LETTER: Rap music has no place in the church

Dear Editor: I am baffled by the decision of Church authorities in England and Wales to have a  rap song serve as the “Youth Anthem” during   the papal visit to the UK this month.

Pope Benedict XVI has previously described pop music as the cult of the banal. He has also stated that rock music “is a form of worship…in opposition to Christian worship.”

Rap music has a beat with a downward deflection that is condescending in nature. It contains essential rhythmic elements of bragging (braggadocio), ritualized insult and toasting oneself. Rap was largely influenced by Rock ’n Roll (slang for sex) and has  developed into trends of violence and gratuitous sex.

Putting  Christian lyrics to such profane music does not make that music “Christian”. Plain and simply this is in-culturation gone haywire.

With respectful and cordial best wishes, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Paul Kokoski

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23 Comments

  1. Anonymous
    September 10, 2010

    you must not have been listening to brian pumper she aint satsfied

  2. Jeremiah
    September 10, 2010

    oh yea….one other thing Paul…I JUST CHECKED OUT THE PROMO VIDEO…man its SENSATIONAL…not satanical you freak show…what God do you worship…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUsmy7bMoBg

  3. Jeremiah
    September 10, 2010

    Hey Paul…take some deep breathes man…get some oxygen to the brain…To use the Pope’s voice in a hip-hop rap song is not as incongruous as you say. The raptures of the Old Testament prophets inspiring the anger and vitriol of their utterances make modern rappers like emenem look like tame pussy cats! Heart’s Cry (the papal rap track) was written in this tradition. It speaks against the violence and human destitution that follow in the wake of the advance of a secular scientific culture. Listen to the lyrics dude ( http://www.ooberfuse.com/heartscrylyrics.cfm ). The song appeals to the power of Love as the only force able to transform human devastation and to restore creation to its former glory (‘broken wings she will repair…’). Are you crazy…where is the devil in this…muppet!!
    The song is not an example of aggiornamiento ie making the Christian message relevant to today and in the process compromising it. Rather it is an example of resourcement ie going back again to the sources of the Christian tradition in order to refresh its contemporary forms. The source Heart’s Cry returns to is the rapture of the Prophets who, touched by the spirit of God, were sensitised to the apostasy/godlessness of their generation. It was the sight of the damage done when people turn a deaf ear to the call of God that fuelled their vitriolic rage and prophetic utterances.
    If being a traditionalist means connecting once again with the sources of the Christian tradition then it is not so surprising that Pope Benedict, a traditionalist, has chosen hip-hop and rap to reach out to younger generations. Instead of popping rhymes beneath Lebanese Cedar trees (like the OT prophets) ooberfuse featuring Pope Benedict will be doing their thing beneath London Sycamore trees in Hyde Park next week! I hope ooberfuse have a keyboard set up on stage for Il Papa the Rappa should the homey from Romey decide to accompany them in their performance. GOOD LUCK GUYS…pray for Paul’s conversion!!!

  4. keston williams aka madd handles
    September 10, 2010

    pure ignorance……. keep living under mental slavery stilll
    dont forget religion was built on ignorance ……..lol

  5. September 10, 2010

    Paul Kokoski is a human being, and as human beings we will not always see eye to eye. I have not always agreed with the content of some of his letters, but this letter has a great point which even he, himself, was unable to express to make his message unique.

    For that reason we are all responding with positive or negative comments in regards to “RAP MUSIC”, not focusing on the message of rap music in the Church, which Paul tried to communicate to us. For me, people have the right to demonstrate whatever the attitude or conduct they desire to demonstrate as long as whatever they say and do will not affect my Life and my relationship with God.

    Someone said that music is LIFE! I agree with that person, and I add that Life is Love and Love is of God. But is it true that a rapper is expressing music, which is Life in the stature of Love, which is of God? Has anyone watched the movie called the Sound of Music? And if you have, can you compare this substance of Music with the thing that rappers perform or record?

    Does anyone remember, in the mid 1980’s, when singers and musicians of the USA came together and performed a song for the benefit of the poor children of the world. Can rappers come together and present lyrics and music like that?

