The genre was most popular during the mid 1990s with artists such as Mary J. Blige (known as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul"), Jodeci, TLC, R. Kelly, Aaliyah, and Montell Jordan. By the late 1990s, hip hop soul would lead to the creation of neo soul, which retained the hip-hop and R&B/gospel influences while also adding elements of classic 1970s soul music.
Hip hop soul evolved directly from new jack swing, a form of contemporary R&B popularized by artists and producers such as Teddy Riley and his group Guy, Keith Sweat, and Bobby Brown. New jack swing had incorporated elements of hip-hop music - primarily hip-hop-inspired drum tracks and rapped verses - into contemporary R&B music also heavily inspired by the work of Prince. Hip hop soul took the hip-hop/R&B synthesis further by having R&B singers sing directly over the types of sample-heavy backing tracks typically found in contemporary hip-hop recordings.
The creation and evolution of hip hop soul led to an increasingly symbiotic relationship between its parent genres. Hip hop soul acts presented themselves in styles and personas comparable to those of rappers - dressing in hip hop fashions and adopting a tougher image than the traditional pop-friendly personas of R&B artists (the existence and popularity of hip hop soul also had the opposite effect on mainstream rappers, who took on some of the elements of the R&B artists' personas to become more palatable to mainstream audiences). The subgenre increased the popularity of R&B music among the younger hip-hop audience, leading to better sales and airplay success for hip hop soul recordings versus previous forms of post-disco R&B, on the Billboard pop music sales charts. It also increased the popularity of hip-hop music and culture with older audiences and corporations looking to market urban music. However, the creation of hip hop soul has been argued by music journalists and fans of R&B music to have "killed off" traditional styles of R&B.
The term "hip hop soul" is attributed to record producer and later rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs, who came up with the term during the promotion of What's the 411?, the 1992 debut album of Uptown Records artist Mary J. Blige. Blige was promoted by the company as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul", and her debut album, primarily produced by Combs, was filled with mid-tempo R&B ballads sung over hip-hop beats and samples. Singer, Michel'le was already recording songs by 1989, before the term Hip hop soul was coined. Signed to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records, Michel'le's debut album feature this style. Similarly, Diary of a Mad Band (1993), the second album from another Uptown act, Jodeci, featured the four-man male vocal group moving away from its new jack swing origins into hip hop soul recordings driven more by hip-hop rhythms than melodies. A large number of male acts, both solo performers and groups, followed or competed with Jodeci, among them R. Kelly, 112, Tony! Toni! Toné! and Blackstreet, a second group formed by Teddy Riley.
Hip hop soul artist Montell Jordan was the first R&B singer signed to hip-hop record label Def Jam Recordings his 1995 hit "This Is How We Do It", built around a sample of Slick Rick's 1989 hip-hop single "Children's Story", typified the sound of the subgenre. Another key recording is "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need to Get By", a 1995 duet between Wu-Tang rapper method Man and Mary J. Blige which interpolated Method Man's rapped verses with Blige singing a cover of Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's "You're All I Need to Get By". "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need to Get By" won the 1996 Grammy Award for Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
The female vocal group TLC, made up of two singers and a rapper, had, like Jodeci, had their start in new jack swing (dubbed "new jill swing" in their case) with their debut album, Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip (1992). Their second album, Crazysexycool, to which Puffy Combs was a significant contributor, moved the group into the aesthetic of hip hop soul. Similar female acts of the time included SWV, Aaliyah (a protege of R. Kelly), Adina Howard, Faith Evans, and Total, the latter two acts signed to Puffy Combs' own label, Bad Boy Entertainment.
Hip hop soul as a distinct subgenre experienced a lull in popularity with the spread of hip-hop influences into more standard R&B music by the end of the 1990s and the emergence of neo soul, an R&B subgenre which blended hip-hop and contemporary R&B with heavier influences from the soul music of the 1960s and 1970s. Examples of neo soul artists include D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill. Several newer artists continued to perform in the hip hop soul sub genre in its original form from the 2000s forward, among them John Legend, Anthony Hamilton, and Keyshia Cole.
