Question:
Hello,
I had a question that involved rap music. When I go to my school’s basketball games, they play this type of music to warm up. This may sound silly, but is it a sin that I bop my head to the beat? Also, would hearing snippets of this type of music in videos or something be sinful? Lastly, I play a video game that has dances with rap music in the background. Granted, it is a teen-rated game, so none of the bad parts of the song are in it, but is it acceptable to hear this?
Answer:
What makes music right or wrong is not the style of music but what is being discussed in the song. Rap music often deals with themes of killing, drugs, and sex. More often than not the lyrics are filled with cuss words.
Jesus noted that you are as you think. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:20-23). When a person fills his mind up with thoughts of evil or even evil expressions, it is highly likely to influence his thoughts at other times, his language, and his actions.
Sin is hard enough to battle without giving it access to our hearts. It doesn’t matter if the song is written in hip-hop or country-western style. If it is promoting sinful ideas, it doesn’t belong in a Christian’s life. But nothing you listed would be wrong.