MUSIC: Lyrycyst "Masquerade"
Written by Garret Friday, 30 May 2008 00:00
I have often heard people say things along the lines of “Christian
rap just doesn’t have the same feel as secular hip hop,” or “I’m just
not down with Christian rap.” Lyrycyst just may change what some of you
nay-sayers think with his debut album “Masquerade.”
Lyrycyst (Steven Cooper) has strong lyrical chops that flow with rhythm and drip with sincerity. Some of his more popular songs include “What If I…” which was recorded along-side Rachel Lampa and speaks out against abortion with phrases like, “If he asked you how he died what could you possibly tell him?” Also songs like “Devil’s Eye” which discusses the negativity of lust, premarital sex, and a variety of other, shall we say, ‘impure’ acts. One of his lesser known songs “Today” has been very helpful in my own life. The lyrics “It matters that you’re here, doesn’t matter how ya came” describes how God’s love is all forgiving and unconditional.
His obviously strong convictions are not without reason. His past is what gives him so much influence and power on what he speaks. His mother conceived him at age 15 and came dangerously close to having an abortion (hence the song “What If I…”), but decided to make the best of the situation and went ahead with the pregnancy. Steven Cooper came into the world with a dysfunctional family and no father. The situation grew worse as his mother married a man who became excessively abusive to both him and his mother. Eventually they ran from him and his mother found a job at a nightclub as a stripper, which eventually lead to a $2,000 a week addiction to cocaine.
During college, one of the most depressing times
during his life, one of Cooper’s not-so-Christian friends called him
and informed him that he’d gotten saved and asked if he wanted to come
spend the weekend and just hangout. Cooper claims when he saw his
friend he could see an immediate difference in his demeanor and began
to wonder if there wasn’t something else to this “Christian thing.”
Though originally unintended, Cooper stayed that Sunday for church and
in turn ended up giving his life to God.
I believe his testimony alone is enough to at least give this artist a listening ear and see what he has to elaborate on. His passion will flow from your speakers and radiate your room, car, office, or wherever you might be. Who knows, he might just change the way you look at Christian rap.
 Larissa Hine | |
| About the author: | |
| Larissa is 23 and lives in Massachusetts. She's currently between college and graduate school which she hopes to start in the Fall of 2008. She grew up a Christian and has gone through periods where she's been less serious or more serious though she's never fallen away completely. She usually has too many hobbies/projects going on. | |
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