Worship comes in many forms. And, in this case, it’s here in the form of a gospel and rap-centric track from rapper Hulvey and multi-genre artist Forrest Frank.
“Altar” opens with a gospel lead and makes way for a beat drop. And when it does, it focuses on God’s holiness, His redemptive power and the change we experience at His altar.
Hulvey and Frank share that only God’s altar can wash away guilt and redeem (“Glory to the Father/You deserve the praise/Lead me to Your altar/Wash away my shame”).
They preach that God never condemns us (“You don’t kick me when I trip”), but that He is the source of our life (“I need a sip from the river”) and the only one who has the power to change and save us (“Carryin’ buckets of shame/…This is the greatest exchange/At his altar, there’s a flame that burns your rubbish”).
Unlike other rap artists, Hulvey and Frank let listeners know that money is not the most important thing in life (“I just turned a milli’ down to be home with my son”). Instead, they’d rather spend time with their families and understand that wholeness comes from God (“Still don’t get it, I was full back when my bank account was none”).
None.
Christian music has changed a lot. And, I think, for the better.
As I was listening to this track, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky we are to have this kind of music at our fingertips. Even if it’s not topping Billboard Charts.
What it is doing is shaking up the Christian music world and allowing other voices and styles to be heard, all while proclaiming the truth of the Gospel in creative ways.
Hulvey said of the project that he and Forrest “are aligned in so many aspects of our lives and we’re able to support each other in our journeys… Being from two different worlds musically we’re able to challenge each other creatively as well. Above all of that, we share the same heart for God and passion to know Him more. Every time we work God seems to move and I’m hopeful people can hear that in the music.”
And, indeed, I believe that they can as these two artists work together to provide listeners with a whole new way to listen to worship music.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
