touches everyone. We’d be stupid not to use it.”

He compared denying the value of holy hip-hop to someone digging a ditch that stubbornly decides to use his bare hands rather than a shovel someone has offered. God has given holy rappers a gift in the form of a genre that is readily intriguing to a large number of people who need to hear His message.

Holy rappers can attract ears and souls through a musical style that’s familiar to sinners and the saved alike, but they still have an uphill battle, as do rank-and-file Christians. When asked why, as Kanye West once famously complained, “you can rap about anything except for Jesus,” Pro thought this reflected apprehension toward Christianity in urban communities. “We set the wrong expectations. People mean well, but they set up a false image of what Christianity is.” He observed that nonbelievers often think Christianity is about being perfect, a goal they may feel they can’t attain. Then, they feel vindicated when they see some Christians sinning. “They see problems when [Christians] fall, and say, ‘Christianity ain’t about nothing.’”

Rather than present an all-perfect, all the time image, he recommends that Christians strive to be Christ-like, but admit that though the rewards are excellent, there are challenges to living holy.

This is where Pro’s everyday people vision comes in, and why his messages resonate. On My Name Is Pro, among the songs that implore people to turn away from sin and find solace in the Lord, he raps about almost being hindered in working on a beat because his roommate didn’t pay the electric bill on “Turn out the Lights,” and also asks fans to “Pray for Me.”

“Hip-hop in general has been watered down by fantasy,” Pro said, opting to offer a dose of realism in his music. “What made hip-hop effective in the beginning was it was a voice of the people. If you want to move forward, you have to focus on community.” He plans to focus on moving people forward with The Blackout, scheduled for release on November 6. He describes the album as “a big gumbo pot,” with music to take you through the whole range of emotions. Among things he will discuss include love from a Christian perspective. “I’m just like you. I get real personal on the album.” His primary message on The Blackout is, “As long as you focus on the center, which is Christ, everything will be fine.” A simple message for everyday people.

Last Chance to Win $500 from Deleon

An essay contest following the recent release of Deleon's Here in Me is in the final stages.  $500 prizes will be given to American students at least 16 years of age who submit an essay of 500 words or less on the "INSIDE POWER that lies within you."

The contest was inspired by the current state of the world, where: 

"we are left either hopeless or hopeful. We should remember that God has instilled in each of us an inside power. A power that fuels us to go on when we want to give up. ... We have come in touch with our inner power when we are convicted by our beliefs and our passions. At that time we are armed and protected by His grace, mercy and blessings."

Deleon's Web site doesn't give a deadline date, so good luck! E-mail your essay to essay@deleonmusic.com.

Prizes will be given out to lucky listeners in 10 markets across the country, plus 2 winners from XM Satellite Radio.

CeCe Winans' Thy Kingdom Come Tour Begins

According to Gospelflava.com, CeCe Winans has launched an international tour to promote Thy Kingdom Come, released in April. 

The tour, (for which attendance will be FREE) has already completed dates in Atlanta, at Elizabeth Baptist Church and Word of Faith Family Worship Center. Two dates in South Africa will also feature BeBe Winans. The tour wraps on Dec. 21.

Remaining tour dates include:

• Oct. 5, 11:30 a.m. (TODAY!!!): Shermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville
  
• Oct. 7: Lenexa Christian Center, Lenexa, KS
  
• Oct. 11: Genesis Convention Center, Gary, IN
  
• Oct. 12: Rhinehart Music Center, Fort Wayne, IN
  
• Oct. 14: Taping at TBN Studios, Decatur GA
  
• Oct. 23: Victory Christian Ministries International, Suitland, MD
  
• Nov. 5: Christian Faith Center, Federal Way, WA
  
• Nov. 12: Virginia Beach Convention Center, Virginia Beach, VA
  
• Nov. 14: Cathedral International, Perth Amboy, NJ
  
• Dec. 5: Coca Cola Dome, Johannesburg, South Africa
  
• Dec. 7: ICC, Durban, South Africa
  
• Dec. 11: Richard E. Berry Center, Cypress, TX
  
• Dec. 12: Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville, AR
  
• Dec. 18-19: St. Louis Symphony, St. Louis, MO
  
• Dec. 20: Viking Hall Civic Center, Bristol, TN
  
• Dec. 31: Word of Faith International Christian Center, Southfield, MI

For more information on the tour dates, visit CeCe Winans' Web site.

