There's something powerful about tracing the roots of the music that shaped us. As someone embarking on this spiritual excursion through the deck of music history, I invite you to join me as we navigate these waters together—one post at a time, guided by the Holy Spirit.
I've recently been diving into Pastor G. Craig Lewis's work from over a decade ago, where he explored the spiritual underpinnings of hip-hop. I'm not following any particular order with these discoveries—just allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me one clip at a time, for "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105, KJV).
The first stop on this journey? "The African Water Spirits Behind Hip-Hop." What struck me immediately was the correlation between today's growing fascination with African spirituality and what appears to be a hunger among many in the Black community—even among Black Christians—to connect with ancestral spiritual practices.
There's a narrative suggesting Christianity is "the white man's religion"—a tool of oppression rather than liberation. This contradicts the truth that "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28, KJV). We must remember to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV).
What's fascinating is how these seeds weren't planted yesterday. They've been taking root for generations—in our parents' and grandparents' hearts and minds.
Scripture warns, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8, KJV).
I'm inviting you to check out this clip yourself and see what connections the Holy Spirit reveals to you. This exploration matters because "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12, KJV).
For those of us rooted in Christ, this journey is essential. We need to understand these currents to engage thoughtfully with our culture, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15, KJV).
Just one suggestion: watch the video first before commenting, for "He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit" (Proverbs 17:27, KJV).
What spiritual influences has the Holy Spirit helped you discern in the music that shaped you?
Theres a lot of depth to this teaching, but it is given not to the fearful in the faith but to those who will travail in the spirit to set Gods people free! tho many may be ignorant of the devils devices it is a reality that tho there are territorial demons over cities and countries, there also over and under the waters as well !!thks locked!!
that struck me as well! The fact that ancestral worship was being planted in with the seeds of hip-hop the entire time nowadays you have so many people turning to ancestral worship the enemy is very sneaky