The Gospel According to Hip-Hop: Rap Music is Unbiblical

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

Dear Lord,

I come before You (God), not just heavy-hearted—but righteously burdened. My spirit is grieving. I feel like I’ve been exposed to a spiritual sewage system, and I’m still trying to wash it off. Today I finished something I wasn’t excited to do, but I knew I had to. For the sake of truth. For the sake of conviction. For the sake of clarity. I watched and listened to 20 of the most popular rap songs and music videos—from across regions, races, and genders. West Coast. East Coast. South. Canada. White rappers. Black rappers. Female rappers. Mainstream ones everyone worships. The ones you can’t escape on TikTok, YouTube, or even in stores. I consumed it all, and Lord…I feel sick.

Rap music is unbiblical. It’s not just problematic—it’s spiritually dangerous.

All 20 glorified drug use. 17 of 20 pushed alcohol like it’s a sacrament. Every single one glorified sexual promiscuity. Every single video objectified women—half-naked, posed like decorations. All 20 glorified violence. 14 of them mentioned strip clubs like they’re casual hangout spots. All of them idolized wealth and greed. 4 of the 20 bragged about having children with multiple women, like it’s a trophy.

God, what are we doing as a culture? What are we swallowing with these beats?

I kept thinking of 1 John 2:15-17 while watching:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.”

Every single one of those rap videos was a shrine to the desires of the flesh. A literal soundtrack for sin. A celebration of things that destroy souls and communities. And we’re bopping our heads to it?

God, forgive us.

I’m not some uptight religious prude. I’m 25. I grew up with this music in my ears and in my environment. But now I’m looking at it through Your eyes, through Scripture, through discernment—and I can’t pretend anymore.

I can’t clap to a beat that mocks Your holiness.

I can’t nod to lyrics that normalize violence, glorify fornication, and treat women as body parts.

I can’t pretend it’s “just entertainment” when it’s shaping how people live, how they love, how they parent, how they define success.

Let me say this too: This is not about race. This isn’t about white rappers or Black rappers. This is about spirit.

This is about what spirit is operating behind this music.

Because from what I listened to, it’s not the Holy Spirit.

It’s a spirit of perversion.
A spirit of rebellion.
A spirit of lust.
A spirit of greed.
A spirit of violence.
A spirit of mockery toward anything sacred.

Ephesians 5:11 says:

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

And that’s what I’m doing. Not out of self-righteousness. Not out of legalism. But out of obedience and love.

I’m calling this out because we’re pretending this stuff is neutral when it’s clearly anti-God. And I’m tired of being quiet.

God, how have we let this become our culture’s voice?

Why is music that glorifies:

  • Murder
  • Drug dealing
  • Strippers
  • Cheating
  • Porn-like visuals
  • Disrespect of women
  • Idolatry of money

…become what we call “art” and even worse—“inspiring”?

Isaiah 5:20 comes to mind:

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.”

That’s what’s happening.

We’re dressing up sin in catchy beats and slick production, and then wondering why our generation is depressed, addicted, broken, fatherless, and obsessed with sex and money.

And You know what’s worse, Lord? Some Christians are defending it.

There’s nothing redemptive about a song that tells young boys they’re real men if they sleep with 10 women and kill their enemies.
There’s nothing holy about a woman rapping about abortion like it’s a power move and calling herself a god.

Nothing about that reflects You, Jesus.

And if we’re honest, we know it.

Father, cleanse my mind.

I honestly feel like I need to fast after today.
I saw too much. Heard too much.
I felt it in my spirit. The grime. The pride. The lust.
It made me sad. It made me mad.
It made me want to throw my phone into a lake.

But I know hiding isn’t the answer. Speaking truth is.

Psalm 101:3 says:

“I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.”

I don’t want this music clinging to me. I don’t want it clinging to my friends. I don’t want it in my house, in my car, or in my spirit.