The LIGHT at Brookhaven, a luxury condominium complex in Atlanta, is a co-sponsor of the event. Winans is currently serving as a spokesperson for The LIGHT on behalf of Buckhead 26 Holdings, the organization operating the complex. She will work with the holding company to jump-start a foundation that will help first-time home owners receive down payment assistance.

After the tour, Winans also will be participating in a New Year's Eve service, at Word of Faith International Christian Center, in Southfield, Michigan. Details on that event are available on her Web site.

Sean Simmonds Interview Series

On his new album, It's Over...

Part I

Part 2:

Striving for Perfection or Keeping It Real?

I had an interesting conversation with Pro recently, among other things, on why, as Kanye West once famously said, "you can rap about anything except for Jesus" in the secular world. An examination of secular hip-hop shows that these rappers follow a variety of things other than Christianity, like the Five Percenters/Nation of Gods and Earths, Rastafarianism, or even ancient Egyptian spirituality. Pro's thought was that Christianity isn't as popular among rappers, or among others who can relate to urban culture, because Christianity might feel like a closed door to them. (Check back next week for an article on my interview with Pro.)

Specifically, he noted that some Christians may be presenting themselves as never slipping, always perfect in their lives and relationships with the Lord--a goal people outside of the church may think they can never reach, so why bother trying? 

This sentiment was also expressed by The Ambassador on his recent appearance on Day7.tv, which I wrote about this week. During that mini-concert, he confessed that he once felt he had to make a major transformation in his life, to become a "certain kind of person" to be able to be a Christian. And I have to admit that I have been frustrated in my own faith from time to time, upset that I could not bring my life to the perfection that I thought I was witnessing in others' lives.

Though clearly there are changes one undergoes to follow God, realistically, we are the same people making some of the same mistakes. In other words, not perfect. We may not be killing anyone or having affairs, but we are not saints who sleep on clouds at night. Some of us may still be gossipping about others at work; or telling "little white lies" to avoid spending time with certain people; or a little too in love with a new car, plasma screen TV, or iPod, or any of a number of things that are not appropriate behaviors under God's watchful eyes. I'm not saying that we enjoy doing these things on the regular, but we may catch ourselves being out of order from time to time, and realize that we are doing something wrong that needs to be fixed. 

Ecclesiastes 11:4, which discusses the uncertainties of life, captures the problem of perfection: "Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest." (New Living Translation) If we are busy striving for perfection, rather than reaching out to others where we are right now, we miss countless opportunities to harvest souls for the Lord. 

Are we letting others curious about Christianity know that we are not perfect, and that we are indebted to the Lord for redemption from the sins, no matter how small, that we still sometimes commit? Are we keeping it real, or are we striving for pefection, to the detriment of glorifying the Lord in a way that others can access? Perfection in humans is a prideful state. Keeping it real when you talk about your life and your relationship with God humbles you and enables God to do his work through you.

Minority Participants Needed for Breast Cancer Study

I'm going to go off topic for a minute...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and minority women have some of the highest rates of breast cancer. In fact, the disease is the No. 1 cancer killer of African-American and Hispanic women, according to the American Cancer Society.

Historically, women of color tend not to be represented in large numbers in scientific studies. This can impact results on final research reports, which are used to make treatment decisions. One study pertaining to breast cancer, The Sister Study, being run by the National Institute of Environment Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Health and Human Services, is hoping to recruit minority women to make findings more indicative of a variety of ethnic groups.  This study will focus on envirionmental and genetic risk factors for breast cancer.

African-American, Latina, Asian, and Pacific Islander women are eligible to join the study if:

• They have a blood sister who has had breast cancer.
  
• They are between the ages of 35 and 74.
  
• They have never had breast cancer themselves.
  
