Looking for Yeezus
Finding meaning in hip-hop’s religious obsession
I’m a huge fan of hip-hop. I first came into contact with rap music at the impressionable age of eight, awestruck by the bravado and in-your-face attitude of such artists as Jay-Z and the Wu-Tang Clan. They just seemed to have it all — the money, the cars, the clothes, the women, and also, the jewelry. Hip-hop of the early 2000's was filled with extravagant examples of the colloquial bling, none of which was more prevalent than the “Jesus Piece.”
A gold or silver, oftentimes bejeweled, head of Christ still is the hottest accessory in hip-hop today (granting grills don’t make a comeback). So what role does the Messiah have in all this?
Hip-hop culture’s ubiquity in America has caused it to become a conduit for communication with a particular demographic — urban youth. The material-heavy flavour of modern rap music makes it a prime marketing channel for the media elite to sell whatever they choose to the masses. However if you listen closely enough,numerous allegories alluding to religious faith can be heard.
Modern rap music has taken the emotion and symbolism that exists in spirituality and translated it into a branding device to cull a greater following. Images of Christ are brandished by many artists to display themselves as a larger-than-life figure — an idol in the same light as the Messiah himself, with Kanye West being the most notable to do so. This is juxtaposed to the “life of sin” that is flaunted by most mainstream rappers who claim to be Christians, with references to adultery, substance abuse, and even murder littered across the average track. The contrast of ideals alongside the Christian faith has led to a misinterpretation and warping of religion, skewing its meaning in the eyes and ears of a young demographic.
But do any rappers really care if they’re distorting religion for future generations? Probably not. Contemporary hip-hop serves not as an advocate of religion, but as a sect squeezed between the spheres of spirituality and mass culture. Nesting itself between the two sides, the industry has taken advantage of the growing trend of empty pews and derelict churches. The rise of secularism has fueled an almost cult-like obsession among the youth with a genre critical of the church. In providing their judgement of traditional religion, West and other rappers alike have tapped into the hearts and minds of a generation impatient with God. Songs such as “No Church in the Wild” have replaced Sunday hymns for the disenchanted, and supplies a message that echoes the sentiments of millions.
In being able to connect with individuals the world over, hip-hop has built a devout following that borders on near-religious levels.
As Mr. West put it — “Is hip-hop just a euphemism for a new religion?”
