The Crossover! The Crossover Community Church story

April 3rd, 2009

The culture of hip-hop started more than 30 years ago when African-American teenagers growing up in the trash-choked streets and burned-out buildings of the South Bronx began expressing themselves through graffiti, rap music and break-dancing. In the beginning, the lifestyle focused on partying, social ills and romance, but as it moved into the mainstream, it became misogynistic, homophobic and profanity-laced praise. Hip-hop has made yet another transition from the mainstreams of profanity-laced praise into a mission of spiritual evolution.

The collaborations of religion and hip-hop goes back almost 20 years, experts say, and have been an intricate part of an even older trend of pop culture as an instrument for spiritual expression. Rock-inspired religious services abound, such as the “U2 Eucharist,” a fusion of Episcopalian liturgy and the music of Irish rock band U2. Then there is Dharma Punx, Bhuddism inspired by punk rock and Judaism emboldened by rap.

According to industry experts, in the last 10 years, holy hip-hop has spread as more young people pour into churches, log onto related Web sites and snap up Christian rap CDs.

Advocates of the movement are rushing to meet the demand. Kurtis Blow, who shot to fame as the first rapper to release an album for a major label in 1980, spends his Thursday evenings rapping and spinning turntables at the Greater Hood Memorial AME Zion Church in Harlem. Blow, 46, who is studying to be a pastor, has helped launch at least five hip-hop churches.

And in Freeport, the Rev. Emanuel Felder, 38, pastor of Felder Ministries, perhaps the only hip-hop church on Long Island, is looking to open other churches in Chicago and Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and launch a record label.

When in Atlanta, Brand Newz host and lead anchor, Christopher Martin, better known as Play of the rap duo Kid ‘n Play, and partner Eddie Velez juggle several budding holy hip-hop enterprises, including a local television and radio show, and a Web site titled holyhiphop.com.

Martin, who also has produced “Holy Hip Hop,” a DVD documenting the rise of holy hip-hop, spends most of his time traveling across the country lecturing teenagers about education. Martin and Velez also have compiled holy hip-hop CDs of various artists that are distributed under the EMI Gospel label and sponsor an annual awards show. Martin, who also starred in the “House Party” movies, acknowledged that his new life is far less lucrative but much more fulfilling. “It’s not about the money,” said Martin. “It’s about spreading the word.” But not everybody is fond of the way the “word” is being spread.

“The hip-hop culture in its origin is demonic,” according to the Web site of the Rev. G. Craige Lewis, founder of Ex Ministries in Fort Worth, Texas. “And its foundation is set upon a doctrine that is contrary to the Word of God.”

Lewis has produced more than a half dozen CDs and DVDs on the ills of hip-hop, and he criss-crosses the country speaking at churches, colleges and civic centers. Last month, he spoke at Oneness Pentecostal Tabernacle Church in St. Albans, which “was a real eye opener,” said the Rev. Lincoln Graham, 39.

More noted hip-hop sanctuaries include the Greater Hood Memorial AME Zion Church in Harlem that’s founded by the Rev. Stephen Pogue and hop-hop pioneer Kurtis Blow, the Crossover Community Church located in Tampa, Florida established by Tommy Kyllonen AKA Urban D, the City of Refuge in Memphis, Tennessee created by Mr. Del, formerly of Three6 Mafia and Felder Ministries of Freeport, Long Island started y the Rev. Emanuel Felder.

Even with the overwhelming signs of success some Christians feel Christian hip-hop is not the answer because it “seems like a shallow take on Christianity,” you be the judge!

Portions of this article was retrived from newsday.com

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