Philadelphia-based rapper Christawn is in a life and death battle to survive. His health is fine but his pulsating radio single, “Save Me,” is dying at gospel radio. On the autobiographical track, he freestyles about the day police apprehended him on suspicion of selling crack. While sitting in the back of the squad card, he prayed for God to save him. He escaped arrest and seven years later, he says he is “saved” and uses rap to draw youth to church but so far the church community hasn’t shown interest in helping his cause.
“That’s the toughest thing about being a Christian rapper,” Christawn says of his current plight to get his music heard. “The people you would think would help support the holy hip hop movement are the ones who are condemning it. Most of the black gospel radio stations won't even play hip hop for the most part. Rappers like Lecrae have to make their music appeal to the contemporary Christian market for that reason. Another thing I'm seeing is that a lot of churches are very quick to judge youth for being in the street, but won't support holy hip hop artists who have messages to touch the youths’ hearts and encourage them to get off the streets.”
Christawn’s debut CD, Life Story (Abundant Harvest Entertainment), debuted at #49 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Album sales chart this past summer. The “Save Me” single’s only national radio exposure has been one broadcast on Radio One’s syndicated “CoCo Brother Live” show where it prevailed in a contest where listeners called in to “play it” or “fade it.” Even having gospel radio favorite Micah Stampley sing the hook didn’t spur gospel radio to embrace the song. “Gospel radio refuses to accept gospel rap,” says an industry insider speaking on anonymity. “I think the audience is ready for gospel rap but most gospel radio programmers are middle aged and don’t see Christian rap as spiritually uplifting as music by Yolanda Adams or Fred Hammond.”
Surprisingly, when pop rhythms are added to gospel rap, it’s often played on CCM radio stations that have played groups like the GRITS and Lecrae, who recently reached the Top Ten with the Mikeschair duet, “Keep Changing The World.” Not only has gospel radio turned its nose up at gospel rap but so have Hip Hop magazines like XXL that rarely feature gospel rappers. “They show the whole spectrum of secular rap in those magazines,” Christawn adds. “They should also give some space to what we’re doing on the gospel side. Mainstream rappers have it easy because they are literally positioned and marketed to influence the youth but gospel rappers don’t get the same platform to talk about Jesus.”
Still, there are some church folks catching the vision. “I thank God for visionaries such as Bishop David G. Evans [founder of Abundant Harvest Entertainment] who have been given a clear understanding of how to utilize gifts like mine to compete with mainstream rappers. The church should welcome us with open arms but so many close the door and padlock it not knowing that they are blocking life changing messages that will bring the youth in their church closer to the Lord. A lot of youth in church are listening to Lil Wayne and other rappers. Churches need to make sure we are there to counter those negative messages with God’s message.”
“That’s the toughest thing about being a Christian rapper,” Christawn says of his current plight to get his music heard. “The people you would think would help support the holy hip hop movement are the ones who are condemning it. Most of the black gospel radio stations won't even play hip hop for the most part. Rappers like Lecrae have to make their music appeal to the contemporary Christian market for that reason. Another thing I'm seeing is that a lot of churches are very quick to judge youth for being in the street, but won't support holy hip hop artists who have messages to touch the youths’ hearts and encourage them to get off the streets.”
Christawn’s debut CD, Life Story (Abundant Harvest Entertainment), debuted at #49 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Album sales chart this past summer. The “Save Me” single’s only national radio exposure has been one broadcast on Radio One’s syndicated “CoCo Brother Live” show where it prevailed in a contest where listeners called in to “play it” or “fade it.” Even having gospel radio favorite Micah Stampley sing the hook didn’t spur gospel radio to embrace the song. “Gospel radio refuses to accept gospel rap,” says an industry insider speaking on anonymity. “I think the audience is ready for gospel rap but most gospel radio programmers are middle aged and don’t see Christian rap as spiritually uplifting as music by Yolanda Adams or Fred Hammond.”
Surprisingly, when pop rhythms are added to gospel rap, it’s often played on CCM radio stations that have played groups like the GRITS and Lecrae, who recently reached the Top Ten with the Mikeschair duet, “Keep Changing The World.” Not only has gospel radio turned its nose up at gospel rap but so have Hip Hop magazines like XXL that rarely feature gospel rappers. “They show the whole spectrum of secular rap in those magazines,” Christawn adds. “They should also give some space to what we’re doing on the gospel side. Mainstream rappers have it easy because they are literally positioned and marketed to influence the youth but gospel rappers don’t get the same platform to talk about Jesus.”
Still, there are some church folks catching the vision. “I thank God for visionaries such as Bishop David G. Evans [founder of Abundant Harvest Entertainment] who have been given a clear understanding of how to utilize gifts like mine to compete with mainstream rappers. The church should welcome us with open arms but so many close the door and padlock it not knowing that they are blocking life changing messages that will bring the youth in their church closer to the Lord. A lot of youth in church are listening to Lil Wayne and other rappers. Churches need to make sure we are there to counter those negative messages with God’s message.”