Photo by John Goodman
Used under Creative Commons License
Trenten Wilkinson, Staff Writer
There are many styles of music today that are very influential on society as a whole. In particular, there is one style of music that differentiates itself from typical genres and impacts a greater number of individuals: rap. Most people enjoy an upbeat tempo with fast lyrics that convey a broad message, and that is just what rap can do.
Generally speaking, when somebody says rap, one may think of cars, money, drugs and sex. People may also think about artists such as Lil Wayne, 2Chainz and Drake, just to name a few. While today’s culture seems to present such a vast variety of “rap,” there still appears to be the same old things in every song. Musicians think, “If it gets hits, why change?” This mindset suggests that the rap industry is all about money and an influential market.
People like instant gratification; this appealing pleasure is one of our most sought after goals. It is the “if… then” statement of life. If we do something, then the repercussion of it should be swift and lovely gratification. Rap is so influential in society because it fulfills this desire. Every rapper today speaks of this type of gratification in their songs. No matter the focused market or specific rapper, one can find gratification in a rap song. Rappers like Jay Z and Kanye West try to give glory to God and thank Him for success while excluding any mention of faith from their actual music.
However, there are a few people who are trying to do rap differently. A new, yet seemingly contradictory, style of music is Christian Rap. This genre has been an up and coming trend for the past 10 years. Christian rappers present a heavily countercultural image compared with the rappers you think of today. Rappers like Lecrae have affected the whole genre of rap. Not only do these individuals spread the Gospel through lyrics but they also have an impact on the culture of rap.
Lecrae was featured on the BET Cypher awards and had famous rappers come to him and thank him for what he was doing, a demonstration of the influence he has had. Also, Trip Lee and Tedashii are up and coming artists on Lecrae’s Reach Records Label.
These are just a few alternatives to listen to and get the same vibe from while hearing a different message. Lecrae and company not only give thanks to God for success but portray it in every single song. While reaching out to the culture and shining the light, these rappers are distinct from many of their peers, turning a negative industry into a positive opportunity.