Can Hip Hop be a Contemplative Form of Music?

A post by Guesnerth Josué Perea

“Rap offers an inverted reality structure that redefines what is naughty and what is nice… [Through hip hop], the gospel is being inculturated for a new generation. To reconsider your circumstances using the perspectives of a new generation is a difficult and contemplative act. It is contemplative because it requires the recognition that the world as we know it is not of our own making.”

- Barbara Holmes, Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church

Can hip hop also be a contemplative form of music?

Hip hop has always been a soundtrack to my life, and its influence weaves through my sermons. From BlackStar's "Thieves in the Night," I draw on the line: “Not compassionate, only polite (now who the nicest?)” to challenge the idea of civility without true kindness. 

Killer Mike's powerful words in “Jeopardy” from Run the Jewels 2, “I might be the closest representation of God you might see,” spark reflection on unexpected places where we can locate the Divine. 

And while Kendrick Lamar's "Alright" from To Pimp a Butterfly has become a mainstay, its message of hope through struggle, “Hard times like, yah! / Bad trips like, yah! / But if God got us then we gon' be alright,” still resonates deeply.

So, during a recent Black Lives and Contemplation class, I contemplated the possibility of incorporating hip hop into a meditative setting. Intrigued by the idea, I opted to use Mos Def's (before his name change to yasiin bey) "Umi Says." This beautiful song features a recurring refrain from his grandmother, offering words of wisdom meant to be carried throughout life. We embarked on a musical meditation centered on Mos Def's lyrics, "My Umi said shine your light on the world / Shine your light for the world to see," which is also a featured track on his album Black on Both Sides.

While unsure of the reception, I was surprised by the positive response. This exercise opened new avenues for contemplative thinking, and participants expressed gratitude for exposure to "Umi Says" and the potential of hip hop as a contemplative tool.

Hip hop isn't typically associated with contemplation, and I can understand why. It might be hard to meditate to an album like Wu-Tang Clan's Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) due to its raw energy, but there's a whole lane of thoughtful lyricism and social commentary within the genre. And, while acknowledging the criticisms of hip hop raised by figures like bell hooks, it's important to recognize that the genre also possesses contemplative elements. By opening our minds to these aspects, we can discover a new dimension to hip hop's potential.

The first song I ever used for meditation was Common's "Faithful," specifically the lines "I was rollin' around, in my mind it occurred / What if God was a her? / Would I treat her the same? Would I still be runnin' game on her? / In what type of ways would I want her?"  This concept resonated deeply with me and, throughout my Master's degree in Theology, it continued to surface in my thoughts. The line's impact transcended music, influencing my prayer and contemplative practices on the nature and ways that I identify with the Divine.

Kendrick Lamar's music, particularly songs like "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst," "How Much a Dollar Cost," "FEEL.," and "i," consistently compels us to examine our lives on a deeper level. Their themes have the potential to significantly impact our inner world.  Recently, I even proposed a contemplative listening session with a friend, focusing on "i."  This song, brimming with positive messages, offers a wealth of ideas that could be used for a form of "audio divina," a guided reflection based on music.

Rapsody's latest album features two stunningly spiritual tracks perfect for contemplative practices: "God's Light" and "Faith." These songs explore themes of Black female identity and spirituality, offering rich material for reflection.

Even hip hop producers and beatmakers can be deeply contemplative in their creative process. Take J Dilla's acclaimed final album Donuts, which offers a poignant reflection on his own mortality and its impact on his loved ones. Tracks like "Don't Cry," a message of comfort for his mother, showcase the profound emotional depth achievable even in hip hop production. This exemplifies the contemplative nature that I feel is a part of hip hop.

While widespread acceptance of hip hop as contemplative music may be unlikely, I believe it can be a powerful tool for all communities—and specifically for Black communities—to engage in contemplative practices.  The creative process of hip hop itself aligns with contemplative elements.  Songwriters who write their own lyrics often engage in a form of journaling, reflecting on their experiences and crafting messages for themselves before sharing them with the world. Lyricists brainstorm the most fitting musical accompaniment for their words. Producers then tap into their musical knowledge and memories, crafting unique rhythms that elevate the message and create a cohesive soundscape. In this sense, hip hop can be seen as a form of popularized journaling, offering a familiar and potentially transformative avenue for contemplation.

What does this all have to do with contemplation? Well, as contemplative Howard Thurman suggests, centering oneself is crucial for spiritual practice. In this light, listening to music that offers messages of hope and perseverance, like Kendrick Lamar's 'Alright,' can be a powerful tool for grounding ourselves, for centering down and can open us to the many varied possibilities of contemplation. If we can open up to those, then "we gon' be alright."

Guesnerth Josué Perea just completed his final year of the Novitiate with the Community of the Incarnation, the New Monastic Community that runs the Center for Spiritual Imagination. He is also the executive director of the afrolatin@ forum, founder and co-curator of the AfoLatine Theology Project, associate pastor of Metro Hope Church, and co-host of the Majestad Prieta Podcast. His research on AfroLatinidad has been part of various publications including Let Spirit Speak: Cultural Journeys through the African Diaspora and the Revista de Estudios Colombianos. He is the Executive Producer of the new documentary short Faith in Blackness: An Exploration of AfroLatine Spirituality.

Interested in learning more about our New Monastic Community? Sign up for our upcoming Fall class Introduction to Socially Engaged Mysticism, also called “Candidacy.” Learn more at spiritualimagination.org/events