ABSTRACT
African diasporan Christian traditions,1 particularly from the middle of the Twentieth Century, have a history of imitating musical styles from secular Black2 cultures. As a ‘child of the church’ I have experienced dozens of attempts by youthful musicians in church to sneak in rhythms and beats from reggae, R&B and jazz to accompany praise and worship songs. The aim is to embellish and contemporise church music. This process is reciprocal, as musical styles from hiphop to reggae also take inspiration, if not literal guidance, from the music and culture of African diasporan Christianity. British R&B artist Estelle praises the church for teaching her to sing in her creative and culturally conscious debut single entitled ‘1980’. My interest lies in the importation of secular music traditions into African Caribbean Christianity.3 My intent is not to study the stylistic embellishment of Christian theology: I am not interested in ‘dressing up’ Christian culture; rather, I wish to challenge and change it. To this end, this examination is concerned with transformation, how Black popular culture, from the context of the church, provides an opportunity to re-think and re-work aspects of African Caribbean Christian thought and practice.
