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    Beyond the Four Walls: The Rising Ministry and Spirituality of Hip-Hop
    Beyond the Four Walls: The Rising Ministry and Spirituality of Hip-Hop
    Beyond the Four Walls: The Rising Ministry and Spirituality of Hip-Hop
    Ebook154 pages1 hour

    Beyond the Four Walls: The Rising Ministry and Spirituality of Hip-Hop

    By Walter Lizando Hidalgo-Olivares

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    About this ebook

    Hip-hop is creating an expanding ministerial and spiritual movement that is changing the socio-historical landscape on a national and global level. From the streets of its birthplace in the South Bronx to the barrios of Colombia in South America; Hip-hop is helping to create sacred spaces that are providing purpose to our marginalized youth and young adult street populations. Beyond the Four Walls: The Rising Ministry and Spirituality of Hip-hop serves as both an autobiographical and ethnographical journey of my love and experiences with Hip-hop as a professor, youth minister and artist.

    I invite the reader to explore my outlook on Hip-hop, which reaches far beyond the scope of its music, commercialization, and hood life. Instead, it takes another look at the unprecedented impact that Hip-hop continues to have in both our secular and spiritual communities. Because of its ongoing commitment to community organizing, activism, social justice and education, Hip-hop is worthy to be called a 21st Century socio-political, theological and spiritual movement, akin to that of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi, Mohammed, Abraham, Archbishop Oscar Romero, and most notably in this book, Jesus Christ and Paul the Apostle.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAuthorHouse
    Release dateJul 13, 2011
    ISBN9781463419646
    Beyond the Four Walls: The Rising Ministry and Spirituality of Hip-Hop
    Author

    Walter Lizando Hidalgo-Olivares

    Walter Hidalgo is currently working as an Associate Director of Youth Ministries for The Riverside Church in New York City. He also serves as a Youth Minister for The Oratory Church of St. Boniface in Brooklyn, NY. In addition to that, he teaches Spanish and History as an adjunct professor at Touro College in New York City. Walter Hidalgo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and a Master of Arts degree in Church History and Society from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University in New York City. He is a native Rhode Islander and currently resides in New York City.

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      Book preview

      Beyond the Four Walls - Walter Lizando Hidalgo-Olivares

      Contents

      PREFACE

      PRELUDE

      THE MIC

      INTRODUCTION

      CHAPTER 1:

      CHAPTER 2:

      CHAPTER 3:

      CHAPTER 4:

      CONCLUSION

      EPILOGUE

      BIBLIOGRAPHY

      This book is dedicated to the Creator of all things. Through Him, I have had the joy of walking, breathing and seeing all of the remarkable things that this earth has to offer, including a loving family, amazing friends, and the unforgettable experiences of traveling to many different places in the world.

      Special Thanks to:

      First and foremost I would like to thank the Almighty God who makes ALL things possible! With every breath that I take and every step that I make, I do it all for His glory! To ALL of my family (nuclear and extended) and my friends (close and far). I also would like to thank what we in the Hip-hop world and the streets refer to as the haters. Shout out to you guys as well!

      I also would like to thank Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University, Northeastern University, Touro College, Marymount Manhattan College, Mount Pleasant High School in Rhode Island, Bishop McVinney Middle School in Rhode Island, The Columbia University Spectator, The Ecumenical Water Network in Geneva, Switzerland, The School of Peace in Bogota, Colombia, The Cultural House organization in Medellin, Colombia, The Bedford Hills College Program, The Hispanic Summer Program, The Community Ministers Program at Judson Memorial Church, Critical Resistance organization in the Bronx, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign, The Industrial Areas Foundation, Urban Word, Picture the Homeless organization in New York City, Bread for the World, The Poverty Initiative at Union Theological Seminary, The New Sanctuary Movement of New York City, Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice in the South Bronx, Brick Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, Judson Memorial Church of Manhattan, The Hip-hop Church of Harlem, The Riverside Church in Harlem, The Oratory Church of St. Boniface in Brooklyn, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Rhode Island, Praise Tabernacle Church in Cranston, Rhode Island, The First Presbyterian Church of Miami, Tha House in Chicago, The Latino Pastoral Action Center in the Bronx, Rev. Raymond Rivera, Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper, Rev. Howard Moody, Rev. Dr. Samuel Cruz, Rev. Dr. Josef Sorett, Rev. Dr. Daisy Machado, Dr. Gary Dorrien, Rev. Dr. Hal Taussig, Rev. Dr. Christopher Morse, Father Roger Haight, Father Hugo, Father Loft, Rev. J. Lee Hill, Jr., Rev. Bob Coleman, Alain Silverio, Nina Saxon, Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, Professor Janet Walton, Professor Willie Baptist, Dr. James Cone, Dr. Neil Altman, etc… .

