Customer Reviews

The Atonement

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I stayed up late last night until the day rolled over to download this album. It was worth losing a few minutes of sleep. I had a road trip today and I thought a few new tunes would help pass the time and the miles. I remember hearing shai say this was going to be a darker album than his previous. He was right.

As I hit the road and pressed play on my mp3 player, I drove under a sky filled with dark clouds. The Atonement settled over my soul like a dark cloud as well. This is heavy stuff, but good as well. I do like The Solus Christus Project better overall, but this is a tightly focused collection of songs that portray the theme of The Atonement powerfully. I look at it to music the way I look at The Passion to movies.

shai blows me away the way that he wraps his rhymes around such deep theology. He is an unabashed Calvinist yet I am not. However, he presents the doctrine very well on Mission Accomplished. Atonement Q&A should be mandatory listening material for all Sunday School classes. My favorite track on here is Were You There? which mixes in the hook from the old hymn of the same name.

The one big dislike for me is the spoken word by a guest on several songs. It's not terrible but for me it's not great either. I'd just as soon it be shai himself.

This cat from Philly raps the Gospel better than most pastors preach it. Definitely worth the investment. Props to shai, but the biggest props to God Almighty and His Son Jesus Christ!

What would Issac Watts' music sound like if he was alive today and lived in North Philadelphia? I think it would sound a lot like what we hear on Shai Linne's latest album, The Atonement. Shai is a hip-hop artist who writes lyrics that are weighty, cross-centered, theologically rich and edifying.

Personally I have never been able to get into 'Christian' rap. The lyrics are often trivial, soft, and lacking the weight that both the message of the gospel and the medium of hip-hop demand. So when I heard Shai Linne's album I was not anticipating much, however, I was both impressed and refreshed by what I heard.

As the title indicates The Atonement is about the cross. In an interview I heard Shai say that the motivation for the album came from his reading of the classic The Cross of Christ by John Stott along with sermons he was hearing from CJ Maheney. He then wrote the lyrics and got the album together.

If you are familiar with hip-hop the sound is a traditional tough east coast sound, it is gritty and rough-neck; which goes well with the theme. There are brief interviews or interludes between songs where more is said about the subject at hand (the cross, sin, the resurrection, etc). In addition, there are samples in the songs by Maheney as well as John Piper. These samples come from sermons that these men have preached and really serve to punctuate Shai's message in the respective songs.

Theologically Shai is a Calvinist who packs more theology into a 3 minute song than many evangelical preachers do into a 45 minute sermon.

Personal favorites:

The Cross

Were you there?

Shai Linne glorifies God in his albums and there is not a Christian rapper who comes within miles of his talent and Bible knowledge. Shai's greatest songs are;

1)Greatest Story Ever told 2)My Portion 3)Solus Christus 4) High Priest 5)Alone 6)Testify 7)Memoirs 8)Jesus is Alive 9)The Cross 10)Were You There? 11)In Adam All Die 12)Through My Eyes 13)Atonement Q&A 14)Gospel Music 15)Slow Down

As you can see Shai has many great biblically accurate and God glorifying songs. I have been blessed by his music and if you don't think a Christian rapper can glorify God you need to listen to his song "In Adam All Die," there is more biblical truth in that one song than an average 30 minute protestant Sunday Sermon.

Trust me, you will be blessed by his talent which he glorifies God with and his songs sound like no other Christian rapper out there. Shai's song "Greatest Story Ever Told" is one of the greatest songs created in the last 50 years! That is not an exaggeration, that song is one of a kind and every single Christian should own a copy of it along with, "In Adam All Die."

If you are too religious to listen to a God glorifying Christian "Rapper" you have other issues that you need seek God's face about. Spend $.99 and buy an mp3 copy of "Greatest Story Ever Told" at Amazon and see if I am telling you the truth.

As with Shai Linne's previous joint Solus Christus Project The Atonement, as can be judged by the title of his sophomore CD, is a weighty subject based CD that you'd do well to listen to over a cup of coffee or tea.

The Subject matter The Atonement, relates to God' great love for us, personified through the Live, death & resurrection of God's Only Son, Jesus Christ, and includes songs relating to the death of Jesus (Were you There,& The Cross) celebrating the fact that he is alive & living today( Jesus is Alive) among other topics.

Pros: As with most Lampmode CDs this is a very useful tool for strengthen your walk with Christ. Whilst I might not bump these tunes in my ride, I do listen to them on my Hi-fi system and bible in hand.

Cons: the interludes, whilst interesting on the first or second play, become items that you fast forward on further plays. Whilst I can't criticize the subject matter on display, some of the production/music doesn't live up to the great lyrics on display (In Adam all Die, Were You There? The Cross)

Favourite tracks: School Daze, Mission Accomplished, The Gospel

Lampmode was a record label, I had yet to check into, until I bought Shai Linne's Album, "The Atonement." I had only listened to CMR, and Reach for the longest, but I was compelled by my Reformed friends, to purchase Shai's album. I have to say, this is one of the best Holy Hip Hop albums I have ever heard, as a matter of fact, I listen to it all day, and I don't skip any of the songs.

The only downside of this album is the spoken word, Atonement Interludes. There are about 4 of them, and they can become very annoying. So I purchased the mp3 album, and when I burned the mp3's on a blank disc, I did not include the interludes, which makes the album so much better.

