I’m not delusional this may not be your first experience with me. Greetings, my name is Edward Shelton. My writing tone in dealing with theology in Christian HipHop to some may be a bit much. I know that there are many who have a far greater understanding of the genre then me. I have Masters of Divinity yet I work as a security guard for a living. Apparently I don’t know that much. What I do know is that lower standards lower the culture.
With this minor mimicry of Propaganda’s introductory song on the album Excellent I hope to set the tone of the analysis of this masterpiece of Christian HipHop.
The first song we are going to look at is “I Ain’t Got An Answer” featuring Sho Baraka. This song addresses the parental failure and our need to tie everything up in a neat bow. The hook hits hard as it follows up the strong opening of a story of a teenage son and his father’s dilemma. We would think that just because we are a Christian that our offspring will not fail or encounter what we would call major sins or Christian culture taboos. We think godly people automatically produce godly children. Parenthood is never that simple. In Scripture we see the case of Aaron’s sons offering strange fire to God in Leviticus 10. We see the failure of David with Absalom and Amnon in 2 Samuel 13. “I Ain’t Got An Answer” demonstrates that we can lose our children in the pursuit of we think is a “good” thing.
The song also shows us that asking for quick solutions or bits of common wisdom from Christian hip hop is foolish, even arrogant. While Propaganda points to the fallacy of modern psychology being the cure all, I think we expect the same from Christian hiphop. It is one thing to share your testimony in a song, but to sum up a magic solution for all problems is a bit of hubris. When I read message boards or comments to certain articles that say that one can be properly be educated or disciplined from an album it is scary to me. I know the hours and years that theologians put in to their writing for precise wording to make sure a statement doesn’t go into the realm of the heretical. How is a single, three-minute song going to give you proper insight on doctrine or scripture in a sufficient manner? One phrase that has stuck with me (forgive me for switching artists) is Json‘s line in “Life on Life” in which he clearly states that his album in not designed to disciple the listener. I think Propaganda is pointing us to that same direction. The music is the starting point, not the conclusion or educator. Life isn’t a 1980’s sitcom that can resolve a complex issue in 30 minutes.
The next song we are going to examine is “Warm Words.” I listen to this jam as I’m making rounds outside as a security guard. The melodic tone and word play takes the chill away from the ever encroaching winter. The core of the song is a mellow sound meant to inspire. It seems that a measured tone has the effect to be empowering. When you listen to the song you get the sense of the slow burn versus a burst of energy. Check out what James writes in James 1:2-8.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Propaganda shows us a “long game” mindset. The concept is consistency to conquering, not conquering consistently. When Propaganda talks about his Native American grandfather being a reason why he writes brings me to thoughts of my deceased grandmother who motivated me to do public speaking and write. For Propaganda to even use the term “Ancient of Days” for God is a beautiful theological play to show the timeless and consistency of God in space and time.
The last song we are going to look at is “Lofty” featuring Joel from Ascend the Hill and Beautiful Eulogy. This song begins with an intense element of the Triune God creating through the Word. The second 16 bars show the extreme level of detail in the complexity in cosmic and planetary creation and the mind that would create such things. God’s beauty shown in His intelligence and complexity. Propaganda comes in at the end and hits home that God’s pursuit of us indicates not just our immense value to God, but that we are his excellent art! Ephesians 2 says this same thing when Paul writes “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” It is hard to remember at times that we are the product of God’s workmanship even to sub-atomic structure compounded with our DNA coding. The only thing left to say is God’s excellence brings us to awe!
It is sad I don’t really have time to comment on the spoken word elements of the album especially his commentary on Puritans and the last track about time and his former “black wife.” This isn’t an album full of massive head bangers that make you want to go out there and save the world right now. Those songs have their place, but this project is one with more theologically aspirational goals. It aims to share immense spiritual maturity and holds to the concept of keeping the Big Picture in mind but going about the journey with excellence. This album would be a great listen for reflection and meditation before or after reading the Word. No matter when you listen to this album it will raise your awareness of excellence.
