“Theology of Hip-Hop”
Hosted by Chris Burton, a.k.a. Di Baddest Chaplain
If you watched the 2025 Super Bowl, you know the cultural impact of hip-hop is undeniable.
However, the profound meaning and spirituality behind many of the lyrics from artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lauryn Hill, and Tupac, among others, can often be overlooked.
But Chris Burton, a.k.a. Di Baddest Chaplain in the digital world, knows that God is in everything, including all the forms of music that provide a soundtrack for a time, a movement, or a life. Burton’s original podcast, “BaddestChaplain,” holds a cadre of his sermons, interviews and commentary, and is an invitation to apply God’s love while working toward a just, caring society. Burton, the director of Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Leadership Institute, poses thoughtful questions to his guests, who are experts in their fields and leaders in their communities. You don’t know how many questions a society can ask of itself until you listen to Burton.
But there’s a special joy and purpose in Burton’s voice when he talks about hip-hop and faith. So when he reached out to the Presbyterian Outlook in hopes of partnering in a new podcast to explore this intersection, we jumped.
“Theology of Hip-Hop” debuts this month. Each Wednesday, the Outlook will post a new podcast hosted by Burton that takes a deep look at the theology addressed in the lyrics. He explores the thoughts presented by artists such as DMX, GloRilla, Doechii, and Hill, as well as groups like Clipse. He invites listeners to hear words that are often overlooked but inspire, comfort, and address life and social issues through the lens of faith and justice. Delightfully, he also sometimes interviews his parents about their responses to the music young Chris wanted to buy (probably the response many parents had at first — NO).
Burton reminds us that music captures a place and a time, and while it’s often a mirror for us, it’s also a message that extends outward. We see you. In particular, however, God sees you. Hip-hop has undoubtedly brought unmitigated joy to millions. It’s the bus-ride-home soundtrack of a lifetime for many (ok, for me). The more faith-intensive lyrics remind us that God is a constant presence, and God invites the very essence of our being into God’s presence. And hip-hop is as honest as it is powerful.
When DMX famously begged God for a sign, the confidence that the sign would come burst out as forcefully as the plea. When Clipse (brothers Pusha T and Malice/Non Malice) reunited this summer and, in a collab with Pharrell Williams, intoned about the “devil tapping your shoulders,” they weren’t speaking about an abstract concept. If you’ve had to decide between the easy way and a different way, much as Jesus did as the devil tempted him, you understand. If you know who and what helped bring you back from the brink, you understand.
I’ve seen empires crumble and fall
I’ve seen it all. They missed this wall.
By the grace of God.
You may be well-versed in hip-hop culture, or you may not be familiar with the genre. Wherever you are on the spectrum of this musical phenomenon, we invite you to take a journey with Burton and the Outlook and learn how God’s love and the lyricists’ faith work together to deliver a message.
“The way that we view God can tell on us,” Burton said in a BaddestChaplain podcast. “The way we talk about God, and our articulation about who God is, says a lot about who we are — and our worldview.”
Listen to “Theology of Hip-Hop” on the Presbyterian Outlook website or on our Spotify channel. Listen to or watch BaddestChaplain on Substack or YouTube. You can also hear BaddestChaplain on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Some of Burton’s writings on Substack are behind a paywall, but the $5 a month is worth forgoing a pumpkin spice latte at the coffee shop.