• They are living in the United States or Puerto Rico.
  

The study is also looking for Caucasian women age 65-74 who meet the same criteria mentioned above.

Please pass this info. along to anyone you know who might be interested.

Live Footage of Heather Headley @ EMI Gospel Showcase

Spotted by Bob Marovich, of the Black Gospel Blog. The song is called "What I Wish for You," and the performance is from August. He says a full-length gospel album is due from the acclaimed Broadway singer this fall. "I grew up in the church," says Headley, in a recent journal entry on her official Web site, "actually above the church, and this album not only grants me a way for me to sing music I've always wanted to, but it also gives me a chance to give God some overdue praise for everything He has done, and continues to do for me."

New Releases Today

• Tonya Baker: Special Friend 
  
• Lecrae: Rebel (See here for info. on where to find it!)
  
• Take 6: The Standard
  
• Trin-I-Tee 5:7: T57 Deluxe Edition
  

Andale Mixtape Pushed Back

The White Flag mixtape will be out on October 17 instead of today. Check Andale's MySpace page for further updates.

Lecrae Album Sightings!

I plan on doing my run-down of urban Christian releases later today, but wanted to let you know that I've seen Lecrae's Rebel on the Reach Records Web site (regular version and deluxe edition, with an album USB wristband with exclusive content, a sticker, and a special edition T-shirt) and on  iTunes and Amazon. Lecrae's MySpace says the album also will be available at Christian bookstores and Walmart. 

Amazon only had 2 copies, if you get your music there...

Song lyrics also are available here. Filter available songs by disc.

Ambassador Performance/Discussion on Day7.tv

I'm not a PR agent for The Ambassador or anything; he's just been extremely busy lately! And it's a blessing for all of us who enjoy holy hip-hop.

Check out the Sunday, Sept. 28 episode of Day 7. You can view the whole service, or skip ahead to "Special Music--The Ambassador."

Ambassador lives up to his name, serving as an ambassador of holy hip-hop to an audience that he acknowledges might not follow, or even like, hip-hop and urges them to open their hearts and minds to his message and how it was delivered. 

Sounds like the lyrics for his four-song set appeared on a screen to enhance comprehension in the audience. "I hope you can appreciate the fact that God's mindset has been poured in,"Ambassador said of his music, noting that his mission is to "communicate a passion for Jesus Christ in a language that's familiar to some." 

In addition to performing the songs, he reiterated that "every type of person has access to the same God, because he so loved the world." Ambassador told the audience that he used to think that God didn't like Him because of his appearance--which included XXL shirts on his small frame. But Ambassador found that "He loves you, with your 'do rag and your purple hair, and your fitted cap." 

Ambassador noted that he used to think, "I'll get with the Lord when I look more like his type." He admitted that many have a mindset that God is only available to a certain type of person, and that to give your life to the Lord, you have to embody that specific type of person. He ultimately found that to be untrue, however. 

He related turning his life over to the Lord, dressed like a member of hip-hop culture, and dreading having to wear suits. "Change my insides; leave my clothes alone," he joked of his feelings on his conversion. But he ultimately got a message from God to continue dressing like he did before. He began to run into people, in street clothes, and share the gospel. Those people told him, "never have we heard such words come out of such...a crusty looking frame, a nobody, a regular dude." People were accepting his message and not rejecting his appearance. He realized that God was telling him, "people are going to see you and think they got you figured out, and they're going to be all wrong...People are going to rethink their thoughts about Me because of their encounter with you." Powerful message.

Niyoki In-Store CD Signing Events

From Niyoki's MySpace page:

• Saturday, Oct. 4: Baton Rouge, location TBD
  
• Saturday, Oct. 18: Atlanta, location TBD
  
• Saturday, Nov. 1: New Orleans, location TBD
  

Check her MySpace for further details.

More Details on Ambassador's Philly Concert in November

Gotta take a moment to rep my closest city and my alma mater!!! As I mentioned here, The Ambassador will have a MILK to MEAT Concert Series date in Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 8. New details: The concert will take place in The Underground, at Temple University's Student Activities Center (1755 N. 13th St.). 

