Hip Hop Gospel

Hip Hop Gospel


Simon was nervous, a bit shaky, and hesitant to talk to anyone before chapel on Wednesday evening. He could barely control his anxiety during sound check before chapel, at one point quitting and declaring, "I can't do this!"

Just a few weeks earlier, Simon had shared with Chaplain Gay King Crede that he was done writing raps with negative lyrics. Instead, he committed himself to writing lyrics with a positive message. That night, standing in the family room at the Kendall Gill Boy's Group Home, he rapped his newly written lyrics by memory for Chaplain Gay. 


Chaplain Gay knew immediately that she was witnessing a real life example of how God can help us change and the great joy that comes from being ready for transformation. Before she left, she asked him to share his rap during chapel service. He cautiously agreed. Fast forward to Wednesday night, Simon's nerves were about to get the best of him. He wanted to give up.

However with some gentle encouragement from his group home staff and music therapist, Kyle, he was able to power through and perform his original rap song for the youth in attendance.
 

"The Lord is my guidance,
He keep me from the violence
Without Him I'm a plane with no pilot
 
You can't break me, under God's wings I'll let my haters hate me.
Give my soul to Jesus got these haters trying to capture me 
I'm a Jesus freak so you haters stay away from me. 
Trying to put me down but I got Jesus standing next to me. 
 
"The song gave me chills," said Kyle, "it was a powerful testimony to change and reinventing oneself." 
 
As the final words slipped from Simon's lips the entire chapel erupted in applause from his fellow Cunningham kids, and his face broke into a huge smile.