Hi Pal
Welcome to this edition of List of Ten, a newsletter where I mention ten things from any theme of my choice. The only common denominator is that it is something related to Christian music — which is why you’re here after all.
You can check out the albums on all platforms using the embedded links on the titles. I also added my Christian Hip-Hop 2022 playlist at the end, for good measure.
In all honesty, I’ve had a rocky relationship with Christian Hip-hop over the years. In the early 2000s, I could not get enough of them and I fell in love with so many artists back then who were still fairly underground. Post-2010, the scene experienced a massive media explosion which came with its own fair share of success and controversy in proportionate measure.
The entire ordeal left a sour taste in my mouth and I kind of walked away from it all for a number of years. Coming back into it 2020, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number of relatively fresh or unknown voices that have blessed the scene with their talent and an unrelenting dedication to speaking the truth. Today’s edition is for them.
Isaiah Robin – ControverSoul
From the moment I encountered Isaiah Robin, I knew that he would be hated by many, maybe even within the Christian community. Calling Robin a rapper will be a bit of an understatement. This man is simply dedicated to defending the faith with every medium that he can. Hip-hop is one of those mediums and ControverSoul is a testament to his craft, heart and dedication to the craft.
Kieran The Light – Forgiven Music
One of the things that I love about Kieran The Light is how much he backs himself as a rapper. Listening to him speak, it’s clear that it is not from a place of pride but a simple acknowledgement of the skills that God has given to him. Those skills are brought to the fore on Forgiven Music. Cadence is everything in hip-hop and his mastery of it is nearly flawless.
Rich 99 – Fresh Oil
Fresh Oil is a 35-track album that lasts for 1 hour and 46 minutes. Rich99 pulls off the incredible feat of keeping me engaged with this project from start to finish without it feeling repetitive or boring. Obviously, as with any project as long as this, not every song is an absolute hit. But, this album has far more hits than misses, which is a massive accomplishment.
William Cata – Not Too Late
At the time of writing this, William Cata has already dropped a new album titled Matthew 10:16. But seeing as I haven’t listened yet, we are going to have to just talk about Not Too Late, which dropped earlier this year. This album is a love letter to old-school hip-hop and apart from the most popular single ‘Miracle’ which is a drill track, this album gives me 90s hip-hop nostalgia in the best way.
Raging Moses – The Flourishing EP
This Colorado Emcee/producer dropped my favourite hip-hop EP of the year so far. The Flourishing EP is a concept project in every sense of the word. From the lyrical themes that shift our focus from the temporal to the eternal, to the atmospheric, ambient and symphonic instrumental choices and the “easy listening” style of Raging Moses, everything fits together perfectly.
Cephas – America Shall Be Saved
Another heavily stylized concept project on this list, America Shall Be Saved, is an album that explores the political, social and economic state of the nation through the eyes of faith and the weapon of lyricism. Musically, it deviates from regular hip-hop sounds, mixing in elements of funk, gospel and some jazz as well.
FLF – but fear GOD EP
but fear GOD EP by Flood Light Forever — stylized FLF — is the first rap project that I listened to this year and I owe a lot of my interest in this Christian hip-hop landscape for 2022 to this project. It’s a short and sweet tracklist that packs enough punches to remain memorable even now.
Mike Teezy, Isch - Pressure 1, Pressure 2 EPs
Mike Teezy has been really busy this year. Not only have I seen him on a lot of features with some of my favourite artists, but he has dropped some R&B tracks as well. My love for the Pressure EPs lies in the fact that they are trap EPs specifically dedicated to celebrating victory over satan.
Azeekah – Conversations
Alternative hip-hop with trap infusions would be my way of describing this album. There’s a lot to like about Conversations and the honesty that Azeekah attempts to portray. It is far from being a perfect album but there are heartfelt moments that make it stand out for me.
H.U.R.T – The MAP
The MAP is a collection of stories, evidenced by all the skits that serve as interludes between the tracks. Jemarr Vincent (the man behind the project) is no stranger to the scene and I respect his uncanny ability to paint vivid pictures with words, using the lessons of his past and his testimony to reach out to the lost.
That’s it for today.
See you soon!
What’s your favourite hip-hop release of 2022 so far? Anything you think I should check out?