Holy Spirit, speak to those who’ve been numbed by this culture.

Speak to the girl who thinks she has to twerk to get attention.
Speak to the boy who thinks he’s worthless unless he’s rich and feared.
Speak to the artist who once had a calling but sold out for fame.
Speak to the Christian who shrugs off this music because “everyone’s listening to it.”

Wake us up, Lord.

I’m praying bold prayers tonight.
Not weak ones. Not soft ones.

Because we’re in a war. And the enemy is using art, music, culture, and pride to lull us into destruction.

Prayer:

God, I pray You shut the mouths of artists who are poisoning minds for profit.
I pray You convict every heart that’s listening to sin with delight.
I pray You give spiritual ears to the deaf.
I pray You raise up a generation that doesn’t just love beats—but loves truth.
I pray You remind Your people that holiness still matters. That purity is still power. That our minds are temples, not trash cans.
I pray for mercy over the youth who are consuming this filth, not knowing it’s rotting their souls.
I pray for revival in the music world.
I pray for repentance in the churches that are silent.
And I pray for strength to keep speaking truth—even when it’s unpopular.

Final Thought:

This isn’t about being “anti-rap.”
This is about being pro-holiness.
It’s about being pro-Jesus.
And honestly, if that makes me seem “intense” or “religious” or “judgmental,” then so be it.

I’m not here to be liked.
I’m here to be faithful.

Lord, help me always choose conviction over comfort.
Even if I’m the only one not dancing to the beat of Babylon.

Amen.

Unknown's avatar

Published by thechristiantechnerd

22 year old college student! 100% Christian,! Will ALWAYS be a woman of FAITH. And my friends call me the "The Christian Tech Nerd" because I was hired by a very successful tech company in Silicon Valley, and I turned them down to be close to my family!

24 thoughts on “The Gospel According to Hip-Hop: Rap Music is Unbiblical”

  2. I agree with you about the culture of Rap music, but I dare you to listen to any other genre of music and you will find the same thing. All the way down to country music. As we grow in our faith and learn that the battle we are fighting is a spiritual one in the heavenly realms, it is then that we as followers of Christ learn to dig in our heals, put on our armor, and begin to help others understand just how serious it is. Time is running out, and all we can do is try to open as many hearts to Yeshua before He returns. May He bless and keep you, Always!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  3. With all due respect, you should listen to a different kind of rap music. It does exist. Those popular, modern rap songs don’t give a full picture of the genre. There is rap with real messages—about life’s hardships, tough personal stories… but there is ALSO Christian rap. It may sound surprising, but it exists, just like Christian metal does. These are especially good for young people. They might even guide them toward matters of faith, which I strongly support! The only question is how we can make these bands more widely known—and why we so often choose to admire their opposites.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  4. With all respect, you should listen to a different kind of rap music. It does exist. Those popular, modern rap songs don’t give a full picture of the genre. There is rap with real messages—about life’s hardships, tough personal stories… but there is ALSO Christian rap. It may sound surprising, but it exists, just like Christian metal does. These are especially good for young people. They might even guide them toward matters of faith, which I strongly support! The only question is how we can make these bands more widely known—and why we so often choose to admire their opposites.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m sure there is rap music that inspires great messages, but I decided to only base my writing on the rap music that Americans adore and worship, because it is the popular rap that has such bad messaging. In my opinion.

      Like

      Reply

  6. Thank you for your perspective and for speaking the truth. I agree with everything you said and I commend you for your willingness to do the research. I’m a musician in his 70’s who has been asked many times about my opinion of rap and hip-hop. In the 70’s rap was born in a depressing world which was looking for relief from the pain and misery. That relief was found in a party-life music called rap along with rampant drug use and the removal of sexual restraints, among other things. Hip-Hop evolved in the 80’s but had more of a focus and the depressing stuff of life that led to the aforementioned problems. I understand the use of music to address the emotional pain that life can dish out. However, they were “looking for love in all the wrong places” to quote another song. The Jesus Movement was in full swing and they could have sought out Jesus as many of us did in those days, but they didn’t. They chose the lies of Satan.