Along with The Ambassador and Trip Lee will be Da T.R.U.T.H., Mac da Doulos, and Stephen the Levite. Tickets, which will be available online and at the door, will cost $10, with The Chop Chop CD included; or $6, with no CD.

 

Space is limited; only 400 tickets are available! Lemme try to get a babysitter lined up right now.

Lecrae: 9 Ways to Make Your Life Count

Lecrae recently posted this interesting article to his MySpace blog. Here are some snippets:

"4. Get discipled or get a disciple. Get wiser people to teach you how to be like Jesus. (Make sure they are like Jesus. They don't have t be older in years (that's a bonus!), but they need to be more mature than you are in the things of Christ.)"

"6. War with your sin. Read Romans 6 and 8. Actually begin to attack a sin you are battling. (Hebrews 12)"

And there's much more; read the full article here. Great advice for strengthening your faith and walk with God. Can't wait to hear what else he has in  store for us on Rebel, which drops on Tuesday!

Sunday Morning: Niyoki Video Premiere on BET

Niyoki's new video, "Joy," will run on BET's Video Gospel, at 10 a.m. Enjoy!

Holy Hip-Hop or Holy Hip-Not?

This paraphrases the title of an excellent article by Heiress on the Holy Ridaz site. Here's a little taste:

"In our day, there is one fact…the one culture that unifies all cultures, nations, creeds, etc is hip hop. That can not be denied. Hip Hop culture & its music are one. Why wouldn’t God use hip hop? It’s a unified culture among the nations crossing every line of division imaginable. Since music is it’s life force, it includes the main element of praise. This isn’t rocket science."

I agree wholehartedly. Hip-hop is a tool waiting to be used. It is a genre with a diverse fan base, covering all racial and ethnic groups and a couple generations, to boot. "Sesame Street" regularly uses hip-hop to teach letters, numbers and other concepts to children. Anyone listening to East Coast secular hip-hop has had an automatic geographic lesson on New York's 5 Boroughs for years--whether or not you've been to Farmers Blvd., Marcy Projects, or "Shaolin," you probably know these places are in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, respectively. Same thing with rappers who rep other regions. KRS-One used the phrase "edutainment" to describe his music; why couldn't this genre with overwhelming love worldwide be used to amazing effect by followers of Christ to teach a hungry world?

The world is starving for substance on all fronts, me included. A line from Common's "Ghetto Heaven" always stuck with me: "the blunted eyes of the youth search for a God." I have been searching for more in my life and can say that I have found an increasing level of peace by putting my trust in the Lord. I started this blog to share the good Christian music that I have found with others because, for me, just buying a "clean" version of a secular album on iTunes wasn't enough to soothe my soul. I have been excited to find a new world of music with substance, music that has inspired me to press on with my faith and to learn as much as I can about the Lord.

The holy hip-hop landscape is definitely a nurturing smorgasbord for willing listeners. As I get more and more into this genre, I am impressed by the level of teaching I hear in the songs, from various artists. Not just in the songs, but also in album interludes as well. There is a lot to be learned from these artists, some of whom I’ve learned have divinity degrees and their own churches. They have a willing audience, of babies just learning to walk, all the way up to people in their forties who marveled firsthand at the architects of secular hip-hop. For those who want more out of life than sin, holy hip-hop is preaching to the choir--only the folks don’t know they’re in the choir until they listen.

New Video From Washington Projects

It's called "You Are My World." Saw this on Dat Other Hip Hop.

New Video from Shachah

Big-up to Exotic Mommie, at Hipe Hope Gospel! The video is for "Arise (Stand Up)," off the hip-hop/rock band's latest album, On the Move.

Ambassador's MILK to MEAT Concert Series/Teaching Dates

From his MySpace page:

• Sept. 27, Van Nuys, CA: The MILK to MEAT Concert, special guest Da' T.R.U.T.H.
  
