This book explores a significant aspect of hip-hop that is rarely considered: its deep connection to spiritual life.

The world of hip-hop is saturated with religion, yet this element is seldom examined seriously. In Street Scriptures, Alejandro Nava focuses our attention on this facet of music and culture in a fresh way, combining his deep love for hip-hop, his passion for racial and social justice, and his profound theological knowledge. Street Scriptures offers a refreshingly honest and calligraphic journey into the deep connection of hip-hop with the sacred.

Nava analyzes the religious pulse in hip-hop, exploring the dimensions of the sacred and the secular in rap, reggaeton, and Latinx hip-hop today. From Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper, Lauryn Hill, and Cardi B to Saint Augustine and William James, Nava investigates the moral-political, mystical-prophetic, and theological qualities in hip-hop, delving into the pure sonic and aesthetic signatures of the music while simultaneously deepening the voices that invoke the spirit of protest. The result is a new liberation theology for our time, what Nava calls “street theology.”

• Pages: 256
• Publication Year: 0516
• Dimensions: 15.2x15.2cm