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The Strange Phenomenon of White Middle-Aged Pastors Listening to Rap Music
- 01/20/11
- 63
There’s a strange phenomenon in the Christian world right now: middle-aged white pastors are talking about rap music and, even more strangely, actually listening to it and recommending it. Suddenly 65-year-old pastors who wear plaid jackets are interviewing dudes who wear their hats all funny and say things in their songs like, “They got ya head bobbin’ til ya lose ya necklace.” This may not be a long-lived phenomenon, but while it lasts, I thought it would be interesting to reflect on what exactly is going on here. (Update: You may also be interested in The Middle-Aged White Guy’s Guide to Christian Rap.)
Why are all these middle-aged white guys suddenly all excited about Christian rap music? Why is it that I am going to pastor’s conferences and hearing these guys talk about Flame and Trip Lee and Lecrae and Shai Linne?
Here are five factors I came up with.
The Copycat Factor
Not too many white middle-aged pastors were listening to any of this rap music before some of the prominent Reformed personalities began to endorse it. Then these rappers began to perform during worship services at big churches, they began to appear at the Reformed conferences, they were invited to sell their wares at the major events. There is definitely a bit of a copycat factor at play in which people are responding to a guy like John Piper and thinking, “If Piper likes him, he must be good.” Not that this copycat factor is in any way unusual when we observe a new phenomenon. When the leaders begin to endorse it, the rest of us tend to follow.
The Novelty Factor
For a lot of people there is a level of surprise and delight in discovering that there is such a thing as good Christian rap music. We’ve come a long way from D.C. Talk and “I love rap music / I always have and I always will / There ain’t no other kinda music in the world / That makes me feel quite as chill.” Today we are seeing a lot of artists who are releasing rap music that is theologically-rich, easily as much so as any other form of music, and that is also enjoyable to listen to. And so a lot of these white middle-aged guys are enjoying the surprise and the fun of exploring rap music, of listening to different kinds, of trying to figure out what it’s all about. For most of them, this is an entirely new genre—a whole new world ready to be explored.
The Cool Factor
Let’s face it—middle-aged white guys don’t know a whole lot about being cool. White middle-aged culture is not very hip (or hip-hop, for that). But rap music and the people who make that music, well, they are definitely cool. That’s the gimmick at the heart of this way-popular commerical from Toyota:
So I think some of these guys are enjoying something that they consider cool, something that is hip and fun and otherwise validating. I’m not cool at all; Lecrae is ridiculously cool; listening to his music allows some of that coolness to transfer to me.
The Depth Factor
I remember an old friend who used to tease me about the rock music I listened to, saying that every song is the same: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, done. Of course she listened to new country which really isn’t any different, but never mind that. One thing we find in rap music is that the word count tends to be much, much higher than in the average pop or rock or country song. Many of these rap songs have word counts in the hundreds. That kind of word count allows a kind of theological depth and engagement that simply cannot be squeezed into two verses a chorus and a bridge. And in this way a lot of these rappers are leading their listeners into deep theological waters. Many of them are theologically-Reformed, New Calvinists who are reading the same authors as these middle-aged pastors and responding to it within this very different medium.
The Quality Factor
Let’s face it: some of these Christians rappers are really good. So amidst all of the other factors, we cannot lose sight of this one—much of the rap music these middle-aged white guys are listening to is actually objectively good. Yes, it’s rap music; yes, it’s unexpected. But at the end of it all, it’s just plain good. And it’s always a joy to listen to music that combines high-quality music with high-quality lyrics. There is a lot of Christian rap that does just that.
And here is just one example (this is the non-official version of the video but it includes the lyrics which you’ll probably need…especially if you’re white and middle-aged):
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
Releasing on April 1, The Next
Published in 2008, this book
This is a guide that calls men,
This review of the bestselling
New to the site? You can get
This is a guide written
Comments (63)
I just want to say that it’s AWESOME that you think a 65-year-old man is middle-aged. I’m 64 and my wife is 54, and we’re definitely not old.
First I loved the article. It is definitely on point and addresses a key issue of (indirectly sort of) how do churches today reach the youth of today?
Having read many of the comments there are some who think that Christian rap music has no place. To that I disagree. I’ve seen students whose lives are changed by this genre of music. This is not to exclude rock, alternative, indie and others because I listen to them all…with the exception of southern gospel. Some concern themselves with the beat of the music. I used to do the same until the lyrics drew me in. Some time ago I started doing my own bible studies using just the lyrics to these songs (because some of the guys speak so fast I have no idea what they are saying) and it has been amazing. Rap music isn’t meant to replace praise and worship but to serve as a form of ministry. Consider ReachRecords 13 Letters ministry materials.
I feel that if we are to share the word we’ve got to do what we can to reach people who aren’t listening in these other venues or who are not even coming to church because it’s “outdated.” J. Tucker (a commenter) made a note that the picture of Lecrae doesn’t look any different than if a secular artist had been sitting there. And to that I say they are correct. However, I’d go on to say how many non-Christians do you look at from day to day that you can tell just by the clothes they wear, and where they live that that is what they believe? You can tell who the people of God are by how they lead their lives. Do they produce any fruit….? Must I dress a certain way that it may please you? No, not at all. But I do see a form of holiness when I look at Lecrae’s picture. A picture of purity? How? Because he is created by God, and Lecrae is His child as evidenced by the fruit he produces.
The origins of music are far reaching and beyond my scope of immediate knowledge until I decide to do a google search. But this I do know the origins of rap are miles away from the deplorable mess that you see today. Many of the older rappers such as Ice-T and Ice Cube agree that rap today isn’t to be a reflection of what it was first created to be which was the rawest form of expression not afforded to other genres of music. Besides you cannot denounce rap without throwing in every other genre (almost, classical exempts being in the spotlight).
