I don't know how well known this message is but I want to assure you it is a must see/read. I haveseen a large amount of people be saved through this message, its deep. I heard about the DVDs through a friend and since then everything has been so different in my Christian walk of faith.

Please go to http://www.exministries.com/and let me know what you think about what you read. I ordered both the dvds from the site and they were recently shown in my church. I can honestly say that the DVDs have changed my life, they are so powerfull!!Sometimes we fail to see what is right infront of our eyes. The site itself is also very powerful but to see it all for yourself is serious!

The site/dvd is all about the Hip Hop movement, and how we need to respond as Christians to it. This stuff has left holes in peoples music collections all over the place.

I would maybe suggest reading Romans 14 before reading things on the site, or watching the DVDs.

Bless

good article but some things i disagree with, there are artist such as my self that use hip hop or what i call sCRIPT HOP aS a tool for the good,

just cuz the local drug sealer owns a black pin stripe suit, and i own the sme suit doesnt make me a drug dealer does it, NO GOD forbid

his arguments againts hip hop in a negative form yes, but if its something that is positive that will inspire positive and in turn birth more positivness then thats cool i think that should be considered

That minister on some bull!!!offtopic.gif

Sleep no more, i hear what your saying about the music being used for the positive. I believe thats cool. But what the message is sayin is that Hip Hop is actually a registered religion. It's not just music. I believe that rap music can be postive, I have heard a lot of concious rap music whichin my opinionis cool. But i think what the site is getting at is that rap music and hip hop are 2 different things.

I respect your opinion though, thanks for the reply. I would be interested 2 know a bit more about your music if thats cool? Peace

It's always a fine line to walk when defending the art-form you love and pointing out the ills and negative, self-defeating issues that hold us back but it's cool to see people actually doing something about it. Hip-Hop definitely is NOT a religion in any fashion because it has no independent concept of God outside of the traditional world faiths. Most hip-hoppers are Christian and Muslim and are just as devout to their faith as anyone else. As for the negativity, the culture is split in two just like everything else in the world including ourselves- thus I take to the symbol of yin/yang. The concept of the devil is ever present on the corporate side of things because God is not the focus. Money is. But on the flipside, on the underground, the focus has always been on God and the deeper sciences, but sadly enough, you have to dig a little deeper and travel a little further for positive representation of the light of truth. But hey..that's life. The root of the Hip-Hop culture is not of the Devil but of God because it's sole purpose is to liberate/restore balance and order to an oppressed,depressed,suppressed and repressed people. The positive representatives are few in comparison to the garbage being fed24/7 through the media but we are here. Peace.

I see what you are saying there, thats quite interesting. I want you to know that I am not trying to stirr up any kind of argument here,i amjust interested in reasearching this message andviews related to it.

I read and heard a bit about Afrika Bambaataa forming the Hip Hop doctrine. Also KRS-ONE's input in the 'hip hop religion. What view have you got on these people?

Also been doing a bit of research on the 5% nation and the neo soul link, I was suprised to find out the number of commercial artists involved within this. I have also come across a few other religious links..

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/40/story_4036_1.html

The beliefs within the 5% Nation are very suprising to me as a Christian, a lot of these beliefs were being fed to me through certain artists I was listening to without me even knowing.

Do you take these views into account when listening to the music? Are there any views within these types of music that you disagree with?

Afrika Bambaataa's belief system mainly consist of Moorish Science, Islamic and Christian principles. The universal approach is most effective amongst inner-city youth because it eliminates confusion and speaks a language that they can relate to. Being as though I have been involved in different circles of faith in my spiritual travels throughout the city, my views and beliefs are similar when concerning the overall direction of the art and culture.

KRS-ONE's teachings and philosophies are mostly of Five-Percent belief system.In the last few years hehas been more involved inChristian faith and the church.He has been at the forefront of the concious movement teaching self-awareness, and God-conciousness through his lyrics and college lectures. He has been the most influential MC in all of my years of listening to rap music and being a part of the Hip-Hop culture because his overall mesage has always been positive while maintaining authenticity to the art.

The Five Percent teachings have always been present in Hip-Hop from day one, mainly because they both originated in the same general area andtheyboth cater to the inner-city youth. I have studied the Five-Percent teachings for about three years and I appreciate the contributions to the culture for opening the concious eye,but I chose not to become a Five-Percenter because I do not agree with all of the teachingsas some of the beliefs are not in alignment with my deeper beliefs of God and the governing principles in my life.My spiritualroots are grounded in Christian faithand I choose to remain there for now. There are many rap lyrics with Five-Percent influence and I think that's fine as long as it's tastefully displayed without misguiding the impressionable youthor teaching disrespect to other peoples beliefs. I believe there is enough space in the Hip-Hop community for everone to express themselves freely as long as we stay in love with God and in love witheach other. Peace.

http://www.exministries.com/

What a bogus site...how can I respond as a christian to this bogusness

The root of the Hip-Hop culture is not of the Devil but of God because it's sole purpose is to liberate/restore balance and order to an oppressed,depressed,suppressed and repressed people-

I find that statement to be true.............

and you are right JazzBaller, Hip hop and rap r 2 different things...

"Married to Music, we had 2children,... hip hop & rap are twins but still remain different"-sleep no mo "02"

when i said that i meant it, rap is more like ice cube, master p, nelly, but hip hop

is more knowdaverbs, krs-1, talib kweli, cross movement,sleepnomo, advocates of the struggle etc.

there is a difference truely, i listen topositive vibes, no cursing, no hate, just those that speak about the word, i used to listen to so so called righteous hip hop-ers and rappers (safir, rasskass, killah priest, wu-tang) but not anymore because they began to curse in their lyric and to me that wasnt pure, now

reallyi ust bump my music, or my crews music, or instrumentals that ive made, its too many spirits in the music today, that i agree with, but i believe there are some out there using HIP HOP to make a difference, over this GANGsta RAP,

Can somebody tell me how to put a tune on this site.

I will lat you listen to one tune i have forwars then backwards then you will know what i'm talking about.

Tunes can seem innocent but if you reverse it you will hear another story.

Wolves in sheeps clothing.