Preaching to the Choir: Coolio’s “Gangster’s Paradise”

Last updated on: July 14, 2025 at 12:44 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

Reviewing the abundance of articles written about the 1995 classic, Gangster’s Paradise by Coolio, there is more attention given to the production, the sample, the history and evolution of Coolio’s career, and the reference to gangster rap. With the opening lyrics quoting Psalm 23:4, it would be an obvious turn to critique the work from a theomusicological perspective. Yet, there is little written with this attention. Following the theomusicological work of Jon Michael Spencer, I propose to offer what... Read more

Movements for the People: 100 Hoodz and The Whosoevers

Last updated on: July 4, 2025 at 12:39 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

There has been a surge of youth involvement in various ways to articulate a contemporary relationship with the gospel. Two movements happening simultaneously are Sevin’s HOG MOB ministry 100 Hoodz movement and The Whosoever Movement, founded by Ryan Reis and Sonny Sandoval. Taking their evangelistic style to the street and youth, HOG MOB ministry used Christian Hip Hop to articulate their movement, while the Whosoever Movement involves current youth cultural signifiers (ie, alternative rock music and skateboard culture), providing a... Read more

The importance of Theomusicology, a Juneteenth Special

Last updated on: June 23, 2025 at 7:58 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

Theomusicology is the musicological study of religious music, including orthodox religious music study, history, and analysis, hymnology study, history, and analysis, and the composition of gospel music. The discipline was set in motion by the dedication of the critical musicologist Jon Michael Spencer. Binding gospel study, analysis, and the application in orthodox, contemporary, revival, and reformist liturgical settings, Jon Michael Spenser addresses how music is used to express gospel truth, its absorption by church audiences, and how pop culture expressions... Read more

Court of Hip Hop Opinion: Gospel Rap vs. Christian Hip Hop

Last updated on: June 23, 2025 at 7:58 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

I took up the thought experiment on the differences in how Christian Hip Hop artists define their work. Progressing down this unexpected rabbit hole, varying labels began to surface. I was aware there would be some separation on how artists working in this subgenre appropriate the term “rap” and the category “Hip Hop.” What research unfolded was the identity formation, ownership of terms, and an undercurrent position of authority in the subgenre. Taking the step to analyze the terminology of... Read more

Christian Comic Reviewed: Analyzing Themes, Art, and Impact

Last updated on: June 2, 2025 at 5:13 pm By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

Comics. What could be more innocent? Who has not taken a delve into some fantastic world? But can these theatres of the imagination be used to share scripture? What would those look like? How could this medium express the depth and subtlety which scripture deems to communicate? These and similar questions have been taken up by numerous artists who have crafted a wonderland of images founded on telling the stories of the bible. “[U]sing these cartoons to present the Gospel... Read more

“B-boys as C-boys”: Christian Breakdance As Discipleship

Last updated on: May 26, 2025 at 5:28 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

When you devote yourself to a discourse, the entire discourse needs to be addressed. My area of interest, pedagogy and writing, is in Hip Hop, with an emphasis on Christian Hip Hop. I have, and remain, intrigued by the power that breakdancing expels. For the viewer, this artistic expression defies gravity and physical limits. As the performer, this style is the method through which the average man can be reached, first visually, then in conversation. To critically read how breakdancing... Read more

Props to Mom: Female Christian Hip Hop Special

Last updated on: May 21, 2025 at 5:58 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

There has not been enough attention given to female Christian Hip Hop. To honour all the mothers, this article will feature female Christian rappers, with special attention to how they use the cypher. The Power of the Female Image Going through hours of female Christian Hip Hop, two themes surface. One is the importance that these Hip Hop artists focus on following scripture and its application as a lived experience. The other theme is how the image is used to... Read more

“Taking the 14th,” Pope Leo XIV, a Legacy Begins

Last updated on: May 10, 2025 at 1:20 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

My work in this area normally centers around pop culture criticism through a faith-based/Christian lens. Music, in particular Christian Hip Hop, is the area I explore to build a corpus of critical work and serve the large Christian and theomusicological audiences. The timing of the new Pope, Pope Leo XIV, marks a time when I wanted to set aside the regular Christian Hip Hop discourse and pop culture analysis to give respect to the new pontiff. Below is an excerpt... Read more

Are Prince and Sinead O’Connor Right? National Day of Prayer

Last updated on: May 2, 2025 at 11:25 pm By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

The National Day of Prayer, May 1, 2025, is a Congressional-recognized day when the country is to recognize and celebrate prayer. The president is mandated to sign a declaration on this day, noting the importance of he day and prayer throughout the country. To honor the day, this article provides a different analysis of the work “Nothing Compares 2 U” as originally recorded by Prince, with a different version by Sinead O’Connor. Just A Song? “Nothing Compares 2 U” was... Read more

Rappin’ Faith: The Christian Hip Hop Cypher Experience

Last updated on: April 30, 2025 at 1:24 pm By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

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

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