Since its inception, the CM has chosen to define themselves as the Christian or holy division of hip hop culture as opposed to the hip hop or rap division of Christian culture. Within the genre of rap music, there are various subgenres such as gangsta rap, Conscious rap, old school rap, crunk, and reggaeton, but all of it falls under the rubric of rap and, by extension, hip hop. In choosing to define their music as simply being another subgenre - i.e., the Christian rap subgenre - of hip hop culture, the CM attempts to "keep it real" in order to maintain the validity needed to influence members of hip hop culture who may or may not be Christians. In their 2003 release, Holy Culture, The CM stated their reasoning is based on a passage from the Bible, St. John 17:15-19 in which Jesus is reported to have said to God:
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”
As the word sanctified means "to set apart", the interpretation maintained by the CM is that they are instructed by Jesus to remain a part of hip hop culture while being set apart from the majority of the followers of hip hop culture in order to influence it from within to conform to the mores and moral code preached by the followers of mainstream Christianity. The acceptance of this interpretation has been mixed, however. Despite their claim to be a part of hip hop culture, the CM has slowly found more acceptance, though not total acceptance, in the Christian community than in the secular hip hop community as the majority of their concerts are held at churches or church-sponsored events as opposed to secular venues. In 2006, the CM received a Grammy nomination for “Best Rock Gospel Album,” as opposed to any of the traditional hip hop or rap categories. Additionally, the CM has generally only been recognized at Christian and Gospel awards shows such as the Dove Awards or Stellar Awards as opposed to hip hop-only award shows such as the Source Awards or the Vibe Awards.
Back Up
The Cross Movement Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now, we're not about to drop an everlasting rhyme, but we are going to peer into a period when this everlasting being stepped into time.
We're going to start with the glorious resurrected Christ and work our way back, let's pick up on the story, now.
How should I put it to ya, it's time to wake up and smell the petunias
Go blastin' with dynamite like Junior
From room to room to the next room
They search for the body of Jesus, they better check the next tomb
Jesus seen by more headz after His death then Elvis
But with real documentation, rockin' the nation
With hands on experience from high out of space and
Will knock your eyes out your face when
You see Him for who He is and not what he was
Before and after picture will hit ya with more laughter then Buddy Love
Plus no one does what He does, get you off the hook even though you fit the bloody glove.
Back up! This is true
We're all guilty, but Jesus gets us off the hook,
Now let's back up and take a look at how he does this, at the Cross.
Verse 2: Who's that hangin there? What you mean you haven't yet heard?
Nah, what did he do? Wasn't it Barabas' turn?
Yeah, they let him go and took this man instead
He must have been real evil, how come they wanted him dead - this bad
I'll tell you but it'll make you mad,
This guy here claimed that our God was his dad
That would mean that him and God were one in the same,
I'm sure God must be glad for what we've done in His name
Takin' the Lord's name in vain, what an ignorant person
I'm sure he went down swingin' with a whole bunch of cursin'
He didn't move a muscle not even his lip
Well how'd the curtain get torn? When he died it just split
You're kiddin'! Nah, the only thing we heard him say all day was when he prayed Father forgive them.
Back up! Watching Him die seemed to be in sharp contrast to watching Him live. You would've thought He was more fit for a crown, then for a cross. Yet still, this is where we meet our savior. Now let's back up and take a look at the life of this Lord. To get this view, we'll be using the eyes of the men of His day. Let's see what they see.
Verse 3: Hear ye, hear me, I suggest we swear in our new lord and king
Even though he didn't come with spears and swords to swing
Still, look at how he healed the sick in our villages
And tried to pretend that he was just here on a pilgrimage
Such modesty, this guy has either got to be the Messiah or the oddest guy that I done seen
Did you see him casually reverse Lazarus' casualty?
Plus I heard he had mad words for the Pharisees
I've seen enough, bring out the throne and crown
And ask him when he's gonna step and bring the Romans down.
And give us power, so we can start the delegatin'
Excuse me sir, he left while we were in here celebratin'.
What? I can't believe he fronted
I'm sure this is exactly what he must've wanted, wasn't it
Back up! How many times do we think God ought to be serving our purpose, rather then finding out what he desires. I'm sure if we back up a little further, we'll see just why He came.
Verse 4: Alright y'all, it's been a long day, we've come a long way
But this star didn't lead us the wrong way
After all this distance, let's not waste another instant
Bring incense let's celebrate this infant
So unfitting wrapped in knitting born in a stable,
I wonder if they know this is no ordinary babe yo!
So many questions that yearned to be asked, we turned and we gasped
In this child's eyes we saw eternity past
We learned and we grasped that He had come to be spurned and be gnashed
By the teeth of men who had sinned and earned every lash
His back was to receive and that's just a relief
His pain brings us peace, He just asks us to believe
So back up and receive this historical figure, look for the whole picture
I'm sure you're soul will grow richer if you back up.
LORD. You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Even before the mountains were born, even before you formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting. You are God. Wouldn't you like to know this God who goes back forever? You can be with this God forever, Jesus Christ invites you.
The Cross Movement's song "Back Up" is a powerful gospel rap that takes the listener on a journey through time. The first verse starts by emphasizing the divine and everlasting nature of God, as revealed in the pages of the Bible. The song then takes us back to the time of Jesus' resurrection and reminds us that he was seen by more people after his death than Elvis Presley, with real documentation and evidence to back it up. The verse concludes with the affirmation that only Jesus can get us off the hook and free us from guilt.
