Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Hip-hop psalm

Currently, Matt and I are avoiding doing wedding invitations. Not a constructive policy, but it's working for us so far.

I have been paddling about on the internet this week, looking at all of the 'unique readings for your wedding!' Web sites that the other 20 million brides-to-be are also checking out. The following was not among them, but Matt suggests (jokingly) that we use it. I said, okay, but only if your brother and other friend do beat-box behind whoever's doing the reading.

Without further ado, I present:

The 23rd Psalm
taken from "The Hip Hop Prayer Book"

The Lord is all that,
I need for nothing.
He allows me to chill.
He keeps me from being heated
And allows me to breathe easy.
He guides my life
So that I can represent and give
Shouts out in his Name.
And even though I walk through the Hood of death,
I don't back down
For you have my back.
The fact that you have me
covered allows me to chill.
He provides me with back-up
In front of my player-haters
And I know that I am a baller
And life will be phat.
I fall back in the Lord's crib
For the rest of my life.

As usual, when I read this psalm, I just can't decide which verse is my favorite.

6 comments:

  1. There is something special about the Hood of death.

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  2. I say let's dump The Message and get the whole Hip-Hop Bible.

    ReplyDelete
  3. While I like it ... my problem with it is that the language is just so limited and, um, repetitive. The original has much more imagery. Which of course, is the whole problem with hip hop ... it's so, you know, limited.

    But ... I still like it.

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  4. Anonymous10:19 AM EDT

    I vote with Tara for the Hood of Death. Though "give shouts out to his Name" is a close second.

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  5. I'm a big fan of knowing that I'm a baller and life will be phat.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's even better if you use the dialectizer (http://rinkworks.com/dialect/) to convert it into "Redneck":

    Th' 23rd Psalm
    taken fum "Th' Hip Hop Prayer Book"

    Th' Lo'd is all thet,
    ah need fo' nothin'.
    He allers me t'chill, ah reckon.
    He keeps me fum bein' heated
    An' allers me t'breath' easy.
    He guides mah life
    So thet ah can represent an' give
    Shouts out in his Name.
    An' even though ah walk through th' Hood of death,
    ah doesn't back down
    Fo' yo' haf mah back. Shet mah mouth!
    Th' fack thet yo' haf me
    covahed allers me t'chill, ah reckon.
    He provides me wif back-up
    In front of mah player-haters
    An' ah knows thet ah's a baller
    An' life will be phat.
    ah fall back in th' Lo'd's crib
    Fo' th' ress of mah life.

    ReplyDelete