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.

Beats, Rhymes & Christ: 'Goodnight' ft. Rigz & Wize - Wit and Dre Murray

"The question is: Will I ever make it? 

The answer is: I already have, 

Having a picnic at the top of a skyscraper, 

I took the elevator. 

I'll let you do the math... 

Everyday was dark, I pursued night, 

The forecast said tomorrow wasn't too bright. 

I asked God for a new life, 

I saw my life rise to a new height, 

It's no hype, close your eyes and receive sight. 

Goodnight."

I heard this whilst riding my bike and didn't get to check the track name, so after listening through everything that was on my phone's memory card I managed to find it.

These lyrics really struck a chord with me. You see, I've recently been awakened to some realities; some truths. I've recently been made free; I've been liberated from legalism, or am at least in the process of being released. My next few blog posts are probably going to revolve around this because this is a huge revelation in my life. 

For far too long I've been a slave to box-ticking; to a works-based religion. My idol has been an imitation relationship with the Triune God - one which makes me read books, listen to sermons, partake in (and even lead) bible studies, read the bible with only one real outcome: knowledge. I've had a knowledge which hasn't changed me, which hasn't made me love Christ and which hasn't made me enjoy God and it's been draining. I am free and I am thankful!

So, going back to the lyrics quoted at the outset...

My thoughts immediately on hearing them were: "Stop trying to climb the stairs, and get in the elevator (or lift as we Brits call them)". For too long I've been trying to get to the top of the skyscraper by toiling up the stairs and never seeming to get anywhere. Now I'm in the elevator going up; it's not by my power, it's not what I've done or what I'm doing - it is the power of the Holy Spirit in me, opening my eyes to who the Father is, and what the Son has done for me and enabling me to react joyfully.

It's been so hard, but in the end I just had to ask God for a new life, and I'm seeing my life rise to a new height - I am taking the elevator.

Beats, Rhymes & Christ: 4 New Album Reviews

Had a holiday recently and had a chance to write a few reviews - three in fact. Check out my reviews of Wes Pendleton's 'Nebulous', Swoope's 'Wake Up' and Beautiful Eulogy's 'Satellite Kite'. Oh, and a while back I reviewed Cas Metah and Wonder Brown's 'The Darke Bros.' and didn't blog about it.

Here are few excerpts:

From my 'Satellite Kite' review:

Lyrically this album is outstanding – the content is this album’s absolute strength. The inclusion of all the prose-like lyrics in the digital booklet gives you that old-fashioned listening experience and the lyrics read very well and make for great material for meditation. There are tons of quotables on this release, so here are just a few so you get the picture: “Make you logically stop and think doxologically cause honestly a little bit of music and theology never really hurt anybody”

From my 'Nebulous' review:

From the off, it’s difficult to categorize what sort of release Nebulous is. Is it an album? No, too short (17 and a bit minutes) and it’s blended. Is it an EP? Could be, but then it contains a lot of found sounds. Must be a mixtape then? Not that either; it’s all original beats. This new approach to releasing music is testament to the artist’s creativity – this release is an audio scrap book containing fragments of inspiring music, sounds, verses, collaborations and beats.

From my 'Wake Up' review:

“Blind Eyes (The Good American)” – a track that will really impress with its (fairly shocking and stark) message and challenge. It’s that challenge too that perhaps will leave the most lasting memory as few artists truly manage to convict their listeners of their own, and their culture’s shortcomings.

Check the links to Sphere of Hip Hop in the first paragraph and check the whole write-ups.

Beats, Rhymes & Christ: 'Give It Up' - Stephen the Levite

Stephen The Levite recently dropped his 'The Last Missionary' album and I had enough faith in its quality to pre-order it. I've not had as many chances as I'd have liked to listen to it yet (life is busy) but my opinion of it so far is very positive. 

 The single from the LP is 'Give It Up', which is a track that really challenged and encouraged me to try to truly "give it up". The song particularly focuses on married life as well as church life; themes which are very strong throughout the album. I find tracks like this really helpful in the way I view the constant business of life as a husband, father, church member and teacher. In the past tracks like 'Fathers' by theBREAX, 'Domesticated' by Ruslan and 'Step It Up' by Braille - tracks by artists who are in a similar stage of life to me - have done the same as 'Give It Up' does for me now.

Stephen The Levite has written about the song and included the lyrics in a post over at his blog - click here to read it. 

