4 Christian Rap Albums for fans of DONDA
Troubling habits of the artists aside, Donda was an outstanding piece of work.
If you liked that record that means you enjoyed the larger-than-life, stadium-filling, spaceship-sounding production, the raw emotional transparency, and the confidence of a seasoned auteur veteran refusing to throw in his towel as he continues to educate new generations of artists.
If all that is true, you should check these albums by Christian artists.
*Fair warning. This is only by coincidence, but, much like Donda, ¾ of these projects have repeated themes around mothers dying. I only realized that halfway into writing this. But… moving right along.
1. Never Land II by Andy Mineo
This record is a sequel to Mineo’s 2013 release Never Land. There is an enjoyable Memento-esque narrative. Similar to Donda, the album is narrated by his mother who unfortunately passed from a form of cancer.
Mineo’s mother details anecdotes from her experiences parenting Mineo, starting with his behavioral issues as a child, early memories she had of him managing a recording studio at age 15, to the point where he meets the woman meant to be his wife, who he married in real life. Conversely, Andy is rapping from the perspective of his now adult anxiety-ridden self, trying to return to a place of bliss, or more loosely, find his inner child.
When the narratives finally intersect at the end, they crescendo into a brilliant, statement about imperfection, becoming new, and clinging to the immutable things in life.
2. 24 by Swoope
Swoope, who has suffered Kanye West comparisons nearly his entire career, has achieved a successful divorce from those comparisons with his last 2–3 records. Yet there remain sonic homages with the themes consistent in West’s most recent work.
Though the album itself is called 24, a reference to Lamentations 3:23, it serves as a layered meaning about the 24 hours given in a day and the number 24, which was Kobe Bryant’s jersey number, similar to the song 24, from the album Donda.
What is cool is the album is divided into two sections the first one is labeled Ante-Meridian (before noon), which is whispered on the opening track New Day and the second half is labeled Post-Meridian (afternoon), which is whispered on the song, With You, a beautiful tribute to his now-passed mother.
The first half of the album is pristine dirty south-trap grown man music meanwhile, the latter gives way to his live instrumentation sensibilities with more luxurious instrumentation. The track “Flowers” sounds like an ode to Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Fridays. So he is still jumping between those references but he has established a sound that is his own.
3. New Hollywood by Whatuprg
New Hollywood is an outlier on this list for various reasons. For one, Whatuprg, as far as I know, still has his mother. Also, he is the youngest of these four artists, so there are certain things perspective-wise that are just not present on this record. That noted this may be one of the four’s more sonically enriching records, depending on your taste. This is definitely the record that can fill up a stadium with its sound with its larger-than-life production.
This is his least subdued record, as he is spearheading production. He goes full Kanye and certain points. In the song “KIDS”, Whatuprg blends his theology with his take on social issues like the idea of “Child-like faith” which he juxtaposes with the controversy of immigrant Hispanic children being separated from their families.
There is also the crown jewel posse track, PRAISE featuring Foggieraw, Ty Brasel, Parris Chariz, NOT KLYDE, 1k Phew, nobigdyl., Aha Gazelle, 350, and Kaleb Mitchell. It is a nearly 7-minute track and it is phenomenal. It is like a cross between West’s So Appalled and Swoope’s Same Team.
4. Find a Way to Smile Again by Taelor Gray
This is a follow-up to his 2020 release, Touch Not Mine Anointed. The previous record dealt with reconciling the heart for the days of old that cultivated his faith while also acknowledging the cultural and systemic problems that black church culture has contributed to. In the journey to mine the value out of those experiences, Find a Way to Smile Again deals with what happens when a pillar of that culture is taken away. What is left? What needs to be rebuilt? What was there to begin with? That is what this record is.
Once, this is another rapper grieving the transition to his mother (I swear I am not trying actively ruin your day). This deals with the subject matter a bit more acutely. Here, Gray is reconciling the fallout given the past two years of the pandemic, bearing the burden of a pastor. He acknowledges that his responsibilities have taken a toll on his marriage and family. Fun fact: production on this record, was handled by Wit (legendary producer) and Swoope (who appeared earlier in this list).
These are all fantastic albums in their own right. I believe you will enjoy the themes found in Donda like family reconciling or acknowledging blunders made in adulthood. From the blend of jazz and Midwest Coast instrumentation with epic modern hard-hitting trap and boom bap bangers found in 24 to the experimental futurist Imagineer rap record that is Never Land II, all of these records make bold statements that merit a listen.
Below, is a playlist entitled Christian Music for fans of Kanye West. It features all the artists in this article and more. Please give it a listen and share it with your friends.
