I was given the task of writing a review for the UK Gospel act E-Tizz a few weeks ago, following the release of his new record ‘What I Gotta Say’. After several days of listening and thinking, I found myself unsure, unable to approach the music in a critical form. I couldn’t see how the gospel could fit with the raw, high-tempo feel of UK Rap and Grime, a genre rife with themes of crime, violence and the harsh reality of inner-city urban life. The lyrics just didn’t feel right within the context of the music form, it felt a bit forced, a bit artificial in a way. I regrettably emailed my editors to say I couldn’t write the article.
Firstly I must say that I wholly respect E-Tizz for what he is doing, an artist who is trying to contextualise Christianity into UK rap, a genre that is really flying the flag for UK music at the moment. His lyrical content is good and his flow is diverse enough to work on the track. However I just didn’t like the sound; the synth-influenced Hip-Hop/Dance tracks are reminiscent of the manufactured Hip-Pop which we hear all the time on the radio (Tinchy Stryder and Tinie Tempah come to mind).
Since I have started writing for Milk and Honey, I’ve found myself reconsidering my approach to several forms of music; my reviews of artists such as Lianne La Havas resulted in opinions evolving and changing for the better as my reviews progressed into finished articles. I don’t think my opinion on E-Tizz will change for the moment, but I was drawn to the attention of several other artists in the UK Gospel scene, such as Guvna B and Dwayne Tryumf. Guvna B in particular seems able to assert Christianity within the frame of UK rap; his take on ‘Hustle Hard’ is witty and punchy ‘Jay-Z ain’t got nothing on my saviour, he is a fraud’ yet plays on the fundamental issue within UK Gospel rap; ‘the world thinks I’m too churchy and the church thinks I’m too worldly’.
How does UK Gospel find its identity when it is trying to uphold Christian morals whilst also assuming a Hip-Hop image? Do the two work together? I think my uncertainty stems back to my own confidence in my perceived image as a young Christian living in a progressive state. Dwayne Tryumf’s ‘I Don’t Pack a Matic’ is a good song with a catchy beat and a strong moral of scripture over a life of violence and crime. Guvna B’s ‘Hometown Riots’ addresses the horrors of the summer’s London riots, attempting to guide young people in the right direction. The uncertainty I felt when I first saw these videos reflects the downtrodden beliefs that I sometimes feel as a Christian.
At my secondary school Christianity was the brunt of many jokes, some light-hearted, some rude, and there is a feeling amongst some people I’ve met that religion is taking a backseat in an increasingly secular society. Whilst I can only commend the message that these artists are putting forward, the image of rappers carrying bibles in their music videos felt strange. Yet when you look past the image and its presentation, the message of the words is positive and relevant to a society that has suffered from crime, money and dishonesty. The riots of last summer were a striking image of a fractured society, and perhaps UK Gospel has the opportunity to do good work in guiding those who need it.
However, I believe that these artists, who have ability and drive, should be wary of confining themselves to the genre itself. Whilst genres and the classification of music forms can be useful in identifying aspects of a piece of given music, it also has shown to be constricting and can suffocate an artist once they have been pigeon-holed into a specific genre of music.
Whilst UK gospel inevitably draws upon spirituality and the gospel, these themes which serve to underpin it should be more widely expanded upon. My introduction to UK gospel rap has been enlightening, yet it has also reaffirmed my perceptions of a musical genre which is naturally narrow and more focused. It takes courage in any avenue of music to push the boundaries and UK gospel artists could benefit from widening their gaze, in terms of sound as well as lyrical content. My knowledge of UK gospel is limited yet through my initial experiences of it I feel that it has potential. There is burgeoning talent here which needs to be realised to really make the genre relevant in today’s society.
Written By Jack McSweeny
TweetMe: @Jack_McSweeney