August 20, 2009

By Dawn Danz and Phalary Long

Rap pioneer KRS-One has bigger plans for Hip-Hop as he's announced that he will soon release The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument, a 600-page book that examines the spirituality of the culture.

The Boogie Down Production’s “Teacha” said his new spiritual book will help form a new Hip-Hop religion on earth.

"It explores the spirituality of Hip-Hop, the divinity of Hip-Hop. I’m suggesting that in 100 years, this book will be a new religion on the earth,” KRS-One told AllHipHop.com. “Now you talk about controversy, there’s some Christian ministries if you go online, look up some ministers, they dissing right now. 'Who the hell does he think he is?' Well, I think I have the authority to approach God directly, I don’t have to go through any religion [or] train of thought. I can approach God directly myself and so I wrote a book called The Gospel of Hip Hop to free from all this nonsense garbage right now. respect the Christianity, the Islam, the Judaism but their time is up.”

The book is the first release for KRS’ I AM HIP HOP imprint, which is a joint venture with publishing company PowerHouse Books. The Gospel of Hip Hop is set in the format of the Christian Bible and offers readers a “life-guide manual for members of Hip Hop Kulture.”

The book combines philosophy with faith, practical knowledge and various spiritual teachings. KRS offers his take on the origins of Hip-Hop and draws from instances in history to teach readers about health, love, awareness and wealth.

“It’s definitely controversial because I’m also saying I’m willing to give up my African-American-ness to become Hip-Hop, KRS revealed to AllHipHop.com. “A lot of people don’t like that. They’re like, what the hell are you talking about? I’m saying, well, you know, Black people like to say, or Africans like to say, we are the pioneers of civilization, until we get to America and somehow we stop creating civilization. You got Jamaicans, Nigerian’s, Cubans, Brazilians, everybody claiming Africa but Cuba is different from Nigeria. Nigeria is different from African-Americans but African-Americans are different from Jamaicans etc. Asian’s got their own thing going on so why can’t Hip-Hop rise?"

KRS, born Lawrence Krishna Parker, developed the concepts for the book as well as the Temple of Hip Hop, over the course of 14 years and 19 albums.

He has also spearheaded the legendary Stop The Violence Movement in addition to previously authoring two other books related to Hip-Hop: The Science of Rap (1995) and Ruminations (2003).

In Gospel of Hip Hop, KRS aims to create a Hip-Hop nation that is free from any one nationality and bound by a common belief system.

"I would say I’m a black Hip-Hop fan or I’m a Hip-Hop American. But to go further, anyone can say that. If an Italian or Greek is willing to say, 'Listen, I know I come from Italian culture, I have a rich history, I am not giving that up but I am Hip-Hop.' I’m willing to go beyond my born culture to create a whole new civilization. So KRS happens to be one of the first citizens of this new culture, new civilization called Hip-Hop. In a hundred years, everything that I’m saying to you will be common knowledge and people will be like, 'Why did he have to explain this? Wasn’t it obvious?' In my time, it’s not obvious. People are still stuck with, 'Barack Obama is President.' He’s African American. He’s a Black President."

In addition to The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument, KRS is working on a new musical projects which a collaboration with True Master, an album with Freddie Foxxx and a record with his younger brother/BDP longtime producer Kenny Parker.

Additionally, KRS-One's Stop The Violence movement is also readying a new release. KRS-One's The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument is due in stores in Spring of 2009.

http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2009/08/20/21903171.aspx