Holy hip-hop

A passerby hearing the bass track thumping from Urban Jerusalem on a Saturday night easily might conclude that it's a nightclub. Inside, that opinion would only be strengthened by the crowded dance floor, pulsating strobe lights, break dancing, graffiti art, DJ and rappers. Closer examination would reveal that the building, at 1823 Emerson Av. N. in Minneapolis, is not at all what it first seems. The Bibles on the chairs offer a hint, as does the cross behind the DJ. Or just listen to the music's lyrics: "Think about why you step into this place. It's because it's filled with mercy and grace."

Urban Jerusalem -- or Urban J, as it's often called -- is a hip-hop church. If the terms "hip-hop" and "church" seem contradictory to you, you're not alone. That's been a constant refrain for the church's husband-wife founders, Stacey and Tryenyse Jones, since Urban J opened in 2006.

"We hear that all the time: Can hip-hop be sacred?" Stacey Jones said. "My answer is yes, without a shadow of a doubt. Being reverent doesn't mean being boring."

Doubters are too quick to focus on the behavior of some high-profile hip-hop performers, he said. Music reflects the culture in which it is created. Hip-hop that comes from a Christian environment embraces godly attitudes.

"The music doesn't restrict the message," said Tryenyse Jones, who is recording a CD of her Christian hip-hop. "I've written a lot of hip-hop and rhythm and blues, all of it reflecting the message of Christ."

The couple launched the church to reach younger people who are turned off by traditional worship services.

"We're trying to tap into the Gen X and millennial generation that hungers for more spirituality but doesn't feel comfortable in a regular church," Stacey Jones said. "Studies have shown that they are, by a wide margin, the most unchurched generation. We need something to grab their attention. Our vision is to present God in a relevant form, and for many young people, that means music."

Where hip-hop meets faith

For Stacey, 35, and Tryenyse, 38, hip-hop and religion always have coexisted in their lives.

"We both grew up in the hip-hop culture and the church world," Tryenyse said. "I've been involved with hip-hop since I was a teenager, but I've been singing in church since I was 8."

Stacey was getting a degree in pastoral leadership at Crown College in St. Bonifacius when they met.

"I think God brought us together," she said. "Here the two of us were, deeply immersed in the hip-hop culture but still loving God. It was a perfect fit."

Tryenyse Jones led the music, but she shared the microphone with rappers who took turns coming forward. Among them was Iomos Marad, a professional singer who prefers to be called an emcee rather than a rapper.

"A rapper doesn't care what he talks about," he explained before performing a song in which he encouraged young men to "pack Bibles instead of 9s," a reference to 9-millimeter handguns. "An emcee is somebody who speaks to the condition of the community."

Worshipers were free to react as they wished. Some simply stood, swaying to the music with their eyes closed and their arms waving gently overhead. Others, like Emmanuel and a dancer who asked to be identified by his break-dancing name, BBoy Abide, were in constant, high-energy motion.

When the music stopped after 90 minutes, Urban Jerusalem could have passed for any church. Office manager Heidi Govednik read the week's announcements, which included the birth of a baby, a Bible study class and a call for people interested in starting a fitness group. Then a member, Chris Rush, led a prayer.

Although he has been known to break into impromptu rap during his sermons, Stacey Jones delivered a straightforward message in which he admonished listeners to tune out people who put them down.

The Joneses realize their church isn't going to appeal to everyone.

"My grandmother still hasn't come to a service," Tryenyse said. "I've tried to explain what we we're doing, but she's from a denomination where it just doesn't work for her."

Grandma might not like the music, but at least she supports the mission.

"She told me that if we're reaching people that other churches can't reach, then it's OK with her," Tryenyse said. "We're just trying to help spread the hope and the love."

Jeff Strickler • 612-673-7392