Jesus & the Hip-Hop Prophets: Spiritual Insights from Lauryn Hill and 2Pac [Paperback]

John Teter (Author), Alex Gee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 7, 2003

Lauryn Hill and Tupac Shakur are modern-day prophets. Written on subway walls and tenement halls, their lyrics challenge us as individuals and as a society to stop doing wrong and learn to do right (Isaiah 1:16-17). They paint an honest picture of life as it is lived, and hint at a vision of life as it ought to be lived. With this book John Teter and Alex Gee invite us to enter into the world of these hip-hop prophets—to follow their message to its ultimate fulfillment at the feet of the Prophet-King Jesus. They invite you to Follow the beats. Let the truth speak through the beats of the streets.
Love is real.
Hope is real.
Jesus is real. Follow the beats of these poet-prophets
as they lead to the feet of the Prophet-King.
The Word (Love is real)
The Truth (Hope is real)
The God-Man (Jesus is real) Follow the beats as they drop from the lips
Of Lauryn Hill
Of Tupac Shakur
Of the Truth-Made-Flesh Till they lead you to God.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Cleverly organized into seven short "tracks" instead of chapters, this slim volume offers reflections on the lyrics of two popular recording artists, Lauryn Hill and the late 2pac Shakur. That Teter, director of two More Than Conquerors campus ministries in California, and Gee, pastor of Fountain of Life Family Worship Center in Madison, Wis., are knowledgeable fans of hip-hop and admirers of the two featured lyricists is unmistakable. Equally evident is their desire to enable their fellow fans to discover the spiritual truths embedded in the lyrics. But the jarring shifts from hip-hop jargon to standard English throughout much of the book causes the jargon to come across as inauthentic. The book also suffers from the typical awkwardness of the first-person narratives of two writers-the "I, Alex" and "My (John's)" type of construction. Finally, there's the not-so-minor question of prophetic attribution: To include "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You"-recorded by Hill but written 35 years ago by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio-as evidence of Hill's prophetic voice is a bit of a stretch. Still, the book offers a valuable look at the connection between the harshness of urban life and the prophetic warnings from two singers who managed to find hope amid difficult circumstances.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Cleverly organized into seven short 'tracks' instead of chapters, this slim volume offers reflections on the lyrics of two popular recording artists, Lauryn Hill and the late 2Pac Shakur." (Publishers Weekly (October 27, 2003) )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 116 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (November 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830832343
• ISBN-13: 978-0830832347
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #776,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars finally a book I can relate to, April 8, 2005

By 

Scott Brehmer (Irvine, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jesus & the Hip-Hop Prophets: Spiritual Insights from Lauryn Hill and 2Pac (Paperback)

I read it straight from cover to cover. As a 33 year old, I'm probably a little beyond the target college-aged reader, but who cares. I'm a hip hop junkie and Teter's stories and sports analogies were more than enough to keep me entertained. Not only was the book a great read, it inspired me to think about Jesus in new, more practical, ways. In fact, the book became an ongoing conversation topic with my wife, and we both took home some real meaning. If you're into hip hop and want to gain some insight on how following Jesus can bring joy to your life, then check it out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Revealing Jesus in the language of this generation, March 29, 2004

By 

Scott McLane (East LA, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jesus & the Hip-Hop Prophets: Spiritual Insights from Lauryn Hill and 2Pac (Paperback)

This is an excellent book. Gee & Teter really speak to the hip-hop generation, not from above, but from within. They present Jesus accurately & relevantly within the cultural core issues of the hip-hop generation. This book is a must read for every high-school or college student, their pastors & their parents.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, February 25, 2004

By 

Sarah Schmal (Kingsburg, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jesus & the Hip-Hop Prophets: Spiritual Insights from Lauryn Hill and 2Pac (Paperback)

This is a great book for anyone wondering how Tupac could possibly be speaking about Jesus. A must read for hip-hop loving Christians.