These Christian Rap Songs are Giving Kendrick Lamar Vibes

As I’m figuring out new ways to come up with content, and considering that Kendrick Lamar is working on his set for the upcoming Super Bowl, and Joey Bada$$ just dissed Kendrick (allegedly), why not highlight some Christian rap songs that elicit that bravado, brilliant, architecture of lyricism, along with dynamic, sonically rich instrumentation?

Sidebar: That Kendrick and Drake beef came and went, but I’m down to see Kendrick and Joey go at it. That would be interesting. It maybe wouldn’t get as much attention, but I think that would be worth seeing.

Anyway, on to those five songs…

1. Lil Boy — KB

Yeah, boi! Come on, black conservatives. Nah, I’m just kidding.

I do enjoy KB’s “Southside Rabbi” podcast. Watch out, little boy! KB is doing that good old-fashioned: let’s mix affirmations of servitude and take responsibility in our day-to-day affairs over trap beats.

Similar to how Kendrick did that with the song “Humble.” During the whole “Big Three” conversation that eventually ended up just being Kendrick versus Drake, there was a lot of talk in the Christian rap community about who are the Christian rap equivalents of Drake, Kendrick, and Cole. Many claimed KB was the Kendrick Lamar of Christian rap. Though I do admire KB’s work, he wouldn’t have been my top pick in that conversation, but that’s not to take away from how hard-hitting a lot of his songs are. I do think down the line, maybe when he’s able to sidestep some of his more Christian radio-friendly tendencies, I think he could make something that speaks and operates with a level of depth and artistry of a Kendrick-type record. When that day will come? I’m not entirely sure. But for the time being, KB seems like a really solid dude, who is smarter than me and in much better shape. I could take him though.

No, I couldn’t.

2. Choose — Lee Green

Okay, so why isn’t Lee Green making more music? What is he doing or not doing? What else does he do? Does he have a job that’s taking away his time? This man is so talented. Anytime I hear him on a song with a verse or a hook, he’s usually stealing the show. I don’t know what this man’s problem is.

3. Practice — Jackie Hill Perry

Auntie Jackie is back at it again.

The title track from her 2024 release, “Practice,” sets the tone for this release. If you know, then you might also understand that we haven’t had a Jackie Hill Perry release in over 7 years, and this project came at the right time.

There are a lot of just good, clever punchlines in this. I like the line about being “mummy wrapped,” and then she follows it up with the line “two-tank common denominator.” Full stop. It’s just good stuff. You should listen to the song.

4. Sleepin’ — nobigdyl.

Songs like this solidified that nobigdyl is that dude. Here, Dilly wrestles with his ego. The song is very simple at that, but it’s based on a common phrase that was heard a lot a few years ago in the rap community. The phrase “You sleeping on me.” He takes that idea and contorts it and expounds upon it to the 10th degree, and it’s brilliant. It’s almost like a Lupe record in that regard.

I feel like he could have kept going on and on and on with the way he kind of flips the idea.

This could have been easily a 6-minute song, but I think he wrapped up the idea very nicely. And the visual for this is very cool, very inventive, very creative. The whole thing kind of feels like a dream. And also, there is this notion of things being inflated, there’s an inflated look, and it makes sense because his ego was inflated. Very cool idea, I think, from conception to execution with the visual. It all just really comes together very nicely.

5. Dis Nigga — Canton Jones feat. Messenja

When we talk about OGs in Christian rap, Canton Jones deserves to be in that conversation. He innovated a lot with his brand of Christian R&B and he also made some significant contributions to the Christian rap space as well. I briefly attended his church, but I’m willing to bet money he does not remember me at all. Anyway, Canton himself has courted some controversy before for certain creative choices, which are noteworthy in their own right. Some of them have been brilliant. You should check out his song “In Da Club,” like the original version. It was kind of brilliant. Anyway, here is a new controversial song that made some Christians mad. But I loved it.

This feels like a sketch that would have been on a Kendrick Lamar album, maybe an earlier one, but I love the song. I love that he and his friend Messenja take the time to fully articulate the gospel and salvation from the perspective of this character who is singing. Full stop. They go for the whole rigamarole to let you know that this is a legitimate statement or profession of faith before they fully drop the punchline of the “N-word.” It’s great. Now if you look at the comments underneath this video on YouTube, you will see people who view this kind of differently. I think this song is fine. I’m not against it. I don’t know if it’ll lead someone to Christ, but I’m glad this song exists. And that’s why it’s on this list.

I KNOW! I KNOW! I’m not supposed to start a sentence with “And.” BUT, y’know much like Kendrick retelling the story myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

JESUS SAVES KENDRICK FANS TOO!