Beats, Rhymes & Christ: 'Drown' - Illtripp

"My death is going to be gain,

And if to live is Christ, why am I in so much pain?

It turns out I'm to blame, I rely on my own brain,

and my mind, which failed me about a 1000 times."

If you read my last post then you'll know something of how my life is changing right now. In this new lease of life I've been looking for music which is clearly joyful about what Christ has done for us. It seems that it's hard to find in Hip Hop. There are plenty of artists who preach absolutely solid truths about Christ's death and resurrection but few who seem to respond in song joyfully, extolling Christ and His wonderful work.

Well, this track is not particularly preachy, nor is it very joyful - it's called 'Drown' for goodness sake! However, it laments exactly what God is helping me to leave behind: self-reliance and legalism. That was me - relying on my self, relying on that which has failed me countless times, and which has never ever been successful in what I was trying to achieve (Colossians 2:21-23 explains more about this). God has revealed to me that I will never make it by my own efforts and that He is more than sufficiently able to bring me into a right relationship with Him. He is the One who is able, by the power of the Spirit living in me, to open my heart to His delights, to show me how to enjoy Him and how to adore Christ.

My mind will continue to fail me, self-reliance will continue to only make me religious (along with the feelings of guilt and bondage) but by casting my burden on the Lord, He will ensure that I do not fall (Psalm 55:22).

'Drown' is available for free (or name your price) on the album 'Dialog of the Downtrodden' by Illtripp on Illect Recordings.

Christian Hip Hop #1 @ Amazon.com

What's currently number one on Amazon.com's most downloaded Hip Hop and Rap charts? Eminem? Beastie Boys? Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa? You'da thought so wouldn't you?

Currently sitting in that number one spot is Illect Recordings' Mind The Rap Vol. 1' compilation. Not far behind it at number four is 'Mind The Rap Vol. 2'. It's also worth noting that This'l's 'Beautiful Monster' is there in third place and Lecrae's almost-year-old 'Rehab' is still on the first page at number 22. All Christian Hip Hop releases.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

- Matthew 28:18-20

The Great Commission; CHH is doing it. God is using these artists. Let's pray that with these prominent positions unbelievers will download these projects (the Illect ones are free!) and hear God's name glorified and Christ preached. Pray also that if people are touched by this music that they will seek further guidance from the Bible and Church. Pray that the Spirit of God will work in their lives.

'Mind The Rap Vol. 1' features music from Scribbling Idiots, Deepspace5, JustMe, Peace 586, Cas Metah, Sintax The Terrific, Ajax Starglider and Freddie Bruno among others.

Now, would just love to see this happen in the UK too! If you're not in the US and can't get those downloads for free then check out Illect's Bandcamp page where you can get them for 99 cents each (about 62p in the UK).

'The Blows' - DJ Kurfu & Sintax the Terrific

DJ Kurfu and Sintax the Terrific dropped their 'Prince With A Thousand Enemies' LP this week. The lyrics of the album were inspired by themes from Richard Adams' 'Watership Down' (which I have now begun to read). The album is out on Illect Recordings and can be bought from Sphere of Hip Hop and their Bandcamp page as well as all the usual places. Musically, conceptually and lyrically the album is brilliant. Here are some striking lyrics from a track called 'Blows':

He had no protest political statement

or bumper sticker campaign ticker entertainment
no marketing plan or t-shirt design
like, “Being Hebrew’s Heavenly but Jesus is Divine!”
still they called in the troops, not to keep the peace
but to kill the Prince of it, of a thousand enemies
that gathered in the courtyard to cut Him to His calloused knees
and pour upon His holy head the hate of human history
but in that misery I know He caught the eye
of Rome's lost boys now centurions despised
“I made the beautiful cow from whose side
came the rawhide strips from which your whips are tied
the fingertips that slide into an uncertain grip
like they know that it's the Maker of their narrow bones they hit
I fashioned every implement of My demise be
the timber that you cut into a cross to crucify Me
‘cause when you strike we share a sacred moment
set free with every blow ’cause My blood is your atonement”

Illect Recordings

Big up to Josh and the guys at Illect Recordings for electing me winner of a little competition they did on their Facebook page. All I had to do was tell them my favourite release from their label (which was easy because I’d only just downloaded and listened to muzeONE’s excellent ‘Cold War’ LP) and they picked me to win some free tunes.

Well, they sent me Sivion’s ‘Butterfly Sessions’, Theory Hazit’s ‘Lord Fire 2’ (don’t understand the title yet but will check it out – I’m sure it makes sense!) and Caramel Skillington’s ‘Legends of the Fall’. No doubt at some point one of these releases will inspire me to post on here.

Thanks Illect Recordings!