By shelz.

Hip-Hop and religion have had a close albeit contradictory relationship for a very long time. Jesus pieces dangle from platinum chains as the mic controllers stalk the stage screaming “Murda!” Albums full of profanity and tales of sinful acts play host to an out-of-place gospel track.  Religious symbolism serves as cover art only to be marred by that pesky parental advisory sticker and artists win awards for songs that relate the drudgery of the pimp trade and rush to the podium to thank Jesus. This schism is wide and full of confused fans that watch incredulously and say, “Is he serious?”

If you really think about it though, it’s not that hard to believe.  It also becomes obvious that the fans have a hand in creating that duality. David Banner once said that much of Hip-Hop isn’t to be taken literally; that  it’s full of metaphor and hyperbole but the words housed within those literary constructs are still rooted in the hood experience. That experienceis full of divergent elements that can produce a person who is both sinner and saint.  There are crack houses within steps of churches and you can find some of the same people in both.

Young men are raised by God-fearing mothers, but don’t find Jesus until they get to the penitentiary. It’s a quagmire of entangled understandings, both good and bad. However, some of us believe if a rapper speaks on it, it cements him as wicked and he isn’t allowed a relationship with a higher power.  That’s an ass backwards way of thinking.

It’s especially hypocritical if you are a fan of the music, because normally it’s not the lyricism that is the point of contention. When Hollow Point Harry accepts his platinum plaque for N***a I’ll Kill You and Yo Momma Too – The Remix, you applaud his grind, but you have disdain for his claimed connection to his creator.  You own Harry’s catalogue.  You recite his lyrics, but you are worthy of a divine connection while he isn’t? It’s not until he mentions spirituality that the problem rears its ugly head. All that other shoot ’em up fodder was okay though.

That battle of good vs. evil exists in all of us.  It’s a universal concept that keeps us all walking the tight rope between right and wrong and sending a plea to the heavens when we veer too far into immorality. It allowed us to accept ‘Pac screaming to the lord that he was a soldier prior to warning bustas to run because he was pulling out the guns. It allowed us to understand how Ja Rule could have “One of Us” and “Fuck You” co-existing on the same album peacefully. It also should have allowed us to understand Nelly’s complexities as he prayed for his sister’s life fresh off his “Tip Drill” video.

Given, there are probably some posers who simply say Jesus is their homeboy out of pre-programmed Hip-Hop ritual instead of true belief.  At the other end of the spectrum you have artists like Mr. Del from Three 6 Mafia who have done a complete 180 from raps glorifying urban turmoil to full on gospel Hip-Hop. However, the majority sit somewhere between praising the Lord and passing the ammunition.  Just like its possible for you to fall off the spiritual bandwagon over and over again just to dust yourself off in time for Sunday service, it’s possible for them too.

That connection between Hip-Hop and spirituality isn’t going anywhere, so maybe we should dismiss the judgment. Most of us are products of urban environments that provided as much bad for us to absorb as they did good.  Hollow Point Harry is no different.  So as he works out the kinks of the yin and yang of his existence through his music, take solace on the fact that he does have some sort of relationship with his creator.  It’s frightening to imagine what he would be rapping about if he didn’t.

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