Faith Is What You Make It

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How does the spiritual coexist with the secular? We discuss how Southern Hip-Hop artists investigate their spiritual practices through religion, acts of faith and their music. Plus, we get a visit from the South’s favorite Pastor.

The episode starts with a look at the role of faith in the South, and the extent to which the hip-hop generation does (or doesn’t) feel welcome. Listening to Killer Mike and UGK, Cyhi the Prynce’s “No Dope on Sunday,” No Malice, Lecrae’s “Can’t Stop Me Now (Destination),” and more, we explore the idea of songs and verses as prayers to make sense of the world. Then, we talk to our good, good friend Lee Hale, a religion reporter who’s reported himself into a faith crisis. And we get story-time with Pastor Troy. We chop it up about the beginnings of his rap career, his controversial song “Vice Versa,” and his relationship with the original Pastor Troy: his father.