    Someone said that RAP IS THE MOST POWERFUL WAY OF BRINGING OUT A MESSAGE. But what is the message? Is it a message encouraging the traits of Love, to build Life, in words, thoughts, and deed? And if so, why are so many of our young men killing each other, living a life of senseless crime, and believe that they cannot live without the intake and influence of drugs, alcohol, and sexual passion?

    The majority of young people are a generation who fail to strive for growth and development in Life. They want to get rich and famous overnight, so they have no patience to go through the process that involves getting rich and famous, such as a good education, hard work, and intense dedication and consistency..

    And so they maintain the attitudes of anger, frustration, disappointment, confusion, envy, jealousy, and most of all, self-pity, and they turn against everyone in their community, society, or surroundings. That is the basic message in the contents of most rappers.

    I am not talking from out of the blue. My son is a rapper. He has been going around with the vision of becoming a successful rapper since he was 16 years old. Today he is 29 years old and nothing has happened. Why? Because he never learned to maintain the qualities that is needed to become a successful, whatever he desired to be successful with. The saddest part is that he grew up surrounded by all sorts of privileges, with a government that goes all the way out to make sure that their young men of today will develop to become the leaders of tomorrow.

    I have read some of the themes of rap which my son composed. The message is exactly what I mentioned above, and it is seen in all of his attitude and conducts as well. I know that God has protected him from the influence or harm of his companions because of my intercession on his behalf, because I still love him. Unfortunately many others like him has no one to care for them, much more to pray to God on their behalf. We hear or witness what is happening to most of these young people.

    And what does the Church have to do with this? I say everything. The Church is a body of people, who comes together to worship God, in Spirit and in Truth, as we recognize ourselves as One Body, and Jesus is the head of that Body. I doubt that any young person who is a rapper has an awareness of this fact.

    The person named SWITTY left a list of rappers’ production. I am asking the rest of us to look at the titles of that list, and tell me, does any of these productions have anything do with God?

    God’s Holy Spirit inspires music in the Church. Mostly all of the Psalms are lyrics of music, played by David and some of those other writers of the Psalms. We sing quite a few of them in the church. Can a rapper also use the words of the Psalms to rap in the church? I doubt it, for those things are foolishness to their carnal minds. Most of them want nothing to do with the Holy Bible.

    As human beings we are in this world to give God the glory. And God is expecting to receive glory from everyone whom He created, not just the group of Roman Catholics, or Pentecostal, or Baptise, or Hindus, or Muslims. The church house is one of the best places that we can gather to present ourselves to God, that He might accept us as a Living Sacrifice. That is the way we give Him glory, by faith. Unfortunately, God has said that “these people worship me with their mouth, but their heart is far away from me”. Matthew 15: 8.

    Unless a rapper can present his performance of rhymes and tempo with a message of adoration, confession, lament, intercession, and supplication to God, in and with the church, his presentation is just another offer of vanity. It will do nothing to cause God to accept his worship and return the blessings of Love to him..

    I agree with the person named “COME ON” who said our goal in life is all about self-gratification. The same goes for the church, regardless of the denomination.

    If we cannot enter the church house without an approach that creates a loud impression on others , whether it is in our manner of dress, our singing, our praying, or our preaching, being there has no meaning to us. Why? Because we fail to focus on the reason we are in church, which is to worship God with the mind of the Spirit, not our human mind.

    The idea of entertainment is the only reason that particular church is allowing rappers to perform in their church house. Because I truly believe that a young person who is sensitive to the presence of God in his life would not desire to rap to Him.

    As far as I am concerned, rap is not music. Music is an art that demands people use musical instruments to perform the art. The ability to sing is not the same as the ability to make music. But rappers are not even singing, they are just performing a rhyme with a matching or dancing tempo. The sad thing is that too many people have no respect for God, much more for the Pope, who is a human being like themselves.

