In recent weeks, the Rapzilla team has been working to show off some of the most artistic, creative, and otherwise innovative Christian clothing brands throughout the sphere of streetwear. This initiative has put a number of brands with Christ-centered content on the forefront of Christian fashion, each showcasing messages unique to their brand.
Even with these creative variations, each brand continues to preach the same concept of hope, love, and unity paramount to the Christian faith. Just as music, film, and storytelling have all become avenues to share the gospel of Christ for modern Christian creatives, streetwear brands have found a new niche wherein the good news of Christ’s resurrection can, quite literally, be worn on one’s sleeve.
It is obvious that the worlds of hip-hop and fashion are no strangers to one another. Look no further than the collaborations between major athletic brands such as Nike and Adidas with artists like Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, and Travis Scott. Hip-hop artists pushed to the forefront of pop culture by the emergence of hip-hop as the most popular genre in the music industry, have the influence to dramatically alter the style of hundreds of thousands, even millions.
When it comes to Christian hip-hop, there is a sense of responsibility that must be had by artists, designers, and fans in seeking not only aesthetically stunning pieces but items that glorify God and reach the minds of observers.
Modern Christian rap artists are in a unique position to reach individuals that the average believer may never even meet. Indeed, the music of this movement is the foundation of the Christian hip-hop community, but the value of merchandise cannot be overstated in markets saturated with lackluster content.
Millions of Christian rap fans will recite the lines of their favorite artist as if relaying a childhood memory, but how much more powerful, more accessible do these poetic phrases become when placed on a piece of clothing as simple as a tee shirt? When a fan is able to wear such an item, onlookers are presented with a glimpse at the God-given creativity that such a design took, and thus take a peek into the master artistry of God Himself.
While artistic merchandise is undoubtedly important in the Christian hip-hop industry, it is not the only form of streetwear within this community. Look no further than our most recent article on Dope Christian Clothing Brands That You Need To Check Out for an idea of brands that can cater to all your apparel needs. Each of these brands are just a few examples of companies that have taken Christ’s call to “…make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19, ESV) to the world of streetwear. In doing so, these brands are staging what could be considered a righteous disruption of the streetwear world.
Where many brands are satisfied with stamping their logo or a meaningless slogan across a cheap sweater, these brands have elected to fulfill a higher calling. Each knows that the message of Christ cannot be limited to any one form, but must be heard and represented in any and all environments.
Christian clothing brands symbolize the evolution of the gospel’s invasion of a broken world, as the news of Christ’s resurrection seeps into not only activism, not only music, and not only theological arenas, but the very garments we dress with on a daily basis.
Finally comes the Christian who is neither artist nor designer. In being a consumer of media, it is easy to become complacent in the mission to share the good news of Christ outside of church environments. We constantly make excuses that tend to relegate the responsibility of sharing the gospel to those with a larger audience than our own. Pastors can handle making disciples. Artists can celebrate God through creation. Apologists can defend the gospel around the world. These types of attitudes are detrimental to the expansion of the kingdom of God.
You, the reader, have the ability to show Christ on a daily basis to individuals who may never get to know Jesus outside of their relationships with you. Christ rose above pressures of every kind to save the lives of those who believe in Him. His commission to us was to tell everyone how much He loved them to do so. We can continue to make excuses, passing off responsibility to the next person, or we can take responsibility for our part in this mission, and use our gifts to spread the gospel.
Christian rap artists and Christian clothing brands have used their creative abilities to glorify God in the manner they know how, and the day to day Christian was made to do the same. As we all run the race to make Christ known, it is beyond important to support one another. So next time you need a beautifully designed piece of apparel, consider going to a Christian clothing brand. Their mission is the same as yours, and providing aid in their method of sharing the good news will serve to build one another as the body of Christ.
Photo Credit: Luis Jardines for Raised Brand
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