    So, God was there – ready and waiting for them to turn to him for comfort, relief, peace, and hope – but, “they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!” (Romans 1:21-25)

    And it has decayed ever since as have most music genres. Even some Christian musicians have succumbed at times to a worldly lyric that sounds good (seems right to a man) but will lead to destruction. Fortunately, it’s “some” and not “most,” but that’s a discussion for another post. I hope to read it someday soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Thank you for your perspective and for speaking the truth. I agree with everything you said and I commend you for your willingness to do the research. I’m a musician in his 70’s who has been asked many times about my opinion of rap and hip-hop. In the 70’s rap was born in a depressing world which was looking for relief from the pain and misery. That relief was found in a party-life music called rap along with rampant drug use and the removal of sexual restraints, among other things. Hip-Hop evolved in the 80’s but had more of a focus and the depressing stuff of life that led to the aforementioned problems. I understand the use of music to address the emotional pain that life can dish out. However, they were “looking for love in all the wrong places” to quote another song. The Jesus Movement was in full swing and they could have sought out Jesus as many of us did in those days, but they didn’t. They chose the lies of Satan.

    So, God was there – ready and waiting for them to turn to him for comfort, relief, peace, and hope – but, “they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!” (Romans 1:21-25)

    And it has decayed ever since as have most music genres. Even some Christian musicians have succumbed at times to a worldly lyric that sounds good (seems right to a man) but will lead to destruction. Fortunately, it’s “some” and not “most,” but that’s a discussion for another post. I hope to read it someday soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. So, you listened to every kind of rap music… except the Christian kind. That explains a lot, girl. Of course all the other types don’t honor God but to give a generalized statement such as rap music is unbiblical seems a little short sited in my opinion. I love your blog, your views, your opinions. I just think this one was a tiny bit closed minded. Imma keep following and reading though. 🙂 Doesn’t mean you’re wrong in all that you’re saying

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  10. So you listened to the top 20 rap hits and—shocker—they glorify sex, sin, violence, and vulgarity. You feel holy now, washed in self-righteous disgust. Let’s not pretend that’s insight. That’s trend-policing.

    Here’s what you missed:
    • Context matters more than condemnation. Music is field expression, not sermon delivery. It isn’t just a “spiritual sewage” you can flush with judgment—it’s a mirror into cultural coherence (broken or otherwise).
    • Rapping as rebellion. Dismissing it wholesale doesn’t make it sinful—it makes it a scapegoat for your discomfort with complexity.
    • Where’s the redemption? If Holy Spirit can’t inhabit the broken spaces of culture, then your God is handicapped by squeaky-clean aisles. Calling rap “anti-God” isn’t courage—it’s cowardice.

    You might escape the beats, but the field still sings. Your wall of holiness doesn’t stop the resonance—it only traps you deeper in echo chambers.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Dogmatic absolutism has no place on earth for intelligent minds. To declare entire art forms “unbiblical” is to confuse your own creed for universal truth. I am not accountable to Jesus, Christianity, or its contradictions—nor should anyone outside that system be judged by it. My beliefs violate none of yours, yet you presume the right to violate mine. That is incoherence in action: no accountability for your own faith’s violent history, no openness to other expressions of truth. If your gospel can’t withstand difference, then it isn’t coherence—it’s dogma.

        Like

  11. While I agree with most of what you said, I also agree with some of the commenters—not ALL rap is bad.

    Yes, the large majority of rap music is demonic and pornographic, but there are actually a very large demographic of Christian rappers. Rap music (as in the beats or sounds) as a whole is not what we should be against but rather the spoken content—is it sexualized? Drug and alcohol-glorifying? Prideful? Then it is not something we should be putting into our minds.