    But the things of the world is passing away, including spiritual gifts such as singing in whatever pattern–rap, hip hop, rock and roll, reggae, and so on. Our ability to pray, teach, preach and all those other gifts we have today will be of no use to us in the coming age. The apostle tells us that the only gift that will last forever is faith, hope, and Love. But Love rules the other two, 1st. Corinthians 13.

    Jesus lived in this world, but He never claimed to belong to it. He told the religious leaders and other men of authority: “My Kingdom is not of this world”. John 18

    He told us, who are born of our human parents, that unless we are reborn of Life in Spirit and Truth, we will never see the Kingdom of God. John 3

    Jesus would like the rest of us, regardless of who we are, to think about Life in the same way–to live in this world but not to belong to it. John 17

    I suggest that we begin to realize that unless the life we live gives adoration, honor, praise, glory, and reverend fear to God, this life is pure vanity and futility.

  6. HIP HOP TO THE WERL!!
    September 9, 2010

    Rap was largely influenced by Rock ’n Roll?? lmao Hip hop came from funk and disco music. which most cases are happy dance music. Pure Drums and base. Lol at the writer. Small minded.

  7. LCM
    September 9, 2010

    I will not say much cause many of you have shared my sentiments.
    However, here is my insight

    I am amused to see that people like Paul Kokoski stil have that mentality.

    I do not listen to Rap with profanity and disrespect but music is a gift from God and any music should be use to give him praise.

    Remember the African drums and most non European instruments were once considered unfit for Church until one of the Vatican councils changed that.

    Would you ban the use of the television and internet to preach the word of God because it is used for porn and other malicious acts?

    Lets get with the program.

  8. Yes I
    September 9, 2010

    @come on: VERY WELL PUT. Young people have been coming to church before rap music ever existed.

  9. Music
    September 9, 2010

    Rap is music too and MUSIC IS LIFE. No matter what rap beat, as long as the message delivered on that beat is constructive it will produce positive vibes.

  10. Kanpeche
    September 9, 2010

    @Anonymous:

    With all due respect, if you are black, and born out of slavery, you can’t agree with Paul. Religion played a vital role in your enslavement. Read your history. I disagree with many rap songs, because of their lyrical content. However, I am not going to discard the musical genre, because it is just another evolutionary branch of our musical legacy. From Blues to Rock n’ Roll to Jazz to cadence to Soca to rap…they are all intertwined. They are all part of the fabric of our music.

  11. come on
    September 9, 2010

    if you have to change to bring the young ppl in the church then you have to change to keep them there, rap music will not bring or keep them there it is the conviction from God that will. all these things that we are doing, songs that we are making in the name of God is nothing but another means of self gratification. nothing more nothing less. as children of God we are called to be seperate frm the world, but instead we are now bringing the world into the church.

  12. Kanpeche
    September 9, 2010

    Guys, Paul writes his crap and sends it to many news outlets around the globe. I know of him as a catholic zealot. He is one of those fanatics that would rather the world go back three thousand years, take everyone’s freedom away, and have the vatican control the world. He always reminds me of the white little boy whose daddy didn’t buy him a pony at ten years old; and now, he is angry at the world…boo!hoo!hoo!!

    I am no fan of the catholic church, or for that matter, many organized religions. Organized religion, particularly, the catholic church, has been the cause of ills for centuries. Anyone who holds a fundamentalist belief is a threat to the advancement of the human race.

    The catholic church continues to be archaic in its approach to a changing world; and people like Paul are the messengers who continue to propagate the message. The church’s inflexibility will be its demise. It is out of touch with everthing progressive.

  13. de caribbean change
    September 9, 2010

    No type of rap music in the Papacy.

  14. LawieBawie
    September 9, 2010

    @swifty:

    I am sorry, but what you are saying ain’t making no sense my friend. Calling out the names of a handfull of ‘rap’ songs by a few artist does not and cannot change the foul taste that the majority of rap artist have already placed in our mouths with their slack, murderous and downright gutter-like lyrics.

  15. swifty
    September 9, 2010

    The majority of the Na sayers here seem to be on the side of conspiracy theory. Cults and demonic influences? are you serious…..