No Church In The Wild
Jay-Z & Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's a mob to a king?
What's a king to a God?
What's a God to a non-believer
Who don't believe in anything?
Will he make it out alive?
Alright, alright
No church in the wild
Tears on the mausoleum floor
Blood stains the Coliseum doors
Lies on the lips of a priest
Thanksgiving disguised as a feast
Rollin' in the Rolls-Royce Corniche
Only the doctors got this, I'm hidin' from police
Cocaine seats
All white like I got the whole thing bleached
Drug dealer chic
I'm wonderin' if a thug's prayers reach
Is Pious pious 'cause God loves pious?
Socrates asks, "Whose bias do y'all seek?"
All for Plato, screech
I'm out chere' ballin', I know y'all hear my sneaks
Jesus was a carpenter, Yeezy, laid beats
Hova flow the Holy Ghost, get the hell up out your seats, preach
Human beings in a mob
What's a mob to a king?
What's a king to a God?
What's a God to a non-believer
Who don't believe in anything?
Will he make it out alive?
Alright, alright
No church in the wild
I live by you, desire
I stand by you, walk through the fire
Your love is my scripture
And let me in through your encryption, yeah, yeah
Coke on her black skin made it stripe like a zebra
I call that jungle fever
You will not control the threesome
Just roll the weed up until I get me some
We formed a new religion
No sins as long as there's permission
And deception is the only felony
So never fuck nobody without tellin' me
Sunglasses and Advil
Last night was mad real
Sun comin' up five AM
I wonder if they got cabs still
Thinkin' 'bout the girl in all-leopard
Who was rubbin' the wood like Kiki Shepard
Two tattoos, one read "No apologies"
The other said "Love is cursed by monogamy"
That's somethin' that the pastor don't preach
That's somethin' that a teacher can't teach
When we die, the money we can't keep
But we prolly spend it all 'cause the pain ain't cheap, preach
Human beings in a mob
What's a mob to a king?
What's a king to a God?
What's a God to a non-believer
Who don't believe in anything?
Will he make it out alive?
Alright, alright
No church in the wild
No church in the wild
No church in the wild
No church in the wild
The song "No Church in the Wild" by Jay-Z and Kanye West is a powerful commentary on the state of society and organized religion. The lyrics describe a world in chaos, where human beings are united in their actions, but divided by their beliefs. The opening lines "Human beings in a mob, what's a mob to a king? What's a king to a God? What's a God to a non-believer who don't believe in anything?" question the value of hierarchy and authority when everyone is equal in a crowd. The repeated phrase "No church in the wild" suggests that despite the lack of traditional religious structures, people still gather together and find meaning in their shared experiences.
The song continues with imagery of violence and deceit, referencing blood stains and lies, along with drug use and threesomes. However, the lyrics also incorporate elements of spirituality, as Kanye raps, "Your love is my scripture, and let me in through your encryption." The religious references in the song are both traditional, including a mention of Jesus as a carpenter and the Holy Ghost, and more modern, as when Kanye asserts that "We formed a new religion, no sins as long as there's permission."
Overall, "No Church in the Wild" is a powerful and thought-provoking song about the ways in which people come together and create meaning, even when traditional religious structures are absent.
Line by Line Meaning
Human beings in a mob
Collective mentality can lead humans to act in uncharacteristic or irrational ways
What's a mob to a king?
A king's authority and power exerts influence over large groups of people
What's a king to a God?
The power and dominion of a deity is far greater than any human ruler
What's a God to a non-believer
Who don't believe in anything?
The relevance or existence of a God holds no significance to someone who does not believe in any higher power or supernatural forces
Will he make it out alive?
