It speaks volumes to their national following and status as vets in the game that Holy Culture debuted at #10 on the Christian Album Chart and #134 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart, making it the most successful Christian Hip Hop album ever. Another milestone for Hip Hop in the Greater Philadelphia Region and sadly more than half of y'all probably never even heard of Cross Movement. Don't let the Christian moniker scare you away cause I promise you these brothers are hardcore Hip Hop to the core.

The album kicks off with the deep bass of the title track Holy Culture. This is one of those tracks that would make any emcee salivate at the chance to spit on it. Of course the first single from the album Eternal Cypha is already an underground hit and speaks volumes to the crew's credibility as established Hip Hop artists. CM flips the script and comes with some ill Fugees soundin' vibe on the mixtape worthy Cry No More. With its strong hook and head noddin' pace it just may be the best song in a strong field of contenders. Need more reasons to peep The Cross Movement's latest then look no further than the powerful, immense thickness of L.L.R.P. This cut should pop up on college radio and the offerings of the savvy mixtape DJs. If you're like me you'll pick up on the strong hook immediately and find yourself pumping your first and following along. Yeah, its like that. Turntablism even rears its beautiful head on the phat slice of entertainment DJ Official Speaks. My only complaint is that at only thirty nine seconds it left me wanting a few more minutes of the groove.

The remainder of Holy Culture is chock full of solid album cuts such as the typical underground sound of Driven with its strong lyricism and breakbeat inspired instrumentation, the radio ready R&B stylings of Closer To You and the "wait a minute is this a new Naughty By Nature song I don't know about" sound of Forever. Once again, yeah its like that. There's even a dance track built around an Islamic/ Middle Eastern soundthat should make noise in the Southern and Midwest regions. The only bump in the road is Times Table. It never quite gets off the ground but does benefit from a strong hook to save if from falling flat.

Holy Culture is first and foremost a very good Hip Hop album. Musically. Lyrically. Production wise. DJ wise. This isn't the corny, gimmicky, embarrassing preacher rap from the past. I like to think of this Cross Movement album as more Hip Hop Christian than Christian Hip Hop. Game recognizes game.

crossmovement.com

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Review by Funk Wizard Snow
Editor- PhillyHipHop.com
May, 2003