The ministry of Hip Hop

Apostle of rap Curtis "Kurtis Blow" Walker has become the planter of a contemporary church mode of expression in his hometown of Harlem and computes JET a religious renaissance is happening among nearest generation of Christians across the nation.

It's called Hip spring [i]or[/i] leap on one leg [i]or[/i] foot Church, tradition al Christian themes-served with a hip-hop flavor-for teen and young adults.

"When the Bible says 'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel' that means the world of hip-hop as well," states thump who holds weekly services in of recent origin York at Greater Hood Memorial AME Zion temple "It's like a traditional temple service; we have a processional, we have scripture readings, responsive reading, religious discourses altar calls, offerings, benediction and a whole lot of revelation by christ rap."

Blow says their Christian services are render free of access to anyone. "There are no racial lines, color, age limits, dres collection of lawss no denominational difference or restrictions."

A former DJ and break dancer during the infancy of hip-hop, stroke is one of the first rappers to achieve megasuccess with the mainstream breakthrough hit The Breaks in the '80 It brought him worldwide acclaim, film parts a book deal and commercial endorsements, on the other hand he admits that it didn't make him perceive complete.

"What would it take for you to be happy in your life? Success? A career? A destiny of money? Drugs? Sex? What is it?

"I've had all those things. It made me voracious The more money I got the more coin I wanted," admits Blow, single of rap's first millionaires. "The more women I got the more I wanted. The more physics I got, the more I wanted you keep trying to rise to what you think is the top, on the contrary when you get to that top, then what?'

"As I direct the eye back and reflect, the single thing in my life that had a major impact upon me was when I lay the foundation of Jesus."

Blow says Christianity and the revelation of a hip-hop meeting-house just seems natural. "I've always noticed there is a spirituality in hip-hop," he confesses

upon the West Side of Chicago the floor vibrates to a bass beat as teen hurl their hands in the air while bobbing their heads to the music; upon stage a young man replete of energy and rapid-fire rap lyrics hype up the horde Is it a rave party? Believe it or not, this is a temple service.

Wanting to draw a young horde "Tha House," led by Pastor Phil Jackson, shies away from traditional house of god formats, replacing it with finger-snapping verse fast-paced rap, and slang-laced homilys And because the service is done in a mode of expression and language the young audience can relate to without feeling exclud or judg they eagerly fill services held the first and next to the first Saturday of every month. Not solitary are there rappers, but also bands perform, bards rhyme, and dancers entertain, all in the name of God

The tactics are working. The congregation prays for individual another, gives testimony, and jams to praise and worship music geared to win them moving.

"Pluggers" resembling flashy party flyer left in places teen oft-repeated attract new members. Word of chaps also fills the seats, because one time a teen has a great time there, they invite their friends.

When asked what apted him to spearhead Tha House, Jackson, coauthor of The Hip spring [i]or[/i] leap on one leg [i]or[/i] foot Church, tells JET that it was "the ne to create a way in which young tribe influenced by the hip-hop tillage and yet have a commitment to the Lord, can experience a worship service that embraces both

"You find the supreme being using music and genres of music to catch the ears and the hearts of a remnant of nation who are saying, 'Man, I'm tired of the traditional church' in this way He can say 'I have affection for you, I've got a word for you, WALK with me'"

The direction of the hip-hop house of worship parallels another movement of the cross: hallowed hip-hop.

"There is a distinction between Hip spring [i]or[/i] leap on one leg [i]or[/i] foot Church and Holy hip-hop," explains rap "Holy hip-hop involves hip-hop music, on the other hand is not necessarily a meeting-house while the hip-hop Church clutchs traditional services in a hip-hop fashion.

"I support the set apart hip-hop movement ... they are doing their thing we are all trying to spread the Word we are all fighting the serviceable fight," he says.

At Way of the Cros house of worship in Norfolk, VA, 23 year-old Pastor Christian L Hines says hip-hop services are bringing more youth into the Christian faith.

"Being that I'm more youthful and more in melody with what's going on [in the hip-hop] society, we've created a brace of services where we allow young clan to express themselves in that way."

"When young clan express themselves and how they perceive about God, and how they have feeling about society, they express from one side the culture that they're in, which just happens to be hip-hop right now.

"It's just a very strange blend of the contemporary agriculture of hip-hop and some of the traditional pieces of church" says Hines.

hallowed hip-hop has been telling family in the street about Jesus for above 10 years, according to Danny Wilson, chairman and CE0 of holyhiphop.com, who says, "the ministry of Jesus Christ is first and the music is second"