Gods, God, and Soul Food: Young Black Spirituality and Rap Music

• In Event: Top Papers of the African American Communication and Culture Division

Abstract

Contrary to popular belief, discussions of morality, spiritual sensibilities, and religion are major themes in the lyrics of rap music. The current study provides a content analysis of rap lyrics in an effort to better understand the ways in which rap artists and audiences think/thought about their spirituality. Results indicate that there existed a fervent and nuanced discourse around spirituality during the rise of rap music in the mid 1990s.

Author

• Chris Harris, University of Miami