I have grown up in a Christian home with a Christian background, and for as long as I can remember, I have attended church and my faith has been important to me.
However, moving off to George Fox last year marked a time of stagnation in my faith. It was not until recently that I felt alive for Christ again, and there is one person that I believe is at least partially to credit for my renewal: Kendrick Lamar.
A little bit of background before we jump in. Kendrick Lamar is regarded as among the greatest rappers alive, and his influence in hip-hop is undeniable. Yes, he is explicit. But he is also a very strong Christian.
Before you exit the article, hear me out. On Good Friday of 2017, Kendrick Lamar released his fourth studio album, DAMN. In this album, Kendrick tells the story of his life in reverse, with the first track, BLOOD, expressing his death, and in the last track, DUCKWORTH, he raps about his dad's life. The tracks in between tell the story of how Kendrick got into the rap game and how he believes both it has influenced him but also how he influences it.
Here's where I come into it. I listened to the album when it came out, and it really impacted me for a few reasons.
First, Kendrick is not ashamed of who he is. He was born in Compton, his dad was a member of a gang, and his family is tied closely to the Bloods. Kendrick does not have a college degree, and his language is, at best, wildly explicit. No part of Kendrick Lamar is the picture perfect Christian.
In my life, Christianity has been portrayed as very safe and tame. Kendrick Lamar is not tame. He fits into rap stereotypes and he is not someone who would easily fit into my white suburban life. But his faith is undeniable. Kendrick is a strong Christian with a faith the same as mine.
Secondly, Kendrick's faith impacts his work, and his work is good. In the rap world, there is a subgenre of "christian rap," and frankly, it is not good on the whole. But Kendrick is good. Kendrick is Christian, and he references God in a large number of his songs, including quoting Deuteronomy in his tracks "YAH" and "FEAR."
I sometimes feel like success is separate from Christianity. When you look at most American success stories like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett, and others, Jesus plays a very small role in their daily routines.
Again, Kendrick Lamar stands out. His faith influences his work and this makes him who he is: An incredibly successful musician.
Thirdly, Kendrick Lamar talks about prayer and loneliness. If you read my article last week, I talked about how optimism can be lonely at times. When Kendrick raps his line, "ain't nobody praying for me," I relate to that. Hearing that someone as wildly successful as Kendrick turns to Jesus for his comfort, reminds me that so can I.
In his most recent album, Kendrick Lamar shows that he is proud of who he is, but not content with the world. In my own walk, I am proud of who I am, but not content with where I am, and I strive daily to grow in Christ and become more like him. Kendrick Lamar showed me that I can do that while still being successful in what I do.