  16. noko
    September 9, 2010

    @Anonymous:
    So you trying to say their are demons in my computer? my ipod? my phone? in my head? so when i play and make my own music? The demons are in the church that’s where you all should look for them. Hiding between the pillars of gold, underneath the thrones and in the secret chambers.

  17. noko
    September 9, 2010

    Diabolous in Musica eh hahaha. They don’t want people to listen to anything but hymns and church songs so they can keep you in their system of closed thinking. “Rock music is a form of worship opposed to christian worship”… the amount of ignorance in that statement is incredible. The majority of church music by artists like christ tomlin, hillsong etc are rock songs. And rap is one of the most powerful ways of bringing across a message. The rhyming helps you to pick up faster and the use of emphasis helps to stress points. How about the pope get off his high chair and actually learn something about music. And all of you who support these kind of people keep in my mind that they care not for you but only to keep their system of oppression alive. Public Enemy said FIGHT THE POWER!

  18. Anonymous
    September 9, 2010

    Att. Swifty & Knowledge

    If you have to study music, you will realize music is a powerful thing. Not just the lyrics of a song but also the beat of the song is important. Do you know that demons can and are being transmitted through music.. Why do you think music affects the way we think and behave… Who was the angel of music?? Why when different bands are playing person behavior violently, mellow down, etc… Look at the people in a triple kay band for instance. Not everyone understand nor recognize what is being said…. Yet still it affects our behavior. Research hip hop/ rap and you will realize that this type of music is a cult.. While studying this type of music. I’ve learned that taking some songs and turning back to front is very unpleasant…
    Not only the lyrics of a song is important but the beat is as well..

    God Bless

  19. possie
    September 9, 2010

    @Knowledge: thank u these people are so simple minded
    music thats what important we are in a new era i remember going to church and cld not tell
    wat the preist was saying and u guys worry about rap in church the child molestation in church
    thats what u shld voice on by any means they shld try gettn kids to church. so rap might just do it

  20. Anonymous
    September 9, 2010

    I am in full agreement with Paul…. Sometimes i wonder what are our churches turning into… I am a young adult but sometimes i rather my old time religion. As the song says: Give me that old time religion because it is good enough for me….
    I am in agreement that we have to change in order to attract the youth.. But that doesn’t mean we have to allow the world to get into the church. Christian leaders ought to rise up to what we know and stop compromising.

    God Bless!

  21. Anonymous
    September 9, 2010

    I support the pope…though not catholic.
    I think that accepting the rock and roll culture and rap culture had made the society more accepting of cultures that are devilish/ cultish in nature. See how easy it is for us to swerve into the vampire era and the goth and the blackness and the tattoos and the piercings. All having links to the occult…

  22. Knowledge
    September 9, 2010

    How do we expect to bring young people to the church? Music is not evil or non-christian, the words are what we should focus on the beat just attracts the new generation.

  23. swifty
    September 9, 2010

    Sir,

    Obviously you know nothing about rap/hip hop. You only assume things based on what you see on TV and hear on the radio. As with any other genre of music and in this case in point perception is in the EAR of the beholder. There are many positive Rap artist that talk about positive messages, i left a list below for you to reference. I’m amazed the editor of DNO let you post these types of messages which are extremely opinionated. Please do yourself and everyone else a favor and research topics, stick to the facts and leave the opinions to us making the comments.

    Black Star – Respiration
    The Roots – You Got Me
    A Tribe Called Quest – Excursions
    Common – The 6th Sense
    De La Soul – Eye Know
    Mos Def – Mathematics
    Talib Kweli – Hostile Gospel
    Reflection Eternal – The Blast
    Run DMC – Raising Hell
    Nas – If I Ruled the World
    The Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy
    Outkast – Aquemini
    Jay-Z – Can I Live
    2Pac – Keep Ya Head Up
    Wu-Tang Clan – Can It Be All So Simple
    Lupe Fiasco – Hurt Me Soul
    Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)
    Common Market – Succor MC’s
    Eric B. & Rakim – I Know You Got Soul

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