Go to the Lampmode Bandcamp site to hear and buy the album and the single.

Beats, Rhymes & Christ: KJ52 - 'They Like Me' ft. Lecrae

Not my usual cup of tea, but I'm loving these lyrics from Lecrae explaining, with much panache, why race doesn't matter when it comes to the need of salvation:

"I don’t do black music, I don’t do white music,
I do fight music, unified in Christ music,
Lets get right to it, hear the music write to it,
From the context of a black kid fighting through it,
Some folks said it was worldly; it was too good,
Some folks was scared of it; it was too hood.
So I took it to the places who would embrace it,
And sometimes believe it or not it was white faces.
Am I a sellout assimilating what’s in my head?
No I am cyclops homie 'cause all I see is red;
People covered in the blood are my fam,
And we don’t just relate we all related through the Lamb,
My family tree is a lower case 't',
And we are all the same cause you need him like me,
We different but the same and it’s likely,
They just like me that’s probably why they like me"

I also likes the fact that he addresses his haters with the 5th and 6th lines - he's got a point.

Beats, Rhymes & Christ: 'Slave Trade' - J. Miles (of iSix:5) (EP Review)

I picked up on iSix:5 after Shai Linne tweeted about them – enough of a cosign for me. Shai’s recommendation didn’t disappoint as the group’s music is rich in hermeneutical, theological exegesis of the bible.

On ‘Slave Trade’ iSix:5 member J. Miles continues in the group’s groove as he explores biblical ideas of slavery. The EP’s concept is adhered to closely throughout its 7 tracks and the project avoids the pitfall of becoming repetitive. Whilst the title may conjure up thoughts of civil rights movements, parliamentary reform and ongoing worldwide oppression, the material here delves beyond things of this world into the spiritual realm – everyone is a slave to one thing or another, when one stops being a slave to sin, they become a slave to Christ – a trade takes place. Romans chapter 6 presents the grounding for the teaching of J. Miles and his ‘Slave Trade’ EP:

“Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey —whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

Closely linked to the concept of slavery is that of adoption. ‘Adoption’ (featuring Barabbas Da Rebel and J. Paul) explains very adeptly how the first readers of the letter to the Romans would have understood the concept of slavery and sonship. J. Miles and Barabbas present a concise history lessons on Roman citizenship and in the process they explain how these words in Romans 8:15 apply to us:

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

‘Identical Strangers’ starkly discusses sin and atonement before the summery beat of ‘Keep Your Heart’ (featuring Omri) catches the listener’s ear with its conversation on guarding one’s heart – the fact that J. Miles uses his last verse as an opportunity to reference scripture verses is heartening – here is a rapper striving to be faithful to God’s word, encouraging his listeners follow in the footsteps of the Bereans by testing what he is saying by scripture.

‘Love Letters’ (featuring Leah Smith) is a beautiful track which explains to 3 people (one being J. Miles’ then unborn son) that Jesus loves them and wants to make them new. ‘Kill It For His Glory’ (featuring JG) is a great last song as it encourages us, as slaves to righteousness, to do a good job of it. ‘Why?’ is a spoken word piece which draws together the ideas presented on the EP using scripture; J. Miles explains the gospel clearly and simply without watering down the message.

For what it’s worth, I will continue to champion music of this caliber. As my pastor explained this week, Hip Hop has the potential to convey a great many truths as it is a culture which revolves around using many words to convey meaning – this is why music such as J. Mile’s ‘Slave Trade’ EP must be made and why it should be heard.

Visit the iSix:5 website for more information.

Follow J. Miles on Twitter

Get Slave Trade on iTunes

Beats, Rhymes & Christ: 'Sinderblock' - Sev Statik & Vinylcologist (EP review)

Another review from yours truly:

"There’s depth to the production and depth to the vocals. Maybe it’s the still-scratchy, warm and familiar-sounding samples of guitar riffs, organ loops and funk breaks. Maybe it’s the un-Boom Bap drum rhythm of the “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” sample on lead single “Right and Exact.” Maybe it’s Sev’s instantly-likeable tone and precise but laid back flow. Maybe it’s the Beastie Boys vocal samples on “Represent ‘Chall.” I don’t know what it is, but in a short space of time Sev Statik takes things way beyond the shallows, wading through layers of pure Hip Hop components."

Go to SOHH.com for the full review.

Go to Sev Statik's Bandcamp page for the free download!