Cool. Some are getting caught up on this word and what it means. Yeah, Lecrae, Piper, Mark Driscoll and a score of others are cool. Jesus is cool too. He’s my homeboy. We get down in the morning, through the day and the evening because we’re cool like that. You dig? I wouldn’t have it any other way. What you may ask is what level of cool is Jesus compared to these others dudes? Oh, shoot, He’s on a plane all His own. Trip Lee “Superstar” is a reflection of that.
If you don’t believe that this genre of music is legit or viable then I would say either A)Pray that God would provide our praise/worship/ministry leaders with direction for the music we listen to B)Talk with the wo/men who engage in Christian rap about the potential err of their ways or C)both. The Church needs a reformation to bring God’s people back to Him by allowing the Holy Spirit to move and that cannot be done by simply pointing fingers and saying “No, I don’t like this.” I’m not saying all Christian rap is great because there are some artists who use previous lyrics/beats from secular artists and simply change the words and call it “blessed.” To these particular artists I disagree with their methods of reaching out because it is clothed in the world.
That’s the word.
J. Tucker,
I agree wholeheartedly with what you have expressed. Wish more would contemplate the deeper meaning of “cool” and “hip” in relation to the Gospel. The Gospel is not cool nor hip.
Berean Wife
J. Tucker,I agree with you have said.
There were a few points that my pastor mentioned in this morning’s sermon:
We need to be TRANSFORMED, not reformed. Reformation is what man does, transformation is what God does! Reformation makes no difference until you are transformed.
Christianity and Christian living is impractical or ‘uncool’ only for those who do not give themselves to the study of the word of God.
Interesting article.
Hadn’t heard Lecrae until the link you provided.
Really good message and music.
As soon as I became a believer about 9 years ago as a freshman in college, and could no longer justify listening to Eminem “for the beats”, some friends of mine showed me Cross Movement. From there, it was on to Ambassador, Flame, Lecrae, Trip Lee, and Da Truth. Over the years, I can mark my walk with certain songs that helped define a season for me.
The way they fit an entire sermon’s worth (or 2!) of truth into one song astounds and encourages me. Rap lyrics have a certain tendency to get stuck in your head unlike any other genre of music and they’re music has helped me “meditate day and night” on the truths that bring life to my soul.
I’m now a “worker” in East Asia and I use these “phat beats” to get people’s attention here (of course, they don’t understand what’s being said) and then I ask them if they’d like a translation. Boom, witnessing to some guy who never had previously heard of Jesus. God is so good! All that said, PTL for these poets over beats who God has taken to use for His purposes.
Thanks for your words of wisdom. I could not have said it better myself. I believe that the Church has capitulated to the conditioning of the World and the political Left by endorsing primitive African cultural norms. In modern American society it is almost forbidden for European-Americans to appreciate their own people’s culture, history and music, so some embrace African-American music and mannerisms in order to “fit in” (conform) with the surrounding decadent society. Resist this corrosive influence.
“Jesus is not your therapist.Jesus is not your coach.Jesus is not your guru, your self-help manager.He is the King of Kings,The Lord of Lords,The Saviour, the Redeemer,The Lion of Judah,The Prince of Peace, the Logos,The Alpha and Omega,The One Who Is, Who Was and Is to come.Jesus is NOT your homeboy.”(Al Mohler)
And this comment exemplifies one of things that’s completely wrong with this obsession with being cool and relevant by the evangelical church today:”I feel that if we are to share the word we’ve got to do what we can to reach people who aren’t listening in these other venues or who are not even coming to church because it’s “outdated.”
E.
I wonder, does the rapper pictured embrace the idea of using graffiti, which is considered an illegal defacing of property? Why is he sitting on a garbage can? What does he want me to understand about him and his beliefs about God from this picture? It appears to me, based on the picture, which is worth a thousand words, that he is no different from any other secular rapper out there.
Or maybe that’s what it looks like in his neighborhood, but let’s just assume the worst, right? You don’t get out of the suburbs much do you?
@Roland,I don’t think you comprehend the depth of err in the words you’ve said. Your use of words such as “modern” and “primitive” invites visions of superiority which is foolish at best. There is only One who is superior deserves praise for the creation of ALL things including the various ethnic groups. Perhaps, it is you who lives in a “primitive” society because you’ve failed to realize that musical influences of all types (Asian, Hispanic, European, African, Natural) today don’t stem from one part of the world but is pulled from every continent and yes that includes Antarctica. If the place of origin for various melodies deters you from wanting to listen then feel free to listen to what you will in the purest form that you believe you can find it. As for me, I’ll continue listening to the “corrosive influence” of Christian rap so that it can tear away at the sins in my life through the power of ministry as I strive to live my life as a testament to the God I serve who welcomes all forms of praise and worship which truly seek to glorify His name.
You are misappropriating Mohler’s words here, because Al Mohler supports Christian rap music. Perhaps you falsely concluded that Mohler does not because of the term “homeboy”?
Pastor Randall I enjoyed reading your take on the rap music scene. As a 60 year old grandmother with a “middle age son that is a pastor that likes rap” ,and nine pre-teen grandchildren,I want to be aware of what they are listening to and consider “cool”. If it honors Christ I like it!I tell them to let that be their guide and if Lecrae or any other rap lifts up Jesus(and they can understand the lyrics) it is fine by me! And to keep in mind “we are all born originals but die copies”. When we follow Christ and not the crowd,now that is really cool!
#61 - Job,I did not misappropriate Mohler’s words. His words are neither defending or condoning rap music. I take offense at the fact that people think Jesus is their homeboy.E.