Blog

Welcome to RapandReligion.com—the #1 source for news and commentary on hip hop and religion. I am Dr. Ebony Utley, the author of Rap and Religion: Understanding the Gangsta's God. In addition to featuring songs and videos from the book, this blog will keep you in the know when rap and religion collide. Explore the site and come back often for updates.


Life By Me

Posted by & filed under Interviews.

LifeByMe.com describes Ebony Utley as a knowledge seeker, perspective shifter, and obsessive googler. Read about how and why I became a critic. Here is a description of LifeByMe from the site’s homepage.

We ask one question to all sorts of people: “What is most meaningful to you?”

We feature one original answer every day.

We connect with world leaders, moms, Nobel Peace Prize recipients, fishermen, teenagers, designers, prison inmates, media moguls … you?

We are coaches, journalists, idea-developers, visionaries, parents, bloggers, strategists and dreamers.

We share stories that evoke meaningful conversations. For someone. Somewhere.

We love the idea of being in a world where you are living a meaningful life.

Your way. Every day.


Resurrection Power: Remembering Tupac Shakur

Posted by & filed under Jesus.

September 13, 2012, is the sixteenth death anniversary of Tupac Amaru Shakur. While riding in the passenger seat of Suge Knight’s BMW Tupac was shot four times while waiting for a light at the intersection of Koval Lane and Flamingo Road in Las Vegas. He succumbed to his injuries on Friday, September 13, 1996. He was 25 years old. Continue Reading


Ebony Utley Joins the Cypher

Posted by & filed under Interviews.

Listen to one of my favorite interviews with Cypher Lounge Radio. My segment runs from 28:27-48:00. Here’s a description of the show from their site. Welcome to Cypher Lounge Radio where Hip-Hop meets Jay Leno with a twist of CNN. Kareem Fort, the brain behind the scenes and Talented Emcee/Songwriter/Cypher Lounge Host, Hassahn Phenomenon invites celebrities, indie artists, and anybody out there changing the world to an experience where they get to relax, reflect, laugh, converse, and showcase their talents.


Happy Birthday Hip Hop

Posted by & filed under Hip Hop.

Hip Hop’s 39th birthday is August 11th.  On that date in 1973 Clive Campbell AKA DJ Kool Herc hooked up his sister Cindy’s back to school party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx. Continue Reading


Rastafari Snoop (Dogg) Lion

Posted by & filed under God, Religion.

If you’re anything like me, you were scratching your head when the news broke that Snoop had a spiritual awakening and is not only Rastafari and a reggae artist but Bob Marley reincarnated. Hence, his new name Snoop Lion. While it all sounds supremely farfetched, I’d like to discuss appeal of Rastafari to gangstas. Continue Reading