I unashamedly acknowledge my affinity for the rap and/or R&B genres of music. It began in middle school where my brother and I would listen to 2pac, Notorious B.I.G., and Puff Daddy on the radio or on a CD we probably were not authorized to own. While I never particularly enjoy the excessive language and vulgar content of some songs, I did appreciate the transparency of the artists. The songs were not merely for selling records, but telling stories about a variety of subjects. And these stories, while different from my own, were not so foreign that I was unable to connect with them. Plus, I always enjoy a good beat to move (and maybe dance) to.
Nowadays, I am not as big of a fan of the rap and/or R&B genres of music. While the beats are definitely more than "toe tap-able," the lyrics are typically meaningless rantings above nothing. But this is not the case with one of my most recent Twitter "friends," Lecrae. If you are not familiar with Lecrae he is a Christian rap artist, and a pretty good one at that. His lyrics tell stories which just about everyone can relate to. They are honest and filled with passion. They represent what most people find enjoyable in music. And, he keeps a good beat which I can jump on board with.
I listened to his song, Background, while I was studying this evening. I went back to read the lyrics because I thought it spoke volumes to my aspirations for ministry. My tendency is to let my flesh get the best of me. I wrestle over the desire of hearing God's name praised and the desire of hearing my name praised. This requires humility so that I might declare with John the Baptist, he must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).
And for those who are not fond of this particular genre of music here are the lyrics for your reading pleasure (though they are not the same without that beat).
**I was going to post the lyrics, but it would make this post entirely too long. Therefore you have the choice to either listen to the song, mute the song to read the lyrics, or just disregard it altogether. Either way I will continue moving (in whatever way works best) to the rhythm and grappling with the lyrics.
Nowadays, I am not as big of a fan of the rap and/or R&B genres of music. While the beats are definitely more than "toe tap-able," the lyrics are typically meaningless rantings above nothing. But this is not the case with one of my most recent Twitter "friends," Lecrae. If you are not familiar with Lecrae he is a Christian rap artist, and a pretty good one at that. His lyrics tell stories which just about everyone can relate to. They are honest and filled with passion. They represent what most people find enjoyable in music. And, he keeps a good beat which I can jump on board with.
I listened to his song, Background, while I was studying this evening. I went back to read the lyrics because I thought it spoke volumes to my aspirations for ministry. My tendency is to let my flesh get the best of me. I wrestle over the desire of hearing God's name praised and the desire of hearing my name praised. This requires humility so that I might declare with John the Baptist, he must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).
And for those who are not fond of this particular genre of music here are the lyrics for your reading pleasure (though they are not the same without that beat).
**I was going to post the lyrics, but it would make this post entirely too long. Therefore you have the choice to either listen to the song, mute the song to read the lyrics, or just disregard it altogether. Either way I will continue moving (in whatever way works best) to the rhythm and grappling with the lyrics.
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