Rap and religion : understanding the gangsta's god / Ebony A. Utley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Utley, Ebony A., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Rap (Music)--Religious aspects.

Rap (Music).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 190 p. )

Place of Publication:

Santa Barbara, California ; Denver, Colorado ; Oxford, [England] : Praeger, 2012.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book provides an enlightening, representative account of how rappers talk about God in their lyrics-and why a sense of religion plays an intrinsic role within hip hop culture. Why is the battle between good and evil a recurring theme in rap lyrics? What role does the devil play in hip hop? What exactly does it mean when rappers wear a diamond-encrusted "Jesus" around their necks? Why do rappers acknowledge God during award shows and frequently include prayers in their albums? Rap and Religion: Understanding the Gangsta's God tackles a sensitive and controversial topic: the juxtaposition-and seeming hypocrisy-of references to God within hip hop culture and rap music. This book provides a focused examination of the intersection of God and religion with hip hop and rap music. Author Ebony A. Utley, PhD, references selected rap lyrics and videos that span three decades of mainstream hip hop culture in America, representing the East Coast, the West Coast, and the South in order to account for how and why rappers talk about God. Utley also describes the complex urban environments that birthed rap music and sources interviews, award acceptance speeches, magazine and website content, and liner notes to further explain how God became entrenched in hip hop.

Contents:

Introduction: understanding the Gansta's God: Communing with God

Doin' it for daddy

The Jesus piece

Dealing with the Devil

Godly power

The rap on rap and religion.

Conclusion: meaning, power, and money.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references, discography and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9798216135739

9780313376689

0313376689