NWSF Flashback: Hip Hop Children of a Lesser God

Hip Hop Children Children of a Lesser God

Min. Paul Scott

I always find it kind of funny when accepting an award
for his hit “Kill em all; Till they Fall” ; MC
Pullatrigga gets on the mic and says, “First of all, I
would like to thank God…” Or during a magazine
interview , Sexxx Thugstress, innocently, tells a
reporter how her close relationship with her Savior
gave her the strength to write “If the Escalade is
Rockin’ Don’t be Knockin.” As grandma would say,
“Chile let me move ’cause I know that lightnin’ is
fixin’ to strike….”

From as far back as history records, black people
have had a reverence for the Supreme Being. From the
African people who laid the foundation for modern
religion, to the old lady across the street who never
misses a Sunday service, rain, sleet or snow, we have
always had a strong spiritual connection with the
Creator. Many of us have vivid memories of receiving
our first whippin’ for mocking Rev. Jones or Sis. Ruth
Ann when she got in “the spirit” one Sunday morning.
We found out early that playin’ with “tha lawd“, was a
definite, No, No!

Historically, music and Spirituality have walked hand
in hand as music is more than just something to help
us get our party on but is a divine expression of our
respect for the gift of life. It was our spirit filled
song that helped us keep the faith, even when we were
being beaten by the slave master and forced to work in
the hot cotton fields from sun up to sun down and it
will be our song that leads us to the liberation of
our people from mental slavery The Spirituality of
African people has always been thorn in the side of
the oppressor. Our faith has been like that trick
birthday candle that no matter how hard you try, you
just can’t blow it out. We have been like a Spirit
filled energizer bunny playin’ an African drum, we
just keep going and going.

For many young brothas and sistas who are
disillusioned with organized religion, today Hip Hop
has become the faith of choice. Maybe for some, the
rules and regulations of the other religions were just
too hard to follow so they turned to the cardinal rule
of Hip Hop “if it feels good, do it” or more likely,
they simply rejected the idea that they had to have
the word of God interpreted by white kings and other
European writers. So, instead they traded in the King
James version of the Bible for the Gospel according to
the white owned media and entertainment industry who
at least had the foresight to put pictures of Black
people on the covers of their magazines. So, the laws
revealed to Moses were traded in for the 10 Crack
Commandments.

While many rappers reflect “the Life is Hell”
philosophy in their lyrics, I doubt very seriously
that any other religion outside of Holy Hip Hop
considers eternal torment living in a 5 million dollar
mansion with an Olympic sized swimming pool. However,
some rappers are helping to perpetuate the hell-ish
conditions that black people are experiencing,
globally by aiding our mental enslavement that keeps
us under the foot of the white supremacist system.

Sadly, many of the brothas and sistas in Hip Hop are
fully aware that they are leading black children
down the path of destruction but have made a conscious
decision to sell the destiny of our people for 30
pieces of silver or a platinum chain.

The problem is that our African Spirituality makes it
hard for us to believe that anyone could be so evil as
to use our music and Spirituality as a genocidal
weapon. So many have underestimated the depths that
white supremacists would sink to keep the masses of
African people oppressed.

Some will argue that it is “only music”, but as dude
from the movie, “the Usual Suspects” said “the
greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing
the world he didn’t exist.” The oppressor knows that
the only way to totally destroy a people is to
separate them from their connection to the Creator.
Once their Spiritual immune system is broken down, the
people are left open to all the vices that plague the
planet, drugs, disease, violence, etc.

When faced with this TRUTH, many young brotha’s will
defiantly shout, “Only God can judge me!!!!” However,
there is such a thing as corporate responsibility and
the actions of one member of the African family,
affect the whole, including future generations. So to
answer the age old question, “I am my Brother’s
keeper.”

Our African ancestors knew that it was not only the
right, but the responsibility of the elders to give
guidance to the younger generation because it was they
who would determine the future of the tribe. But today
even, our most learned elders seem to be intimidated
by children just because they can quote rap lyrics
like the old folks quote scripture. When the adults in
the Afrikan familiy stop trying to win a popularity
contest with 14 year olds and stand up and speak
TRUTH, then will the end of our oppression come.

Most religions have some sort of Judgement Day when
TRUTH is revealed; when a persons deeds are weighed in
the balance against the Universal principles of
Righteousness. A day when light (KNOWLEDGE) eventually
overcomes darkness (LIES). Even though some rappers
think that they can defy the law of Reciprocity by
raising hell all year long and giving out a free
turkey at Thanksgiving.

