Hip-Hop Hymnals
Why are rappers like Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, and Kendrick Lamar finding religion?
BY FRANK GUAN
Often imitated, West now has actual disciples. Chance’s own mixtape, Coloring Book, is a match for Pablo in its holy righteousness; meanwhile the West Coast virtuoso Kendrick Lamar, who includes West among his myriad influences, explores sin and redemption on his recent albums. Listen to these three together and a striking trend emerges: Some of the most prominent and critically acclaimed artists in rap are finding religion. At first glance, this could be mistaken for a conservative shift, a retreat into otherworldly rectitude within an art form known for its realism and insolence. But these artists are also at the forefront of the ongoing revival of explicitly political hip hop—and in the context of Black Lives Matter, the religious themes in West, Chance, and Lamar take on a radical edge.
https://newrepublic.com/article/135723/hip-hop-hymnals?utm_source=New+Republic&utm_campaign=61279f778f-Daily_Newsletter_8_26_168_26_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c4ad0aba7e-61279f778f-59581889
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