Rap is Real

My favorite genre of music is rap. The main reason I favor rap music is that rap lyrics correspond to reality. When rappers are self-centered and materialistic, they boldly proclaim it. They do not pretend to be down to earth like Taylor Swift does. Rappers have the ability to get real with their lyrics. In rap songs, nothing is held back. Quite often, rap songs are highly emotional.

Take Eminem, for example. 95 percent of his lyrics are deplorable, but he gets real in his lyrics. His song “Not Afraid” is not only one of his less offensive songs, but it also is a very inspiring song. In it, he speaks about his struggles with addiction and his decision to say “No, this is wrong and needs to stop.” His lyrics are meant to inspire others to recognize problems in their lives and to make the courage decision to make a change.

This idea of real lyrics extends into Christian music as well. The average Christian music song features empty lyrics that do not say much. Christian rappers will get real with their struggles and admit their challenges. Their praises of the Lord are more authentic and do not posses the same superficiality that plagues the lyrics of their counterparts in the Christian rock genre.

Two great examples of Christian rappers who get real in their songs are Theory Hazit and Fr. Pontifex. Theory Hazit’s song “Find Me” details his life and the treacherous path he was heading down before he gave his life to God. Fr. Pontifex’s album The Symphony and the Static amazingly brings to life the interior struggle of living a Christian, the clash of the beauty of the Faith and noise created by secular culture. 

Their is beauty in truth. When rappers tap into reality and spit lyrics that proclaim the truth, they create songs that are more meaningful and beautiful than the fake songs put out by those in the mainstream music scene.