Rappin’ Faith: The Christian Hip Hop Cypher Experience

Last updated on: April 29, 2025 at 11:04 pm By Alan Lechusza

The Christian Hip Hop cypher (also spelled, cipher) is a critical arena for community and shared testimony. Building on the history of the hip hop cypher, this engaged point articulates multiple viewpoints, elicits friendly competition, and establishes community support. For Christian Hip Hop artists, the cpher is the arena for discipleship, testimony, evangelism, community support (aka, ‘the church’), and fortifying sound scripture/biblical doctrine. The cipher is central to Hip Hop culture and remains a stable fixture. However, there are references... Read more

Giving Thoughts To The Pontiff, Pope Francis

Last updated on: April 22, 2025 at 3:20 am By Alan Lechusza

Those who read my regular work know my commitment to Christian/faith-based Hip Hop culture to support and promote positive agency and sound doctrine for change. In doing so, I work to provide rich content, write theomusicological discourse on the issue/topic, and provide thought-provoking Christian/faith-based analysis. Today, the first news I caught, after hours of research earlier, requires setting that standard aside for the moment. Learning of the recent passing of Pope Francis, Monday, April 21, is too strong an issue... Read more

Deconstructing Lecrae: An Apologetic of Christian Hip Hop

Last updated on: April 14, 2025 at 8:09 am By Alan Lechusza

Lecrae gained popularity through his framing of Hip Hop originating in a Christian doctrine, then moved away from his faith. His self-deconstruction comes from his denial of the American church. However, his fame as a Christian Hip Hop artist remains his signature. Critical and audience praise for his work is well noted. Taking Lecrae at his self-definition of a new journey of faith, how can he continue to hinge his popularity on Christian Hip Hop? Can one be a Christian... Read more

“Depeche Mode’s ‘Personal Jesus’: Preaching to the Masses”

Last updated on: April 5, 2025 at 1:14 am By Alan Lechusza

“Depeche Mode’s ‘Personal Jesus’: Preaching to the Masses” is the third in the series of analyzing pop culture through a critical Christian lens. The first reviewed George Michael’s “Faith.” The second in the series addressed Tori Amoss’s song “God.” “Personal Jesus” – Depeche Mode, Official Video The remastered version A Personal Jesus? According to Martin Gore, who is cited in “Pop a la Mode” (Vol. 6, no. 4) , the songwriter for the track, “It’s a song about being a... Read more

“Missing God?” Tori Amos analyzing “God”

Last updated on: March 26, 2025 at 4:27 pm By Alan Lechusza

This is the second in the series that started with the article on “Faith” by George Michael. In this article, “God” by Tori Amos is critiqued on how the work expresses faith and understanding a personal connection with God. 1994 may not stand out to most, but some events helped shape pop culture for the next generation. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was established, Schidnler’s List wins seven Oscars Awards, Kurt Cobain and Jacquline Kennedy Onassis pass away,... Read more

Annexing Faith: Deconstructing “Faith” by George Michael

Last updated on: March 18, 2025 at 4:12 pm By Alan Lechusza

This is the first in a two-part series working through a faith-based/Christian critique of pop music. The focus of this article is “Faith” by George Michael. Why discuss the song (1987) “Faith” by George Michael? This track has been used in the television series House (season 6, episode 9), covered by Limp Bizkit (1998), and hovers in the halls of the late ’80s pop culture. The tour d’ force at the time in pop music drew on hyper-sexualized references and... Read more

“Play or Pray? Exploring Faith and Choice in Young Sheldon”

Last updated on: March 9, 2025 at 12:25 am By Alan Lechusza

September 25, 2017. The date may not stand out to most. For others, this was the beginning of a new era in the repertoire of The Big Band Theory. The quirky cast of adults were soon to enter their final episode (May 16, 2019) and so began the prequel, Young Sheldon. The show ran for 7 seasons ending on October 17, 2024. The series took viewers through the adolescence of Sheldon Cooper (voice of Jim Parson), a main character... Read more

Bizzle Be Better: Critiquing the Christian Rapper Bizzle

Last updated on: February 25, 2025 at 2:01 pm By Alan Lechusza

Few Christian Hip Hop artists can connect the lyrical poetics of both roots of Hip Hop and Christian doctrine. Bizzle stands out as an example of this process. Framing his work on his personal/spiritual/ministry philosophy of “God Over Money,” Bizzle situates his work at the intersection of these fruitful elements. Staging his testimony as the backdrop of his work, Bizzle functions at the core principles of Christian Hip Hop: testimony, scripture-centered, discipleship, and evangelism. Flowing comfortably between trap Hip Hop... Read more

Edie Brickell’s ‘What I Am’: Pop, Philosophy & Shallow Faith

Last updated on: February 18, 2025 at 11:03 am By Alan Lechusza

Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians, “What I Am” “Really? Is That What You Are?” Reading Edie Brickell The song has a catchy rhythm, I’ll give it that. The lyrics are simple enough to follow and sing along to almost immediately. A good idea for a pop song. The band has an interesting name, “New Bohemians.” It’s just vague enough not to question, yet intriguing enough to make fans feel connected to a spirit of adventure. Was the song a... Read more

Christian Hip Hop: The Cross Movement and the Power of Roots

Last updated on: February 12, 2025 at 8:25 am By Alan Lechusza

The Cross Movement: A Soundtrack of Faith and Authenticity When all else fails, go back to the root. For me, that’s my study of Hip Hop culture. Placing a critical analysis on Christian/faith-based Hip Hop is particularly interesting. I’m drawn to the intersections of pop culture, Hip Hop culture, and how Christian/faith-based Hip Hop artists use this expressive culture for representation and criticism. The well is never dry. In recent months, inner controversies have existed in the Christian/faith-based Hip Hop... Read more