Vid: Alkendria "New Day"

Southern Gospeltality Records is still kicking. Peep the video for the new single by songstress Alkendria.

Sounds ready for contemporary gospel radio to me.

The Complaint: Show CDs

Artists, please do us all a favor and make yourself a show a CD with the three tracks you’re going to perform - in order.

How many times have you been to a Christian hip hop concert and heard this from the stage:

“Ay yo soundman, hit track 3. No, not that track 3. The other one, on the yellow disc. Yeah. Naw, wait, maybe it’s track 8.”

Really? How is that blessing us in the audience?

Even if you can’t get it blended and mixed, at least set up a little playlist in iTunes and burn your junk to a new plate in the order you’re going to be presenting it.

It’s a bit of professionalism that will improve your marketability – not to mention your credibility.

After all, don’t you want them to focus on the message and not the music?

Free DL: DJ Primo "Ain't Ridin' Slow"

My man DJ Primo has cooked up another free mixtape called Ain’t Ridin' Slow.

This blend features Dre Marshall, Bushwick Bill, Gifted, Tre9, Lecrae, Sean Slaughter and many others.

Check out his freechristianmixtapes.com site to get the files.

Vid: Brinson "Rock 4 The Rock"

GodChaserz's Brinson sent me this link to his live performance video of "Rock 4 The Rock" from recorded with multiple cameras at Urban D's Crossover Community Church in Tampa.

I have to admit, this isn't my favorite cut off of Dat's Gospel Mixx Vol. 2, but I like Brinson's band name references and the crowd-surfing/mic-stand-strumming playfulness he adds to the performance.

Jay-Z's "Jesus" line stirs controversy

Catching up on blogging by posting a few of my recent rants for The Wade-O Radio Show.

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So apparently the Christian hip hop community is just now hearing Jay-Z’s “Jesus can’t save you” line from “Empire State of Mind” from his Blueprint 3 album that dropped in September.

Last week, Pastor Justin Cox of P4CM launched an excited YouTube response and the Internet message boards have been all a Twitter about these lines:

I’m a bit torn on this issue. On one hand, I feel Pastor Cox and his passionate response to something negative or false being said about one we so deeply love. Imagine if someone dissed your wife or your mom and how your emotions would spike with outrage.

However, is Jay really saying “Jesus can’t save your soul”? Or is he being more poetic and espousing something with a different, layered meaning?

Further, should we be surprised when a non-believer clearly communicates that they are a non-believer? Would we really be happier if he just said he was a follower of Christ but didn’t live it? Goodness knows we have enough people that like in the rap industry – on both sides of the cross.

Like my man Brother Wize said, the next time you’re in your Word, take a look at 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 and see how it might apply here.

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Updates:

1. Former Cross Movement member Cruz Cordero has provided several equally passionate counterpoints to Pastor Cox's vids.

2. Pastor Cox has also added an update after his clip landed on mainstream sites like WorldStarHipHop.com.

3. A video from a recent Jay-Z performance in Europe shows him using an alteration of this original lyric. Whether this intentional or an ad-lib is unknown.

DJ Official's "Entermission" promo

Wow! I'm thoroughly impressed with the amount of promotion and work Reach Records has put into this upcoming DJ Official album.

The passport image above was generated by the new Entermission Agency website. You can make one too. From there, you can post it to Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace plus sample "Show Off" (the first single) and order any one of the special packages.

They've got slip mats, vinyl, and tees to go with the music.

This is how it should be done. The project drops on December 26, 2009.

Vid: Hip Hop Hope Tuesdays mini doc

I ran across this promo vid Tre9 must have recently created for his Hip Hop Hope Tuesdays at Rap-A-Lot's Prince Complex in Houston's 5th Ward.

This clip gives a great overview of what it looks and sounds like along with interviews from participants and attendees.

For more on Hip Hop Hope Tuesdays check out Tre's missions blog.