NYC Christian Hip-Hop Part 1: The Fall
- Randy Bazile
- May 5, 2023
- 5 min read
Originally written in 2015. Minor updates were made to be currently active and up to par with today’s CHH NYC.
In the concrete jungle of New York City lies the birthplace of the head-bopping genre of music we still rock today called “Hip-Hop.” Specifically, it was born in the Bronx in the early 1970′s. A decade later, rap artist Pete McSweet released what is known as the first-EVER Christian Hip Hop (CHH) record. Where was the record released? You guessed it, New York City! The name of the record is “Jesus Christ (The Gospel Beat).” True CHH fans still listen to it to this day. Hip-Hop started in NYC, and spread around the country influencing listeners and raising superstars. Christian Hip-Hop is doing the same and even more!
CHH in NYC has brought up dope artists like bringing out dope artists like Michael Peace, Todd Bangz, Corey Red & Precise, Richie Righteous, Th3 Saga, CONQUEST, R.Q. Tek, Malakai Tha Truth, J Sky Walker, Lavoisier, Selah The Corner, David Veira (fka Gauge), Slave aka Nyth Inning, C.H.R.I.S., Richard Dauphin, HeeSun Lee, Angie Rose, Andy Mineo to name a few. Throughout the years I’ve been in the sub-genre (four years at the time of this writing), it had its highs and lows, especially in NYC.
When I first got into CHH, I was a baby Christian still listening to a lot of secular hip hop and sometimes praise & worship. It was one day in college when a friend of mine (a former CHH artist) put me on to BlazeTorch, Lecrae & Rhema Soul. My first impression of CHH was corny lyrics to praise Jesus. The music you would hear at youth group events by a youth pastor trying to be cool and “hip.”
It wasn’t until I heard BlazeTorch’s song “I’m Done” that I decided to dig deeper. The song spoke on real issues from the perspective of a Christian, something that the church doesn’t speak about. Plus the production was dope!
THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING
That same friend invited me to a concert that BlazeTorch was headlining. It was at Alexander Pagani’s church, ‘He Is Risen Tabernacle’ in the Bronx. It was my first ever CHH concert and I can tell you, I wasn’t disappointed! At that time, BlazeTorch was working on his album “The Journey So Far.” He was promoting it at the event; while performing some songs from it. The majority of the songs spoke to me. His testimony was unlike anything I heard at the time. I was compelled to learn more about his music; about CHH. He mentioned an album release concert. I knew I HAD to be there.
Weeks later, I went to the event, met a lot of great people, and enjoyed the ministry/show! That event changed my life forever. Not only did I buy BlazeTorch’s album, but I also started listening to a whole lot of CHH! It was then I became a Christian Hip Hop advocate, supporter, avid listener, lover, and even rapper!
According to my research of the subgenre’s history in NYC, dope albums such as “Threat to Society” by Michael Peace, “The Mark of the East,” and “Resistance iz Futile” by Corey Red & Precise have been known as big game changers for CHH in New York. Raw lyricism targeting real-life issues, metaphoric bars, and overall great-quality music made noise in the NYC area.
In 2015, the buzz of CHH in NYC is suddenly low.
Not a lot of artists were active except a few artists at the time (Nyth Inning, CONQUEST, etc.)
From 2011 to now (2015 at the time of this writing), I’ve attended a lot of local CHH events in NYC. I crossed paths with many that continue to pour into me. I was introduced to life-changing music, that in turn, led friends of mine to have a relationship with God.
My favorite events during those years were Rapfest & Kingdom Choice Awards. Those events put not only CHH in NYC on the map, they also caught the attention of news outlets. The Emergency Room (ER) was an awesome event in Queens hosted by the vet, Richie Righteous! Another dope event that went down was the Kingdom Generals Vol. II in Brooklyn. That event was big for me because that event help bring a close friend of mine to Christ! Let’s not forget Higher Calling!
At each event I attended, I gained more knowledge about making music, the excellence behind it, the impact it could make if done right, and the challenges of staying in Jesus throughout the artistic journey. There were some events I even attended outside of NYC that were just as good!
The last CHH concert I attended in NYC was the “Radical Thinking 2819” tour by the big homie CONQUEST. After that event, there were barely any events going down in NYC. I get that it’s expensive to do anything in New York. It’s hard out here. It still sucks.
Rapfest and Kingdom Choice Awards didn’t happen this year. I was very disappointed that those events were canceled. They are NYC’s biggest CHH events of the year. A lot of known CHH artists around the world come to these events.
Last year, the NYC Christian Hip Hop Alliance opened up, inviting people from ALL walks of life to a circle of fellowship and discussion. The time it was out, I received a lot from it, bonded with brothers and sisters that I have seen at events, and build deeper relationships with those I already knew. That stopped too!
As the year ends, I pray that next year (2016) will be a better year for CHH in NYC, because honestly, I felt like this year was wack. I would’ve never become a fan if it wasn’t for the events that went on in the last four years.
The NYC Christian Hip Hop Alliance was a great opportunity to build relationships with one another (1 Corinthians 12:12–31). Rapfest was a great community event to bring others to Christ (1 Peter 4:10) Kingdom Choice Awards & Kingdom Generals were great events in honoring one another (Matthew 25:14–21) Higher Calling was a reminder of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) The “ER” was an event that reached out to the lost and spiritually sick (Luke 5:30–32).
I am praying for EVERY artist in the NYC area to remain grounded in Jesus Christ. I pray to see a better year for CHH in my city!
Comments