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Yo, the Forerunner is here
During Advent, members of the A Nun’s Life community will be posting reflections on the Jesse Tree and the O Antiphons.
Day 16 :: John the Baptist written by Sister Julie
Ever pray with a hip hop song? I’m prayin’ this one today. It’s Stephen the Levite’s song “John the Baptist”(music and lyrics below).
I love this song — for such a familiar Bible story, so many new images pop up in my mind when I listen to Stephen the Levite’s retelling of the story. Makes me want to “get with this” and proclaim “Yo, God is here!”
The verse that struck me upon first listening was, “not a reed bent easily he was built for this.” This is particularly meaningful for me because it reminds me that we are built by God with both strength and tenderness, standing tall like an oak yet flexible like leaves in the wind. I’m conscious that if I swing too much toward “unbending” or “easily bent” then i lose my center, I lose my footing in God and in myself.
What strikes you in this song and why?
“John the Baptist” by Stephen the Levite on the album Forerunner EP
Yo, what the deal wit’ this, voice cryin’ out in the wilderness/ “make the ways of the Lord straight, no hills in it”/ level out the valley’s make plains, He’s revealed to kids/ prophesied by Isaiah, He’s fulfillin’ it// spirit of Elijah with the same clothes killin’ it/ Camel hair and a leather belt no frills in it/ What did you expect to see, some kind of silkiness?/ not a reed bent easily he was built for this// More than a prophet, he’s a man on a pilgrimage/ the messenger, written of in Malachai, spillin’ it/ “Repent of your sins, He can cleanse all your filthiness/ There’s a new era comin’ through, can you get with this//
Hook: The Kingdom of Heaven’s at hand (get with it)/ Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven’s at hand (get with it)/ and switch, the Kingdom of God is at hand/ (get with it) ya dig? the Kingdom of Christ is at hand (get with it)//
Check the hype bruh, cats call John “the Baptizer”/ wild style vow since a child, Nazerite stuff/ cousin of the Son, born of parents that are righteous/ leapin’ in the belly when the fetus of the Christ comes// Mary and Elizabeth can identify, “the/ Spirit of the Lord is in here” queue the choir/ not a lot of singin from the pops Zechariah/ vocalizin’ doubts had him silent for the nine months// neighbors get floored when the Lord broke his silence/ couldn’t even chat, now the cat prophesies stuff/ all that God’s done got ‘em wonderin’ the kind of/ man he’s gon’ be, a strong beast from the wild cuz// fast forward, John’s at the Jordan spittin’ fire/ “b3ar fruit…axe is at the root…brood of vipers”/ there’s a new steeze and you’ll see the Messiah/ is comin’ next, I’m just here to prep ’til His time ’cause//…
Hook
Peep the drama, Christ comes just like he taught us/ John baptizes little cousin in the water/ Dove drops with a little ac’ from the Father/ sayin’ that He’s pleased with Him, leavin’ ‘em awestruck// dudes must’ve missed when he spit what his job was/ seein’ that when Jesus baptizes, all come/ upset, thinkin’ He’s a threat to what John does/ not so, John got low, givin’ props up// “i need to shrink so that he can be honored/ He holds the mic, I’m the hype man, I’m not much/ He get’s the Bride, I’m the side groom it’s not dumb/ i’m gon’ rejoice at his voice, I’ll be all done// same team, say the same thing, see the plot bruh?/ last words lotta cats heard ‘fore he got plucked/ later on he fades from the pages he’s got one/ scenes left, he will see death, but it’s fine ’cause//…
Hook
End the saga, foul plot, mouth got him locked up/ there for a while, so His doubts start to pop up/ sent a couple cats just to ask “was I wrong cuz”/ came back, tellin’ of the acts He’d accomplished// After peeps left Jesus was rep’ed for’em hard bruh/ sayin’ he’s the greatest man born of a mama/ wonder what the reason they seized him at all was?/ let me go back, show the wackness upon us// Herod wil’ed took the spouse of his Mom’s son/ John put him on blast sayin’ it was wrong but/ He’s shook, knowin’ peeps took him for a prophet/ she’s not, fiendin’ for the opp just to squash ‘em/ chance comes, he received a dance from her daughter/ “anything you want will be yours” is the offer/ mama says, “bring me John’s head on a charger”/ but he’s just a finger, the Kingdom of God comes//
* * Want to revisit the other symbols of Advent? Click here on Jesse Tree. * *
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{ 1 comment }
I think if any musical genre represents Jesus and John’s life on earth the closest would be hip hop.
Hip hop was born from people who were oppressed and needed an outlet- it became the voice of the people on the street; in the city ghettos; people on the margins of society.
Jesus and John the Baptist certainly knew what it was like to live on the margins.
Their life, like those on the streets, were full of misunderstanding and abuse. It’s great to see these artists use hip-hop as teaching tool to pass along an important story- just like the first hip-hop artists did.
Great post, Sr. Julie!