We started this journey into Hip Hopology in our first post with a couple of examples of sanctified “live” poetic prose, which was a nice, maybe more subtle introduction to this growing genre of “we want to drink this Kool-aid” of Christian artistic expression.  This was followed in our second post with a little more of what you might expect out of the Hip Hop scene.

Now, in this third piece of posting on this hook, Man of Spin will put some meat into this menu, as we get to the motivation for this madness, and open the sound-gates… time to pump up the volume on your PC People!

To help you in this regard, as one begins to the prepare the feast, Man of Spin will give some previous words a “second coming”… if you will… when the release of 13 Letters was hyped…

Released recently by Reach Records is an album by a collaboration of Christian Hip-Hop artists titled 13 Letters. I may be Vanilla Ice, but I am want to listen to something with a block busting beat. Not only does this album have baseline with intensity, but the lyrics, I say the lyrics, rock my house, my street, my world.

Am I sounding young, hip, hype and out dude? Its a rhetorical question, Tiger, so settle down.. No need to be rude!

Let me lose the persona and explain what I mean.

13 Letters is a lyrical presentation of the 13 Pauline Epistles>Letters. After listening to this album, I can honestly say that I was stoked… blessed… edified with the words and message of each track. I would have to say that this is lyrical theology at its best.

Too often in Christian circles we see another one biting the dust, becoming another relic in the pursuit of style with substance, where the challenge of synthesizing content and context is miserably met, with either one or the other lost in translation (to quote a movie).

In the music scene, more often than not, it is the lyrics that are missing, and just like overcooked broccoli, once this has transpired, all the goodness is gone, and all you have left is a mushy reminder of what could have been!

This collaboration of Hip Hop artists, with a definitive reformed bent, has satisfied all the above criteria that not only should bless your gangsta soul, but should also exemplify what can be done and should be done for the sanctification of our souls.

I think, my favourite tracks are on the Book of Romans…

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and the Letter to the Philippians…

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I had to smile as Shai Linne in his track titled Gospel Music (on the Book of Romans) encourages his listeners to go deeper by delving into a commentary, and who does he mention? Only John MacArthur, Leon Morris, James Boice, and R. C. Sproul.

Couldn’t you just imagine John MacArthur returning the respect. One can only chuckle as one pictures “the mac” MacArthur getting down with the beat… Homie!

However, the fun does not stop here posse.

There is also a multi media study on the 13 Letters. What this will entail is a live performance of each track, a 30 minute study on each of the books, interviews with the artist, and a mini-series to put the themes of the 13 Letters in a real-world setting. Talk about finishing the deal.

I can only encourage you to bring “freedom in Christ” to your wallet and go buy the album and the curriculum, particularly if those in your context are more younger in years.  Hearing an overview of the message of each book will not only be music to your ears, but food for your soul, which will encourage you to go all biblical, worshiping your Creator in the days of your youth, and to reference the first line in Shai Linne’s track… the result will be Soli Deo Gloria!

This album is rope-a-dope-dude!

For more about the album, curriculum, etc, SEE HERE

One should be encouraging those in the know that this album>concept should only be the beginning of a number from these made righteous rappers.

My prayer is that this album will be a catalyst for further reflections, resulting in music-based material that goes deep into the Word of God, capturing a generations heart… beat

It just so happens that D-zert is on the way, and Man of Spin has so much more from this album for you edification!

Things will not have sounded so good!

For the Fame of His Name

Man of Spin