• Oct. 3, Glendale, NY: The MILK to MEAT Concert
  
• Oct. 31, South Yorkshire, London and South East: The Ambassador Teaching: Calvary Chapel of South London Men's Retreat
  
• Nov. 1, South Yorkshire, London and South East: The Ambassador Teaching: Calvary Chapel of South London Men's Retreat
  
• Nov. 8, Philadelphia: The MILK to MEAT Concert, special Guest Trip Lee

UPDATE: Ambassador will also be performing with Da' T.R.U.T.H. at the Van Nuys Seventh Day Adventist Church, in Van Nuys, CA, on Saturday, Sept. 27. The event is a fundraiser for HOPE's House Christian Ministries.

New Music Today

• Grits: Reiterate
  
• Sean Simmonds: It's Over
  

Looks like a slow day, folks.


UPDATE: I didn't forget about Ambassador's The Chop Chop. His MySpace says it was out on Tuesday, but Amazon and iTunes are saying 9/30. Anyone have it? Where did you get it? Do tell. : )


UPDATE 2: All righty, I see it's on the Cross Movement Records Web site, for MP3 download or CD via snail mail. Feeling much better now! Review to come.


UPDATE 3: Christian outlets got The Chop Chop on 9/23, retail outlets like Wal-Mart get it on 9/30, and digital outlets like iTunes will have the album for sale on 10/7.

Interesting Fiction Book Touching on Marriage

I haven't read Fireproof [Thomas Nelson], written by Eric Wilson, based on a screenplay by Alex and Stephen Kendrick, but it sounds worth a look, based on what the folks at the Christian Manifesto are saying: 

"We live in a society where the marriage relationship is not appreciated or taken very seriously. The easy thing to do when things get difficult is to divorce, and we see this pattern played out over and over again for so many couples. Fireproof is a story written to challenge our culture’s perspective on marriage. Yes, we get some great action sequences and suspenseful moment throughout, but the heart of this story is found in Caleb’s resolve to save his marriage and fight for the woman he loves."

The book is slated to become a movie this fall, according to Kendrick Brohers Productions.

Album Review: My Name Is Pro Mixtape

Just about 15 years ago, Nas marveled at how “the rap game remind me of the crack game.” Pro’s new mixtape, My Name Is Pro, makes a lot of references to drug dealing, but instead of glorifying that lifestyle, he focuses on the costs of playing the game and the advantages of getting out. Other targets on the producer/rapper’s satisfying new release, hosted by DJ Wade-O, include secular rappers, hypocritical Christians, and the downtrodden who need to know the Good News of the Savior.

On “What Are We Living For,” Pro, who previously released a mixtape called Jackin’ for Hits, which featured beats from the likes of Jay-Z, Ludacris and Rich Boy, borrows rhymes and styles from Eminem, Kanye West and DMX to introduce the three vignettes in this song. We hear about a downtrodden boy who commits suicide, an aspiring rapper who unsuccessfully holds up a liquor store to garner enough money to launch a drug enterprise, and listen to Pro criticize secular rappers who glorify drugs and violence to get paid. “You winning at getting money/but you’re killing the losers/and that’s these kids, so you killing our future,” Pro objects.

“Grave or the Box” similarly uses Pro’s solid storytelling skills to reiterate the futility of the fast life. In this song, which is backed by a mournful rock track with a heavy boom-bap style-beat, he rhymes from the perspective of a drug dealer at the crossroads of faith and fortune who chooses the latter—and ultimately death—despite reading in the Bible that “pride goes before destruction.” The young man, whose mother frequents the crack house and father is in the jailhouse, learned of Christ through his grandmother, but divorced himself from God after his grandmother died of cancer. Time at church similarly did not do anything for his faith: “I risk my life on the block every day/to sit and listen to this dude that’s fake? No way.”

While some dismiss holy hip-hop as a “slow” cousin of the secular version, Pro proves time and again that capable producers and lyricists are repping the Lord, even taunting those from the secular league for having empty, simplistic songs. “Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” shouts out a handful of Christian rappers and boasts of their prowess: “I take any one of them to your roster/bet that they make a clown of your best hood impostor,” says Pro.  “Classic Flow,” which chronicles Pro’s journey in producing and rapping, and “Turn Out the Lights” also reveal the life of a Christian rapper. In the latter, which samples from Teddy Pendergrass, Pro is trying to beat the clock to complete a song before the electric company cuts his power. But he’s not really concerned: “Down to my last dime and I ain’t worried about nathan/ain’t no way I’m doing this work and God gonna let them/turn off the lights.”