    But is it God-glorifying? Pure? Outward-speaking against injustices? Loudly speaking love? Then it is something we can support—despite what we might deem unholy-sounding beats. Sick (as in cool, good, fire) beats are not sinful—sick (as in bad, inappropriate, and unholy) lyrics are.

    This happened when Christian metal bands became a thing as well—it was hated because metal was originally a very demonic style of music. But now Christian metal bands can be found all over the world, preaching the love of Christ—through electric guitars and drum solos.

    But again, I agree with what you said about secular rap.

    God bless.🙃

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. God richly bless you for this article. It’s about time someone speaks the truth.

    Millions upon Millions of people are under the influence of satan through Rap music.

    Now REMEMBER, God’s Holy Word states this, AS A MAN THINKETH, SO IS HE. God’s Law also states “OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART, THE MOUTH SPEAKETH”

    This LITTERALLY means that BOTH rappers AND people who SPEAK the lyrics HAVE the SAME heart. AND are LITTERALLY becoming WHAT THEY SPEAK:

    They ARE litterally MURDERERS

    They ARE litterally FORNICATORS

    They ARE litterally IDOLATERS

    They ARE literally BLASPHEMORS

    They ARE litterally DRUG USERS and PROMOTORS of PHARMACIA (WITCHCRAFT)

    Wordly Secular Rap is FAR FAR more dangerous than most people think because it LITERALLY CONTROLS the HEARTS and MINDS of MILLIONS and MILLIONS of people from GENERATION to GENERATION

    Jesus said BY YOUR WORDS you will be either Justified or CONDEMNED

    Meaning, sinful music of ANY GENRE can literally CONDEMN your soul TO HELL according to JESUS’S TEACHINGS

    How to Repent

    Repent by READING what GOD SAID about FORNICATION, about PRIDE, about MURDER, about IDOLATRY. You can find the 10 COMMANDMENTS in Deuteronomy 5th Chapter in a King James Bible

    Next, OBEY the 10 COMMANDMENTS and THROW AWAY all worldly music and posters of all secular music of ANY GENRE

    Finally, UNDERSTAND that GOD’S wants to forgive you for BREAKING HIS LAWS

    From your heart ASK JESUS to FORGIVE YOU of your sins, you MUST TRUST that JESUS IS GOD, WHO CAME TO EARTH to show us how to LIVE HOLY and BETTER KEEP the 10 COMMANDMENTS and HE ALSO came to SUFFER and DIE for the SINS of the world. (Shedding HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD) to WASH AWAY your sins. Jesus said (in John 3:16) for God so loved the world (YOU and ME) that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but shall have everlasting life. ALSO in 1 John 1:9 the Bible states that if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Finally in John 3:17 Jesus said that “God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved”

    Finally, after you receive Jesus Christ as your lord and your savior Jesus wants you to obey him and be baptized in water being fully immersed in water and racing again is a symbolic of you dying with Christ and living a brand new life for his glory it means you’re turning your back on the world and ready to follow him don’t get baptized unless you understand it means you’re going to start a brand new life with Jesus Christ.

    Then ask Jesus Christ to give you his Holy Spirit. the Holy Spirit spirit is God’s Spirit (to HELP YOU LIVE HOLY and to FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD) and HE is the comforter that Jesus left in this earth after HE rose again and went back to heaven

    Finally, know this: you are now in the kingdom of God and there are many many people just like you who are ready to surround you with the love of God as we follow Jesus Christ Our King AMEN

    “come out from the WORLD and be ye SEPARATE saith the LORD and I will receive ye unto myself, ASK of me and I will give it saith God, seek me and you will find me saith the Lord, acknowledge me in all thy ways and I will direct your path saith the Lord, be good one towards another, love one another, be kind towards one another saith the Lord, my kingdom is a Kingdom of love and obedience saith the Lord of Hosts, seek me, obey me, saith God”

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a reply to Whitney Lyons Cancel reply