Rappers Bone Thugs-n-Harmony once asked “What ya gonna
do; when there ain’t no place to hide, when judgement
comes for you?” So Hip Hop, today is at the
Crossroads. We must make a decision as to which road
we will take, the road to liberation or the road to
slavery. The path that will insure a future for the
next generation or the path that will lead to its
destruction.

To borrow from an old Public Enemy interlude; “Right
vs. Wrong; Good vs. Evil; God vs. the Devil; what side
you on?”

****Originally Written 2002***

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283

Tyler Perry: The Art of Speakin' "Christian-ese"

Tyler Perry: The Art of Speakin' "Christian-ese"

Paul Scott





I once asked my homie, spoken word artist, James Washington how it is that a thugged out brotha like him gets invited to speak at churches all the time and a (relatively speaking) clean cut brother, like me, can't even make it past the front door ?

"Simple," he said. "You don't know how to speak Christian-ese."

Christinese- a type of dialect that will make black folks give you the shirts off their backs. Master the language and African Americans will follow you to the ends of the Earth.

Just ask Tyler Perry, multi millionaire producer extraordinaire.

Over the last decade, Tyler Perry has made a fortune with his Gospel plays, television sitcoms and movies. His next film "Madea Goes to Jail," to be released February 20th, should be another blockbuster as he continues to follow the same formula that has been his bread and butter. Also, there is hardly a night that you can turn on your tv and not see his sitcoms "House of Payne " and "Meet the Browns."

Maybe it's just me but I don't see what's so appealing about Tyler Perry's newer stuff. I mean the plays were funny enough the first couple of years when they first came to dvd but somehow the comedy got kind of old and when it was transferred to tv and the big screen, something got lost in the translation.

However, I'm probably in the minority on this one because come the weekend of the film's release, black church folks across the country will make pilgrimages to their local theaters to get a look at Madea.

Perry, is not the first one to use Christianese to move black folks.

Historically speaking, the Portuguese and other European exploiters first used the language as justification for slavery and later the colonization of Africa.

It was perfected by the slave owners as Christianese was used to inspire the enslaved Africans to pick cotton from sun up to sun down with the hope of a reward in "the sweet by and by."

During the Civil Rights Era, black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King became fluent in the dialect as they were able to convince thousands of black folks to join hands and sing "We Shall Overcome" as they were being bitten by police dogs and doused with water from fire hydrants.

Even today, politicians borrow very heavily from the language as they know one short speech at a black church will translate into a lot of votes come election day.

The strange thing about Christianese is that you don't even have to practice Christianity to speak it. Writer and motivational speaker, Iyanla Van Zandt sold a lot of books to church folks before they realized that she was not a Pentecostal evangelist but a Yoruba priestess.

Not only have entertainers turned the art of speakin' Christianese into a muti billion dollar industry but they have also shown that black folks will forgive a multitude of transgressions because a performer says "Thank you Jesus" at an awards show or puts one Gospel track on an otherwise vulgar cd.

Even with Tyler Perry's movies, how many good old sisters of the church who demonize all forms of Hip Hop bust a gut laughing when Madea pulls out a pistol or rolls a blunt?

The main problem with most Gospel plays that appeal to church folk intellect is the lack of substance. Opportunities to increase social awareness and to explore the depths of theology are replaced with weak story lines and slap stick comedy routines that went out of style with Amos and Andy.

I am not saying that performers like Perry, purposely, dumb-down their productions to reach their target audience but it is a common perception that , for many church folks, their theological understanding does not grow beyond the elementary Sunday school level and their biblical understanding is only a steady reaffirmation of what they learned before they were 10 years old.

So, a Gospel play or TV show can be totally secular but one well placed "Negro spiritual" will make it a big hit with black folks. Not to mention the warn out themes of "the prodigal child returning home," "praying for a good man," or " a sudden conversion after years of substance abuse."

Although, some may argue that these are, indeed, experiences that black folks go through, this is not the black experience in its totality. These are just symptoms of a greater problem that stems, at least partially, from the failure of African Americans to understand the full dynamics of African spirituality and the African American religious experience in the context of the social ills that we have faced in this country.

This raises the age old dilemma as to whether African American film makers are obligated to give us what we need or what will rake in the most dollars at the box office.

Maybe there are socially redemptive values in Tyler Perry productions that I just don't get. Perhaps somewhere between watching Madea threaten to whip somebody's behind and the grand finale that usually includes a Gospel group sing -along, some lives are changed for the better which would make the $10 spent on a movie ticket well worth the sacrifice. Could be that I just don't get it.