Pro’s songs are laden with inspirational and cautionary messages, but he takes the extra step of speaking plainly in several interludes airing conversations with DJ Wade-O on his faith, his hopes for fellow Christians and his mission with his music.

Pro sees himself as a leader, and to anyone that finds fault with his music, he says, “The record is a petition. If you don’t like what I’m doing, pray for me. Don’t get on a message board and talk bad about me; pray for me.”

He also encourages Christians to not take themselves so seriously (“You’re not a slave no more to sin…pop your collar!”), but also to not forget to uplift others, cautioning that The Great Commission was not to become saved for your own sake, but to reach out and lead others toward salvation.

If you are new to Christian hip-hop, never fear. In a time when many feel secular hip-hop is taking it last breaths, artists like Pro prove that hip-hop isn’t the problem; it’s the hearts of the rappers. Pro has his heart in the right place, and has some jewels for you to get yours straight, too.

Download My Name Is Pro here.

DJ Wade-O Interviews Ambassador on Radio Show

From Illspot.net. On Wade-O's 75th episode, they talk about Ambassador's upcoming album, The Chop Chop, and other topics like the current state of holy hip-hop and Ambassador's  experiences co-pastoring at Epiphany Fellowship, in Philadelphia.

Podcast is available here (enhanced iTunes version) and here (MP3).

FREE Mixtape From Andale Dropping 9/30

Check his MySpace page for further details.

Workshop for Abuse Survivors in the Philly Area

Sexual abuse is a topic that many people, including victims, would rather not discuss. But discussion that leads to transcending the pain is beneficial in healing the emotional scars that haunt a person after an incident or series of incidents.

One of my good friends, award-winning journalist Sylvia Coleman, has been teaching a class in Philadelphia as part of Temple University's PASCEP Program for several years now. Her class, "From Victim to Victor," starts up again on Tuesday, the 23rd. (Sylvia is also author of a memoir on surviving victimhood, Creating a New Normal: Cleaning Up a Dysfunctional Life, and the founder of the national organization Black Sexual Abuse Survivors.)

The class is for adult African-Americans who have experienced trauma from past abuse, as well as people who want to help survivors of abuse. It is chock-full of holistic ideas for starting on the path toward healing. Class participants will be kept anonymous to each other; no children allowed.

The fee for the class is $20, though a discount or waiver may be available to seniors 65 and older and individuals who can provide proof of unemployment, according to the course catalog.

Late registration is available on Monday, Sept. 22nd through Thursday, Sept. 25, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in PASCEP headquarters, Temple University's Entertainment and Community Education Center, at 1509 Cecil B. Moore Ave., 2nd floor. If the class is not full, there may be an additional fee of $5 added to the class cost, according to the PASCEP catalog.

For more information, contact PASCEP at (215) 204-1993.

Lecrae Shares on Beats, Rhymes and Life...

...in a 5-part video series released by Reach Records. His new album, "Rebel," drops on Sept. 30.
Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

New Music This Week

• Lashell Griffin: Dreams Are Possible
  
• DJ Morph: International
  
• Kevin LeVar: Let's Come Together
  
• Group 1 Crew: Ordinary Dreamers
  
• Renee Spearman & Prez: He Changed Me
  

Debra Ashley's "He's a Friend" Video

This just premiered on BET Gospel on the 14th.

"My Name Is Pro" Mixtape Now Available!

Click here to download. Check back soon for a review!

New Video Series From Urban D

Here is the first installment of "Tranzlations," called "Un.certain."

It focuses on the current state of the economy in the U.S. Two more installments to come.

FREE Holy Hip-Hop Mixtape Dropping on 9/15

Illspot.net says on Monday, Pro and DJ Wade-O will serve up "My Name Is Pro (The Introduction)" for FREE. In addition to a sneak preview of upcoming album Blackout, there will be songs from "The Pro Show" and "Transformers--The Mixtape."

