The Award Show God Shoutout Phenomenon

Author's note:

I posted this online a few years ago when I was helping promote The Fence documentary I worked on with Bobby "Tre9" Herring.

Given the time that has passed and our now diverted passions, I'm honestly not sure if it will ever be completed or released. But given that last night's BET Awards had plenty of this, I figured it would be worthy of resurrection today.



It seems to happen at every award show – so much so that it’s now a frequent punch line. The rapper who rhymes about selling drugs, pulling guns, and sleeping around with your girl gets honored for his work and the first thing out of his mouth is “I want to thank God.”

Why would someone promote and sell a lifestyle that appears to be so sinful if they are really trying to follow the ways of Jesus? How do they think their God receives such words of gratitude?

Is the “spiritual/Jesus track” at the end of the album a reflection of their true relationship with the Creator or something they tack onto the record to make their momma proud?

This year, we’ve already come through the Grammys, BET, and MTV Awards where such sentiments were no doubt proclaimed from the stage. There's also been the Dove and Stellar Awards where Christian music artists most certainly did the same thing.

Watch this exclusive clip from The Fence documentary series that explores these topics through interviews with people like Houston rap figures Paul Wall and Madd Hatta (97.9 KBXX) as well as comedian D-Ray and Christian rappers R-Swift and Urban D.

How would you respond to their stories, explanations, and reasons for this “Award-Show-God-Shoutout” phenomenon if you were in front of them? Are there valid reasons behind such sentiments?

Leave your comments here and let me know what you think.