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Witches' Brew: Is "Rospel" (R&B & Gospel) Here To Stay????

Monday, September 28, 2009

Is "Rospel" (R&B & Gospel) Here To Stay????



Because I always catch myself dancing a waist gyrating jig to Mary Mary's "God in Me" ,it got me to wondering if this song and others like it have officially crossed the "R & B, bump-n-grind" line. I can't help but to think that deep down inside they have dreams of mainstream appeal but disguise it with gospel music. The only way to describe the vibe I get from Mary Mary is that it feels like they wanna be down, like real bad..........I don't personally have a problem with God music that makes you wanna stomp ya feet, I just wonder if it crosses lines. Once Kirk Franklin came on the scene and got everybody amped with "Stomp" it slowly but surely became harder and harder to decipher between what was gospel and what was R&B, these days it's even worse. He even started the song with:

"For those of you that think gospel music has gone to far.
You think we got too radical with our message.
Well I got news for you , you ain't heard nothin yet,
and if you don't know now you know. Glory, Glory!!



I totally felt the need to bathe in holy water after I caught myself "shakin it like a salt shaker" to "God in Me", but is that my fault? Maybe gospel needs to definitively be gospel, no hippity hop beat, no gettin airplay on the local urban stations, no gettin the crowd hype at award shows, none of that! Of course singing anything over a dope beat will appeal to the masses but somehow I thought the focus was the message and not the many ways you can 'bust a move' to a God tune.

I don't know, I remember going to church with my great granny as a lil girl and looking forward to the choir and the feeling it would give me inside. I didn't understand what that feeling was but it sure felt good! Gospel artists are not volunteers, they get paid just like a anyone else, so again it makes me question motive and intent.



In the end, I guess they submit to a "whatever it takes" stance to spreading the christian word but they are really tittering on a fine line........

What do you think??? Is 'Rospel' taking it too far or is it simply a sign of the times changing??

Oh don't get it twisted though, I'm still doin my MJ crotch grab as I jam to this joint........ it's just fiyah like that!

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2 Comments:

At Monday, September 28, 2009 at 2:16:00 PM EDT , Anonymous SUpreme said...

"Rospel" - I like that.

When people complain about these type of songs, they typically don't think of one important thing - it's a GOOD THING. Seriously - thinking of all the music and subject matter of the songs out there, would you rather have people - especially young ones - emulating and singing positive, uplifting God-themed messages, or singing about "birthday sex" and "supermanning that hoe"??

People may groove to the beat, but the often emulate what the artists do on-stage or in the video. If there was more music like this, seeing as the artists don't dance freakily, wouldn't that be a GOOD THING? And, once you get past the catchiness of it and learn the words like people do with most songs, isn't it GOOD if they're dealing with morally sound subject matter?

I'm with Kirk Franklin. I don't have a problem with this, cuz adhering to the old ways certainly ain't reaching or influencing generations. And people think it's actually cute to see little kids pop, lock and dropping it - I'll take "The God In Me" for the kids in my family any day.

This is similar to people who complain about Tyler Perry movies..I've got no problem with either, cuz they're attempting to do more good than bad.

 
At Monday, September 28, 2009 at 2:37:00 PM EDT , Blogger BreeIAm said...

Agreed...I think whatever it takes to get the message out, is ok with me. Just like Christian rock.

Though I do think that White Jesus would not approve of that tangerine hair hat.

 

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