Pro's Jackin for Hits mixtape is currently available here, also for FREE.

Flame's "Joyful Noise" Video

Review of his latest album, Our World Redeemed, to come.

How Sweet the Sound Concert Series Starts Tomorrow

The choir competition kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 13 in St. Louis, according to Gospelflava.com. Grammy-winning producer Donald Lawrence, Marvin Sapp, and Hezekiah Walker will serve as judges (with a local radio host), and perform in each city. Smokie Norful will show on some dates as well.
Choirs winning in each city will compete in a national final in Atlanta on Nov. 8, with a top prize of $50,000 and bragging rights to be the best choir in America.

Cities and dates are as follows:

• Sept. 13: St. Louis
  
• Sept. 15: Atlanta
  
• Sept. 18: Newark
  
• Sept. 20: Detroit
  
• Sept. 23: Philadelphia
  
• Sept. 26: Washington, D.C.
  
• Sept. 29: Chicago
  
• Oct. 2: Memphis
  
• Oct. 6: Houston
  
• Oct. 10: Oakland
  
• Oct. 13: Los Angeles

For more information, visit howsweetthesound.com.

September Is Gospel Music Heritage Month

The House of Representatives and Senate came up with this designation to "honor a true American art form for its vast contributions to our culture," according to the Gospel Music Channel Web site. Visit the network's site for details on upcoming TV programs, concert dates, and a brief history of the genre.

Review of Dietrick Haddon's "Revealed"

The world never stops turning; we either find a way to cope with what’s going on or get rolled over. Dietrick Haddon’s sixth solo album, Revealed, deals heavily with choice in our lives, and how choosing God is most beneficial.

“I’m Alive,” outfitted with a thumping beat topped with a joyful flute, urgently demands you to choose victory when problems arise, while “Let Me Go” kicks the devil to the curb with its no-nonsense rock beat. Similarly, “Go With Me,” a danceable electrofunk romp, dares the listener: “you can do it if you wanna…put some work behind your faith.” “Love Him Like I Do,” the electrified head-nodder featuring Mary Mary and Ruben Studdard, enables the three acts to sum up the rewards one can receive from faith. “God saved me from myself when no one else was around,” sings Studdard in the album's lead song.

Just as Haddon understands his listeners grapple with faith and situations that threaten to pull them away from God, he alludes to his personal struggles on the autobiographical “Soul Survivor” and gives insight into what keeps him going. “I got to tell myself/just ignore them/think about the souls that you must win/it’s your anointing that they’re scared of/just keep showing them love,” he shares.

Though most of the songs describe or call for decisive action, several others echo the anguish of a fallen moment. “It’s Raining,” with its exotic drumbeat, cries out for understanding, as does “I Need Your Help.” “Ungrateful,” a turbulent funk track punctuated by a sinister violin,  expresses shame for not being satisfied with what the Lord has done: “you've given the gift of life, oh, that's a fact/what would we do if you took it all back?” Haddon asks.

Black entertainment site EURWeb reported that Haddon wanted to speak to a broad range of people with this album. “Our music has to reach beyond religious beliefs to connect on a greater level,” he stated. The wide range of musical influences heard on this offering, including Michael Jackson, Rick James, Lenny Kravitz, Kanye West and Timbaland, ensure that many ears will be piqued enough to hear the messages within. Though the quality of the music sometimes distracts from the lyrics, Revealed is a solid inspirational work.

New Releases This Week

• Ayiesha Woods: Love Like This
  
• Christina Lee: Since I Found You
  
• Jason Nelson: Place of Worship
  

Mary Mary "Get Up" Video

Album in stores October 14.

Trin-I-Tee 5:7 to Release Deluxe "T57" Version

According to Totalpraise.net. The re-release of this 2007 Dove-winning and Grammy-nominated album will include 4 new songs and 2 videos. Following the release will be the "Midday Getaway Tour," pairing daytime performances on radio and in malls with evening church concerts. Dates to come.