African American Cultural Theory
and Heritage
Series Editor: William C. Banfield
The Jazz Trope: A Theory of African American Literary and Vernacular Culture , by Alfonso W. Hawkins Jr., 2008.
In the Heart of the Beat: The Poetry of Rap , by Alexs D. Pate, 2009.
George Russell: The Story of an American Composer , by Duncan Heining, 2010.
Cultural Codes: Makings of a Black Music Philosophy , by William C. Banfield, 2010.
Willie Dixon: Preacher of the Blues , by Mitsutoshi Inaba, 2011.
Representing Black Music Culture: Then, Now, and When Again? , by William C. Banfield, 2011.
The Black Church and Hip Hop Culture: Toward Bridging the Generational Divide , edited by Emmett G. Price III, 2012.
The Black Church and Hip Hop Culture
Toward Bridging the Generational Divide
Edited by
Emmett G. Price III
THE SCARECROW PRESS, INC.
Lanham Toronto Plymouth, UK
2012
Published by Scarecrow Press, Inc.
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
http://www.scarecrowpress.com
Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PY, United Kingdom
Copyright 2012 by Emmett G. Price III
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The Black church and hip hop culture : toward bridging the generational divide / edited by Emmett G. Price III.
p. cm. (African American cultural theory and heritage)
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 978-0-8108-8236-2 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-8108-8237-9 (ebook)
1. African American churches. 2. African AmericansReligion. 3. Hip-hop. 4. Hip-hopReligious aspectsChristianity. I. Price, Emmett George.
BR563.N4B5645 2012
277.3'08308996073dc23
2011032607
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America
This work is respectfully dedicated to my personal champions of faith who along with others gave (and prayed) so that I and those in my generation could have access and opportunities.
Aunt Evelyn Porch
Auntie Lillian Henry
Auntie Shirley R. Hurst
Commie Lee Grandaddy Armstead
Carrie Lee Madea Armstead
David Papa Dave Thompson
Emmett G. Price Sr.
Geraldine Mom Mason
Grandma Mary Thompson
Laura O. Mama Coco
Morris Uncle Red Porch Sr.
Olivia Tee Tee Porch French
Mattie B. Mama Dear Thompson
Moses L. Grandpa Gayle Sr.
Rev. Dr. Eliott J. Mason Sr.
Uncle Andrew Henry
Uncle Oscar A. Rollins
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I: From Civil Rights to Hip Hop
| 1 | From Civil Rights to Hip Hop: A Meditation |
Alton B. Pollard III
| 2 | Dissed-Enfranchised: The Black Church under the Steeple |
Joshua Hutchinson
| 3 | Chasing a Dream Deferred: From Movement to Culture |
Emmett G. Price III
Part II: Hip Hop Culture and the Black Church in Dialogue
| 4 | Deep Calls to Deep: Beginning Explorations of the Dialogue between the Black Church and Hip Hop |
Charles L. Howard
| 5 | Rap Music as Prophetic Utterance |
Cynthia B. Belt
| 6 | Binding the Straw Man: Hip Hop, African American Protestant Religion, and the Dilemma of Dialogue |
Lerone A. Martin
| 7 | Sermon: Kick Your Delilah to the Curb |
Sherman A. Gordon
| 8 | Thou Shall Have No Other Gods before Me: Myths, Idols, and Generational Healing |
Shaundra Cunningham
| 9 | Hip Hop Children of a Lesser God |
Paul Scott
Stephen C. Finley
| 11 | Formality Meets Hip Hop: The Influence of Hip Hop Culture on the Afro-European Church |
Shana Mashego
Part III: Gospel Rap, Holy Hip Hop, and the Hip Hop Matrix
| 12 | Beats, Rhymes and Bibles: An Introduction to Gospel Hip Hop |
Josef Sorett
| 13 | Isnt Loving God Enough? Debating Holy Hip Hop |
Cassandra Thornton
| 14 | Five Theses on the Globalization of Thug Life and 21st Century Missions |
Kenneth D. Johnson
| 15 | Hip Hop, Theology, and the Future of the Black Church |
Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou
| 16 | Confessions of a Hip Hop Generation Minister |
Patricia Lesesne
| 17 | Spiritually Educating and Empowering a Generation: Growing Up in a Hip Hop Matrix |
Ren Rochester
| 18 | An Invisible Institution: A Functional Approach to Religion in Sports in Wounded African American Communities |
Onaje X. Offley Woodbine
| 19 | To Serve the Present Age: A Benediction |
Emmett G. Price III
Selected Bibliography
Index
About the Editor and Contributors
Acknowledgments
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye Heavenly Host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
This book is the result of an intense journey that has taken many detours. From the initial concept in 2005 to its publication, numerous authors joined and departed the project for a host of valiant and legitimate reasons. I am grateful to all the contributors who not only made this project possible but provided thought-provoking, carefully constructed critiques and intellectually stimulating suggestions catalyzing generational healing. The authors could have completed their own manuscripts; instead, we agreed to participate in this dialogue to showcase the power of participation even when there is a difference in approach. I extend my gratitude to the expert and patient staff at Scarecrow Press. From the early interactions with Corinne O. Burton to the culminating conversations with Stephen Ryan, the Scarecrow staff has been diligent, detailed, and determined to move this project to fruition. I must express my most sincere gratitude to my dear friend and colleague Dr. William Bill C. Banfield for the initial invitation to publish with Scarecrow and, further, for the placement of this collection within the prestigious African American Cultural Theory and Heritage series.