1. Intro 5/5 - The album starts with a strings instrumental, that really sets the tone for this CD. It's very well put together, and roles right into #2.

2. In Adam All Die 5/5 - Shai kicks off with the doctrine of Total Depravity. The producers also added a great excerpt from John Piper at the end, which really matches the whole tone of the album, and song. Most likely, they matched the sermons with the lyrics, rather than trying to find sermons after songs were written.

3. Atonement Interlude 1 0/5 - Basically, Shai and Ambassador speak to each other in these interludes, about God, what He did, what the bible says, and the sinfulness of man. At first listen, the interludes can be informing, over a period of time, the interludes are unneccessary.

4. School Daze 5/5 - I can't dogmatically say what this song is about, but if I had to take a guess, I would say it was some sort of paradigm that equates the total depravity of the world, to the likeness of a totally depraved high school. I like the song regardless of if it's speaking about an actual high school, or the world.

5. Atonement Interlude 2 0/5 - No comments needed.

6. Were You There? 5/5 - This is one of my favorite songs on the album. I love the lady singing in the background of this beat. Sometimes you get so focused on her singing that you forget about the rapping. But Shai slowly transitions from total depravity, to the atrocities of mankind in crucifying God, which we all participated in, and need God's forgiveness for.

7. Atonement Selah 5/5 - Great instrumental. This is bascially time for you to recoil from the previous song, and what you did to Jesus 2000 years ago. They must've used a live drummer, because sometimes he misses the beat. Otherwise, I like to sit and listen to this, and think about God.

8. Through My Eyes 5/5 - Shai takes us to the crucifiction of the thief on the cross in this song. We get a walk through of what it was like to be the thief, and be granted repentance on the cross by Jesus Himself. Must've been a treat.

9. Cj Mahaney Interlude 5/5 - I love this cat. I would've loved to be at this sermon too. CJ sets the stage for the next song.

10. The Cross (3 Hours) 5/5 - Another one of my favorite songs. A clip from Timothy Brindles song, "The Humility of Christ," is inserted for the chorus. Like all of Shai's songs, this one makes you think.. Especially of the unfathomable pain that God went through on the cross.

11. Atonement Interlude 3 0/5 - You already know.

12. Jesus Is Alive (House of Tea Remix) 5/5 - Now that we got through total depravity, and God's sacrifice on the cross, Shai eases up on us, by sheding some light, and proclaiming the good news, "Jesus is Alive!" He also contrast all idols, people idolize, and gives the truth, that out of all people who ever died, Jesus is the only one who ever rose from the dead.

13. Atonement Interlude 4 0/5 - I really think they should come out with another album, excluding these. Thank God its the last one.

14. Mission Accomplished 5/5 - The debate continues (and obvious God is winning through the Calvinist), did Jesus die for the whole world, and fail? Or did He purchase salvation for the elect, and succeed on the cross? I opt for the latter. How about you? Shai obviously opts for the latter as well.

15. Atonement Q&a 5/5 - In this song, you will learn all the major terms used by Reformed Theologians concerning soteriology (hey, you don't learn that word!!??).. They also aired this song on "The Way of The Master" Radio, calling Shai a puritan rapper!

16. Triune Praise 5/5 - Great praise and worship song. And I'm always impressed with individuals who give praise to the Holy Spirit. Can't forget about the hardest working entity of the Godhead.

17. Throne of Grace 5/5 - Nice and laidback song here. This beat is tight, I can listen to it all day. Shai prays, and give God some psalmist worship in this one.

18. The Gospel 5/5 - Almost time to rap it up. Shai gives us the gospel in this song. From man being a sinner, to Jesus being the only way man can obtain salvation. Great tongue twisting lyrics in this one as well.

19. Outro 5/5 - And the outro. Just as good as the Solus Christus outro, but not as long. Just a last warning, and exhortation to live for Jesus, or get saved. The time is near.

If you don't have this album, I don't know what type of problems you have, but I know one thing;

Jesus is God.

Shai Linne has become one of my favorite Christian rappers (along with label mate Timothy Brindle). This album is nothing short of a masterpiece. Lyrically heavy. This is definitely a thinking man's album. You won't hear head busting and head bobbibg beats on this record (and I'm not knocking Christian rappers who do have beats like that), but his focus is more so on the MESSAGE as opposed to having a banging beat. So, if you're looking for a Christian rap album that is heavy lyrically and that will challenge your intellect, pick this one up.

really great hip hop music, lyrics about the foundational truths of life. Not your typical, garbage-infested, pop music or hip hop that you're used to listening.

If you really want to enlighten your mind, body and soul you will not regret this music from Shai Linne.

Not for the faint of heart. Can and will be offensive to all sinners.(it's a good, convicting kind of offensive...for the Glory of God)

If this album doesn't make you think, have someone check to see if you still have a pulse. There are some amazing lyrics here. My favorite song right now probably makes sense because Easter is tomorrow. The Cross. That song may choke you up, because I personally never considered how much Christ was taking on to himself for our sakes. It is crazy! Jesus! I thank you so much my Lord! Wow!

I have Lacrae, Trip Lee, and others in my collection and Shai Linne's Atonement album is by far the most theological. You will actually learn some things from his lyrics. Like another reviewer stated, everyone needs to here Atonement Q&A. Nice work!