Rap You Must Listen To: “Through Hymn” on Church History

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Steve Forst, one of my students at Boyce College, just clued me in to a rapper I had never heard of: Through Hymn.  He specializes in hip-hop on church history.  You never know what to expect with under-the-radar rappers.  It took me one listen, though, to know that Through Hymn is the real deal.  He is an excellent rapper.  His production is polished and sharp, and his content is straight-up historical theology and church history, with a decidedly pro-Reformation bent.  Yet another album that proves in abundance that Christians can use rap for edification and pleasure.

You need to listen to this whole album.  It’s free and available here.  Through Hymn has a different style than some of the more well-known Christian rappers, but that’s part of the fun of gospel hip-hop.  I am looking forward to more from this very talented artist.  Hey TH–can you do an album for me on Jonathan Edwards?  Hook a brother up!

Here’s more on Through Hymn from his website:

Ronald Johnson (Through Hymn) is a servant of Jesus Christ and member of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Orlando, FL. He seeks to glorify God, spread the Gospel and edify the Church through Christ-exalting lyricism. In 2011, he graduated from Florida Christian College with a B.A in Biblical Studies and Humanities and plans to continue his theological studies.

Several of his musical influences are Olafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm, shai linne, Evangel, Christcentric, Timothy Brindle, Will Passion, Zae Da Blacksmith, FLAME, Json, Hazakim, EonsD, Jerrell Johnson, Orlando Aska, Erased Tapes, Emancipator, Equalibrum, Kid Called Computer, Commissary, Steep Hills of Vicodin Tears, Peter Broderick, James Sire, John Stott, Thomas Watson, Charles Spurgeon, Jerry Bridges, Francis Schaeffer, C.S Lewis, Plato, Hans Zimmer, Annie Dillard, John Calvin, Augustine, Justin Borger, Mark Noll, Richard Sibbes, John Owen, Neil Postman, Gene Edward Veith, Jr. and many more. “On Word and Sacrament” is a free project about the significance of the Word, particularly the Gospel (its misconceptions) and the proper administration of the sacraments for the edification of the Church.