But then again, I don't speak Christianese.



Paul Scott, the Hip Hop TRUTH Minista," writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com/ He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Do Black Folks Still Need Jesus ?

Do Black Folks Still Need Jesus?:
Obama and the Black Church

Paul Scott



Every Sunday, if you go to any black church, you can bet the collection plate that at least once during the service the pastor will ask the eternal question, "Will you be ready when Jesus comes?" As an affirmation. the congregation will jump and shout, shedding tears of joy, as they anticipate the return of their Savior. However, if the Second Coming happens on January 20th during the same time as the Inauguration, a lot of black folks will have a tough decision to make...

Every since the improbable Obama campaign began to look like a sure thing, many African Americans have anticipated his election with an almost religious fervor. The fervor reached its climax, last November 4th , when news networks across the country showed black people behaving in manners more reminiscent of Pentecostal tent revivals than election celebrations.

Has the black church that has been waiting for "Jesus" for hundreds of years decided to settle for a black president, instead?

The problem of the delay of the Second Coming (the Perousia) has plagued the early church since the day after the Crucifixion. Since the Perousia was expected to happen within the lifetime of the early believers, as the years went by, it became harder for the church leaders to rationalize the delay for a people who were still suffering under Roman oppression.

The delay of Judgment Day has been been especially problematic for an African American community that has been crying to "Jesus" every since their ancestors were transported on the "Good Ship Jesus of Lubeck." For a people who are sick and tired of being sick and tired, the election of Barack Obama seemed to be the answer to their prayers. For many, the Messiah had returned wearing a Brooks Brothers suit.

This is not the first time that African Americans have embraced a "black Messiah," as many leaders have come with the claim of being God or being personally chosen by God to lead black people out of bondage. Although, Obama is not making any messianic claims, himself, some black folks are expecting him to walk across the Potomac on January 20th instead of taking a limo.

The black church has always struggled with what WEB Dubious called a "double consciousness" but in this case it refers to having to be spiritual and secular, simultaneously. Unfortunately, many churches have been secular when they needed to be spiritual and spiritual when they needed to be secular.

Although, some church folks are genuinely devoted to their spirituality and adhere to the creed of being "in the world but not of the world," others have used spirituality as a crutch or an excuse not to carry forth the mission of the Messiah. While the messianic mission is to perform such tasks as feeding the hungry and clothing the naked , many churches pray for miracles when the miracles lie within their church bank accounts and the manpower in their own congregations.

One must remember that the great religious leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was opposed by some religious folks who believed that instead of fighting for Civil Rights, it was best to just pray and "let the Lord handle it."

For some churches, it is not until it is time to vote for a president that the otherwise "other worldly" theology becomes "worldly." This was especially evident during this year's election when "don't forget to vote" became the standard benediction at some churches.

To have a concerted effort to establish some spiritually based political education classes would be admirable but to just tell a congregation to vote without any follow up is leaving them, as the choir sings, "like a ship without a sail."

While most churches have the ability to establish community services such as mentoring programs for gang members, many pastors prefer to simply "lift them up in prayer" instead of coming up with intervention activities. Also, many are waiting for Obama to send a blessing down from the White House to do something that they could just as easily do for themselves.

Let us be clear. There is nothing holy about politics. It is perhaps the most corrupt operation in existence. Politics does not champion the "good" over "evil" but merely seeks to develop a working relationship between the two forces. Anyone who believes that the War of Armageddon will be won by merely entering a poll both is suffering from severe self-delusion.

A Democracy must cater to the whims of the majority, hoping merely that they will be persuaded to see that fulfilling the needs of the minority will ultimately serve their best interests. Also, Capitalism, by nature, needs to have a segment of the population poor and hungry in order to survive. This is hardly anything to base a religious hope upon but to seek spiritual guidance as to how to overcome the traps and snares that it produces.

So if we compromise our "religion" for political gain then we have given up the one thing that African people have always had going for us; our spirituality. It has been our faith in a higher power that has sustained us through the worst atrocities known to man.

As one looks around at the condition facing African people globally, as we enter into 2009, the answer to the question if we need divine intervention to deliver us from evil, should be self evident. We need to exercise our spirituality more so in 2009 than ever if we will ever be able to perform the "greater works" that Yeshua (misnamed Jesus) spoke about in the scriptures.

Do black folks still need a savior ?

Yes, we do and it starts with the image staring back at you in the mirror.



Paul Scott, "the TRUTH Minista, writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com http://www.nowarningshotsfired.com He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com