A Comparison: The Birth of the Black Church and The Birth of Hip Hop

Preface: This comparison is based on W.E.B Du Bois's description of the Black Church in his book “The Souls of Black Folks”. He describes the church (religion of the slave) as having three characteristics — the Preacher, the Music, and the Frenzy.

• The Preacher: “A leader, a politician, an orator, a “boss,” an intrigue, an idealist.” (W.E.B Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folks)
• The Music: “Plaintive rhythmic melody, with its touching minor cadences…intensified by the tragic soul-life of the slave.”(W.E.B Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folks)
• The Frenzy (Shouting): “When the Spirit of the Lord passed by, and, seizing the devotee.”(W.E.B Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folks)

The source material for Hip Hop comes from watching interviews of Hip Hop legends such as GrandMaster Flash, being a fan of the genre, shows, documentaries, and more. The origin of Hip Hop can be attributed to having three characteristics — the DJ (modern-day producers), the MC (modern-day rappers), and B-boys (dancers).

• The DJ (producers): A conductor or maestro; an individual who rhythmically utilizes sound.
• The MC or Master of Ceremonies (rapper): An orator; who melodically uses words to keep the crowd/listener engaged.
• B-Boys (dancers): The visual expression of the spirit of Hip hop.

Origin Similarities