Alright, alright
No church in the wild
In a chaotic situation, survival is uncertain and unpredictable. In this world, there is no established moral code or deity to protect or guide people
Tears on the mausoleum floor
A place of remembrance for the dead where sorrow and grief are common
Blood stains the Coliseum doors
A place that was once used for entertainment and sport has witnessed violence and death
Lies on the lips of a priest
A religious leader who preaches truth and morality may not live up to those same standards
Thanksgiving disguised as a feast
An occasion that is meant to be a giving of thanks has been turned into an opportunity for excess and indulgence
Rollin' in the Rolls-Royce Corniche
Living a life of luxury and excess
Only the doctors got this, I'm hidin' from police
Concealing illegal activities from law enforcement, with the help of medical professionals
Cocaine seats
All white like I got the whole thing bleached
A reference to lavish, expensive seats in a vehicle associated with drug use
Drug dealer chic
A fashionable style that emulates and glorifies the lifestyle of a drug dealer
I'm wonderin' if a thug's prayers reach
Questioning whether the faith and devotion of a violent criminal can be genuine and reverential
Is Pious pious 'cause God loves pious?
Questioning whether someone is righteous and devout because of their own faith or for the favor of a higher power
Socrates asks, "Whose bias do y'all seek?"
A philosopher's inquiry as to whose viewpoint is being favored and how their own bias is affecting their judgment
All for Plato, screech
A sudden shift to a different tone or subject, referencing a historical philosopher
I'm out chere' ballin', I know y'all hear my sneaks
Displaying affluence and success in a bold and ostentatious manner
Jesus was a carpenter, Yeezy, laid beats
A comparison between the humbleness of Jesus' profession and the singer's success as a music producer
Hova flow the Holy Ghost, get the hell up out your seats, preach
The artist's rap flow is as powerful and spirit-filled as a religious sermon, urging listeners to stand up and pay attention
I live by you, desire
I stand by you, walk through the fire
The artist's love and loyalty to someone is strong and enduring, even in times of hardship
Your love is my scripture
And let me in through your encryption, yeah, yeah
The love and affection someone shows to the artist is their guiding principle and secret code, allowing them access to intimacy and connection
Coke on her black skin made it stripe like a zebra
I call that jungle fever
A reference to interracial sexual relations where the drug use exacerbates any racial divide
You will not control the threesome
Just roll the weed up until I get me some
Rejecting the limits that intimacy and attachment may place on a sexual encounter
We formed a new religion
No sins as long as there's permission
Creating a new set of beliefs that allow for the moral relativism of any action as long as it is consensual
And deception is the only felony
So never fuck nobody without tellin' me
Deception and dishonesty are the only crimes, so as long as everyone is informed and in agreement, anything goes
Sunglasses and Advil
Last night was mad real
Sun comin' up five AM
I wonder if they got cabs still
A vivid depiction of a wild night that has lasted into the early morning
Thinkin' 'bout the girl in all-leopard
Who was rubbin' the wood like Kiki Shepard
Recalling a memorable sexual encounter with a woman wearing a leopard print outfit, referencing a former television host
Two tattoos, one read "No apologies"
The other said "Love is cursed by monogamy"
The artist's tattoos reflect their lack of regret and belief that love is not meant to be exclusive or faithful
That's somethin' that the pastor don't preach
That's somethin' that a teacher can't teach
The true nature of love and faithfulness can't be learned or explained through religious instruction or education
When we die, the money we can't keep
But we prolly spend it all 'cause the pain ain't cheap, preach
Money and material possessions are ultimately meaningless in the face of death and suffering
No church in the wild
No church in the wild
No church in the wild
A declaration that this world is devoid of any stable or reliable moral code or higher spiritual force
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Njapa, Christopher Breaux, Gary Wright, James Brown, Joseph Roach, Kanye West, Mike Dean, Phil Manzanera, Shawn Carter, Terius Nash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@victoryb.5437
"Human beings in a mob. What's a mob to a King? What's a King to a God? What's a God to a non-believer, who don't believe in anything?" Ok but Frank is legendary for this verse.
@wrd2sam777
3:50 !!
@anjiwoz2130
@Christicus 101 agreed mate 😎
@ChristopherSaindon
Absolutely! You cannot hear it too many times..it's impossible.
@beicaobeats
yes!
@legioxciicorvus5917
What are humans to a GOD who created them all and simply kill them all.
@wdemon85
Kanye 2010: No Church in the Wild
Kanye 2020: Church
@lukeethanboswell6338
Love it
@australium7374
Before 0 AD: No Church
@GaryCoachClinton
Hahahah Love it!