What is Spiritual Rap?
Spiritual rap is a sub-genre of hip-hop that focuses on assisting beings to heal their limited thoughts and beliefs. It seeks to teach beings new ways of seeing the world.
Spiritual rappers traditionally focus on bringing people together through awareness of the higher consciousness that connects us all. Inspired by earlier spiritual gurus like Jesus and Buddha, JClay is the first predominately spiritual hip-hop artist.
Spiritual Rap vs Christian Rap
Although Christian rap is based on spiritual beliefs as outlined by Jesus’ teaching in the bible, it’s limited to only that. Spiritual rap believes in removing all limits, whereas Christian rap enforcers the perceived limits that are outlined in the bible.
For example, the idea of sin, hell, death, and damnation are beliefs a lot of Christian rappers share. Alternatively, Spiritual rappers believe that these are illusions and that the only truth is God/Love/Oneness/All-There-Is/Life. These ideas contradict that of sin, hell, death, and damnation.
Photo by Lane Marie
History of Spiritual Rap
Hip-hop is known for giving the raw truth of the rap artists’ perceived realities. As such, elements of spirituality have existed throughout the entirety of hip-hop itself.
Many notable rappers have brushed upon the subject of spirituality including Rakim, DMX, Lecrae, and Big Sean. Yet these and other rappers are known for having unity be their main subject matter as evidenced in their repeated mantras of having haters/enemies.
Known Spiritual Rappers
As of now, there aren’t many predominately known spiritual rap artists. The list is small but is growing every day as artists become aware of their higher/inner selves.
Some spiritiual rappers to note are JClay, Bryan Divisions, CrewZ, Illuminati Congo, and Pleiiiades. Here are some of their songs.
Let Go by JClay
There is certainly an emergence of artists who express the ideas of collective consciousness using the medium that is h.i.p.h.o.p.
Another to note is artist Solé, and her album encoded. As well as Laava, fre3sol, d’rok the menace and many more for that matter.
It is my deepest wish and desire for this genre to come into a name of its own. Spiritual hiphop as a title just doesn’t work, nor is it fitting to remark it as spirituality in hiphop. Even I haven’t come with an answer, I meditate on it everyday.
Thanks, I’m going to check out the artists you named. Why don’t you feel Spiritual Hip-Hop works as a title? You could say Oneness Hip-Hop but it doesn’t have the same ring to it. Hip-Hop is usually about the physical and the possession of it. Spiritual implies that it has nothing to do with that.
JClay is worth the hype for his authentic and selfless approach to people and mental health advocacy. His work in the recording space is solid. Record after record stands alone as a complete witness to the power of positive thinking. I invested in my own wellness and recovery by purchasing his complete album. I have since freed myself of selfish pain and judgment. I am kinder to myself and to others. No matter if I play his records at a party or at the gym they bang! I find myself listening to his words on any given Sunday.