The Spirituality of "Noise"

Anthony Pinn articulates the spiritual nature of music throughout American history and how modern rap illustrates this deep spiritual quest. He writes that "blues had a humanizing effect, pointing to the tenacity of the human spirit," (5) suggesting that music has historically embodied the emotions of life experiences. While new-age rap can be criticized by the media for promoting negative ideologies and explicit visual images in their music videos, rap originally "expressed the concerns and preoccupations of young people living in urban centers" (13) and "[spoke] to people who [were] in need" (16).

Marshall Mathers, better known by his stage name Eminem, articulates hardships and life occurrences in his song "Lose Yourself". On a literal level, he describes the struggles of becoming a respected rap artist and the personal obstacles that momentarily set him back. Pinn suggests that "much of what is expressed in rap music is not meant to be taken literally, in the same manner in which numerous biblical stories are quite troubling if taken literally" (18). I often look to this song before an athletic match, not for its literal rap motivations but because the spirit the song embodies. In this way, rap artists are able to express similar spirituality about their life experiences that religion commonly promotes through myths and rituals.