Before I seek to answer this, I will say that Scripture is silent on subjects like this. By this I mean there is no direct reference to “rap music” in the Bible (for there was no such thing when God inspired men to write the scriptures). Having said that, there are “principles in Scripture” which do help to guide us in things that are not directly addressed in the Word of God. It is to these that I will refer to in my answer. I will also say that this is a “controversial subject” where all believers do not agree. Some are very adamant in their view that “one should not sing rap music.” Others are equally strong in their view that “it is okay for Christians to sing rap music as long as it is a Christian rap music band, or a Christian singing along with a Christian rap band.”

I believe there are scriptural principles which would lead the believer in Jesus Christ to avoid rap music, even if it is a “Christian rap group” singing it. To be fair, I have never (even in my unconverted days) liked rap music. I was annoyed by the loud and heavy beat which often distracted me from the lyrics. But what bothered me most about rap was the content, for as you may know rap music artists in the world glorify profanity, illicit sex, and violence in their lyrics. Many of them also have an anti-authority message where they criticize the police and go so far as to advocate violence against police. In fairness, Christian rap artists have an altogether different message with Biblical lyrics and with a desire to minister the gospel to sinners and the truth of God to fellow believers. Their lyrics do NOT include profanity, illicit sex, or violence in them. Yet what I have found is that they still employ loud and heavy beats which “entertain their listeners” but often hinder one from understanding the message they are trying to convey.

Christian rap artists and their followers believe they can honor and glorify the Lord in this genre of music and one passage that they may use to support this view is 1^st Corinthians 9:19-23. In this portion the Apostle Paul says: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (NKJV). Throughout these verses the apostle is describing his intense desire to see souls saved and that he was willing to adopt their cultural behaviors in order to gain their ear so they might “hear the gospel and be saved.” Christian rap artists believe there are unsaved people who love rap music and that this is their way of “reaching them for Christ.” It sounds good on the surface, but we must face certain “scriptural principles” to see if they are justified in their thinking.

We are told in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” We also read in 1^st John 2:15-16, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but of the world.” We just saw that the Apostle Paul was willing to adopt certain cultural behaviors to win souls to Christ, but we can be sure that Paul would never adopt a cultural behavior that was looked upon, by the world in general, as ungodly, or worldly. In other words, Paul would “NOT compromise God’s truth in any way, shape, matter or form” in order to get people’s attention so they would listen to the gospel. The “world of rap” is known to be ungodly and worldly by most people in the world. They know that this genre of music advances profanity, illicit sex and violence and anyone with a “moral compass” stays clear of it. Rap artists have earned a bad reputation and thus there is a well-deserved STIGMA attached to them. Again, the Apostle Paul was willing to adjust to certain cultural behaviors to gain the ear of the lost, but he would never have allowed himself to be “conformed to a worldly cultural behavior” or to even be identified with them in any way. The truth is “rap music” is part of a “subculture” (i.e., a group of people within a culture that differentiates themselves from the larger culture to which they belong). Because of the stigma attached to rap music, I believe Christians should stay clear of this “subculture” that has brought so much damage to people’s lives. In adopting their “loud and heavy beats” along with other forms of “worldly entertainment” that excites the emotions of their listeners, one may succeed in gaining a following, but one must honestly and soberly ask, “How many people really focus on their Christian lyrics and turn from sin to the Savior of sinners?” I am not saying that God can’t use His Word that is sung in rap music, for He is a sovereign and gracious God who can use His Word anywhere, but is rap music the medium that God calls His children to use to evangelize the world? For reasons stated above I highly doubt it.

Sadly, I have heard of Christian rap artists (and Christian rock and pop artists too) enjoying the popularity they have achieved and have ended up abandoning their Christian lyrics in exchange for “less offensive” language in order to gain an even larger following. Their “fame” had gone to their head and instead of “winning souls to Christ” they are being “conformed to this world.”  (DO)  (572.5)