Christian Rap Music That Glorifies God
Artists Who Educate
A good estimation of one’s grasp of a concept is their ability to explain and teach it. Often this is seen in the use of varying illustrations and articulating the same truth in different ways.
Like turning a rock over and over in the palm of your hand, so a good teacher handles truth with precision, feeling all aspects of it.
Christian rap is that reality. The gospel invades all avenues of influence, including the domain of music. And many of the rappers featured in this list are pastors and teachers, students of the Word, or otherwise show their careful handling of the “word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV).
Below is a list of 7 artists and groups that place the glory of the Trinity into an MP3.
1. Beautiful Eulogy
These pastors can rap because these rappers are pastors. Their lyrics are fast lines with deep precision. Their album Worthy is an excellent source of theological insight and teaching.
2. Believin’ Stephen
Apart from being deeply involved in strength training (as an employee of the Philadelphia Eagles strength training team), Stephen can rap. His lyrics are strong and his content is engaging. He wields the sword of the Spirit to cut the hearts of men. In particular, his album The Suffering Servant speaks to the issue of suffering and God’s sovereignty, His gracious purposes, and the sufferings of Christ. Truly a masterpiece.
3. Benjamin the Esquire
His album Lyrical Catechism should be enough to know what’s inside. How many guys can walk you through the Westminister Shorter Catechism, let alone with a rap? A powder keg of theology packed into minutes of rhyme!
4. Christcentric
Featuring albums that cover and rap through the books of James, Ephesians, and Jude, Christcentric is my favorite group, period. They love the Bible; and they exegete passages as they rap through them. So, you learn the book, behold your God, and remember key texts via rhyme schemes. What’s not to love? My favorite is Romans, Vol. 1.
5. Evangel
He has a voice for rapping to the glory of God. His sound is profound, and his content matches it. The album The Master’s Pieces show off his thinking and theological insight. Songs like Pros and Cons and Hilltop Housing are vivid with illustration and encourage my soul.
6. Shai Linne
Lyrical Theology, Pt. 1 is perhaps one of the best albums in Christian rap. Linne has planted a church, is a faithful father and pastor, and is an encouragement to me in the faith apart from his music. There is only one album I am aware of that walks you through systematic theology — and one that simultaneously exposes the false teachings of Joel Osteen and the like.
Shai Linne does just that, and can clarify deep truths such as the Hypostatic Union or give you an in-depth book recommendation list in song. All of his albums are lyrically solid and have rhymes that instruct me to this day. Get ahold of Shai’s content.
7. Timothy Brindle
By far one of the most theologically and exegetically sound albums written is The Unfolding. I mean it. His work and Master’s degree at Westminster Theological Seminary shows. I adore his teaching and his preaching in this. Listen to these songs in order as they unfold the Bible and reveal Christ’s death and resurrection as the main theme of the Scriptures.