      I would also like to thank the following Hip-hop folks and resources that have inspired me personally (in no particular order): Danny AKA Mystery, Majesty, Omar Fisher, Joseph AKA Joker, Spirit Child, my cousin Robby, Din Tolbert, Honorable George Martinez, Rasheed Goodlowe, Solomon Starr, Da T.R.U.T.H, DJ Nocturnal, DJ Raw, DJ Lefty, DJ Pooh, DJ Grandmaster Flash, DJ Premier, DJ Ed Nice, DJ Fred the Great, Gang Starr, The Wu-Tang Clan, Boot Camp Clik, B.U.M.S., Mobb Deep, Mase, Canibus, The Notorious BIG, Nas, The Fugees, The Lost Boys, Jay-Z, Salt N Pepa, The LOX, Lauryn Hill, MC Lyte, Big Punisher, DMX, Beanie Sigel, Joell Ortiz, Rock Steady, Redman, Snoop Dogg, Lupe Fiasco, Dead Prez, Big L, KRS-One, Tupac Shakur, Rakim, Matisyahu, De La Soul, Black Sheep, Five Percenters, Universal Zulu Nation, Queen Latifah, Afrika Bambaataa, Black Moon, The Sugar Hill Gang, LL Cool J, Melle Mel, Free, The Roots, Rah Digga, Eve, Naughty by Nature, Channel Live, AZ, Nature, Busta Rhymes, EPMD, NWA, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Foxy Brown, Heltah Skeltah, Public Enemy, Black Starr, De La Soul, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, ‘Lil Kim, Jeru the Damaja, Outkast, Goodie Mob, Run DMC, Beatnuts, A Tribe Called Quest, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Royce Da 5’9, Scarface, Big Daddy Kane, Immortal Technique, Mos Def, Common, Talib Kweli, Hot 106.3 FM (Providence, RI), Hot 97.1 FM (New York, NY), and 94.5 FM (Boston, MA), etc… .

      Thank you to the following music genres that have inspired me throughout my life: The Spoken Word Movement, Jazz, Alternative Rock, Salsa, Merengue, Techno, Free style, Classical, Marimba, Reggae, Rhumba, Dance Hall Reggae, Soca, Cumbia, Rhythm and Blues, Gospel, The Underground Hip-hop Movement, and of course, Hip-Hop!

      Thank you to my editors, Evans Erilus and Dorsett Clark Davis, my graphic designer, Rammer Martínez Sánchez, and my photographer Anibal Farran.

      Very Special thanks to ALL the people that I met throughout this process who I forgot to mention: youth, young adults, MC’s, DJ’s, B-boy’s and B-girl’s alike, poets, graffiti artist, spoken word artist, students, not-for-profit organizations, ministers, professors, community organizers, spiritual leaders and activists. All of you have inspired me to continue to fight for social justice, both locally and globally.

      Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

      —1 Corinthians 12:4-7

      PREFACE

      When a lively mind encounters a lively subject, music breaks out of its neighborhood, goes on safari, or develops a new multi-generational, multi-income housing project where the elevators work and the syncopation sizzles. Hip-hop hops fences – it mixes musical metaphors; to it, old musical forms feel like last year’s blue jeans. This book is as happy as a new pair of well-fitting jeans.

      Hip-hop is non-denominational, while being deeply affiliated. Its forms make believe they are formless. A traditional history of its form has now developed, allowing us to see its version of a sacrament, a ritual, even a tradition.

      Body is the boldness of Hip-hop. A lot of people talk about embodiment, theologically. Hip-hop does it. A lot of people talk about the incarnation – encarnación – as the bodied bread of Jesus, whose blood poured out into a hip, a hop, a historical happening. When you see someone on the subway with Hip-hop playing in their ears, you see shoulders spiritually shaking their souls. Some will confuse that with Eucharist; all will know it as embodiment.

      When you leave this book, both your body and your soul will be refreshed – and in motion.

      Reverend Doctor Donna Schaper

      Senior Minister of Judson Memorial Church in New York City

      Author of numerous books, most recently, A Study Guide to Howard Thurman

      PRELUDE

      The summer of 2007 was coming to an end and I was about to embark on one of life’s most challenging roads: graduate school. Not knowing exactly what I was getting into, I decided to attend a two-year graduate program to study theology (more specifically, Church History and Society) at Union Theological Seminary (UTS) at Columbia University in New York City. What I, a Roman Catholic, heterosexual, first-generation Latino man from the South Side of Providence, Rhode Island experienced in and out of these academic walls would eventually change my life forever.

      While studying at UTS, I began to see how God was bringing me together with other people of diverse backgrounds to discuss the common realities of our times—poverty, homelessness, racism, etc. Over time, it became clear to me the importance of having a dialogue with the very thing that defines us as humans—our society. Consequently, I made the decision to break through the bubble or box that I was living in order to reach out and help (more broadly) my brothers and sisters. This epiphany was the reason I came to admire the efforts that are being made by the Ecumenical Movement.

      Ecumenical by definition suggest a unity between the various denominations that exist within Christianity. One can go as far as to say this unifying ideology includes other world religions as well, such as Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, etc. Regardless of the definition of Ecumenical, love of God, love of self and love of neighbor are considered to be fundamental characteristics of every faith because they serve as emblems for justice, peace, truth and unity!

      For me, togetherness is God. But to come together, we first need to understand that God has presented Himself to people based on their own sociopolitical, economical, historical and cultural realities. In other words, God speaks to us in different ways but He expects all of us to do the same thing—to bring God’s Kingdom a little closer to earth.

      Throughout my time at UTS, I’ve learned that God can be encountered in many places outside of the church. For example, I was able to experience God’s presence in many unusual places like supervised therapy sessions, travel seminar classes to places like Colombia in South America, and weekly meetings to discuss community-related issues by a group of women who were formerly incarcerated—just to name a few. Yes, Church is a place where we can talk to and encounter God. However, I would be lying to myself if I were to say that God’s spirit is limited to the four walls of the Church and therefore is unable to reach out to the broader secular places of our world.

      For me, there is no separation between God and human beings no matter where they are, who they are and how they do worship. It is what I perceive to be God’s spirit that brings people together to talk about life, happiness, sadness, anger, hope and love. In my view, one of the best platforms for intersecting God with our society is Hip-hop music and culture.

      Hip-hop has always served as a platform for people

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