The second verse takes us even further back in time to the moment of Jesus' crucifixion. We hear the voices of people who are ignorant about why Jesus had to die and who he really was. They thought he was just claiming to be the son of God, but little did they know that he was indeed the Messiah. The song reminds us that watching Jesus die on the cross was a stark contrast to watching him live, yet it was his death that ultimately saved us.
The third verse takes us even further back, to the time when Jesus was still alive and walking among his people. We hear the voices of people who are eager to see him become their king and lead them to conquer the Romans. However, Jesus had a very different mission, one that was focused on serving God's will and not just fulfilling the desires of the people.
Overall, "Back Up" is a deep dive into the story of Jesus, taking us through different moments in time and reminding us of his purpose and power. The song is full of powerful lyrics that challenge us to look beyond our own desires and seek God's purpose in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
In the pages of the Bible, we see that God is from everlasting to everlasting
God has always existed and will always exist, as we can see in the Bible.
Now, we're not about to drop an everlasting rhyme, but we are going to peer into a period when this everlasting being stepped into time.
We're not going to try to rhyme forever, but we will look at when God entered into human history.
How should I put it to ya, it's time to wake up and smell the petunias
It's time to wake up and pay attention.
Go blastin' with dynamite like Junior
Go and spread the word like a firework.
From room to room to the next room
Searching everywhere for Jesus' body.
Let the tabloids tell and sell this
The media can sell their stories, but this is the truth.
Jesus seen by more headz after His death then Elvis
Jesus was seen by more people after His death than Elvis ever was.
But with real documentation, rockin' the nation
There is actual evidence of Jesus' resurrection that can change people's lives.
With hands on experience from high out of space and
The eyewitness accounts of Jesus' resurrection are real and reliable.
Will knock your eyes out your face when
The truth of Jesus' resurrection will blow your mind.
You see Him for who He is and not what he was
Jesus is not just a historical figure, but the Son of God.
Before and after picture will hit ya with more laughter then Buddy Love
The change in a person's life when they accept Jesus is more incredible than anything Buddy Love could do.
Plus no one does what He does, get you off the hook even though you fit the bloody glove.
Jesus can forgive even the worst of sins and save us from the punishment we deserve.
This is true
The truth we have just shared is real.
Now let's back up and take a look at how he does this, at the Cross.
Let's take a closer look at how Jesus saves us through His death on the cross.
Who's that hangin there? What you mean you haven't yet heard?
Who is on the cross? How have you not heard this story before?
Nah, what did he do? Wasn't it Barabas' turn?
Why is Jesus being crucified instead of Barabas?
He must have been real evil, how come they wanted him dead - this bad
Jesus must have been a terrible criminal for them to want Him dead so badly.
I'll tell you but it'll make you mad
I'll tell you the reason, but it might upset you.
This guy here claimed that our God was his dad
Jesus claimed to be the Son of God.
That would mean that him and God were one in the same,
If Jesus is the Son of God, that means He and God are one and the same.
I'm sure God must be glad for what we've done in His name
God must be pleased with what we're doing in His name, crucifying His Son.
Taking the Lord's name in vain, what an ignorant person
It's wrong to use God's name in a disrespectful way.
He didn't move a muscle not even his lip
Jesus did not resist or fight back when He was being crucified.
Well how'd the curtain get torn? When he died it just split
When Jesus died, the temple curtain was torn in two, indicating that we now have direct access to God.
Watching Him die seemed to be in sharp contrast to watching Him live.
Jesus' death seems so different from His life and actions on earth.
You would've thought He was more fit for a crown, then for a cross.
You might have expected Jesus to be rewarded with a crown for His actions, but instead He was crucified.
Yet still, this is where we meet our savior.
Despite His death, this is where we can find salvation through Jesus.
To get this view, we'll be using the eyes of the men of His day.
We will look at Jesus' life through the perspective of those who lived at the same time as Him.
Let's see what they see.
Let's learn from the witnesses of Jesus' life.
Hear ye, hear me, I suggest we swear in our new lord and king
Let's make Jesus our new king and ruler.
Even though he didn't come with spears and swords to swing
Jesus did not come as a warrior, but as a healer and servant.
Still, look at how he healed the sick in our villages
Jesus' miraculous healings show His power and love for people.
And tried to pretend that he was just here on a pilgrimage
Jesus did not flaunt His power, but humbly served those around Him.
Such modesty, this guy has either got to be the Messiah or the oddest guy that I done seen
Jesus' actions could only mean He was the Messiah or a very bizarre person.
Did you see him casually reverse Lazarus' casualty?
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead with ease.
Plus I heard he had mad words for the Pharisees
Jesus had strong words for those who were hypocritical in their faith.
I've seen enough, bring out the throne and crown
Jesus' actions convinced some that He should be crowned as king.
And ask him when he's gonna step and bring the Romans down.
They expected Jesus to overthrow the Romans and bring political power to Israel.
Excuse me sir, he left while we were in here celebratin'.
Jesus did not come to bring political power and left quietly when people tried to make Him king.
How many times do we think God ought to be serving our purpose, rather then finding out what he desires.
We often want God to fulfill our desires, rather than seeking to know and do His will.
I'm sure if we back up a little further, we'll see just why He came.
If we look back further into history, we will see why Jesus came to earth.
Alright y'all, it's been a long day, we've come a long way
It has been a long journey to get to this point in Jesus' life.
But this star didn't lead us the wrong way
They followed a star to find Jesus, and it led them to the right place.
So unfitting wrapped in knitting born in a stable,
Jesus was born in a humble setting, wrapped in simple swaddling clothes.
I wonder if they know this is no ordinary babe yo!
Jesus is not an ordinary baby, but the Son of God.
So many questions that yearned to be asked, we turned and we gasped
Seeing Jesus as a baby left them with many questions and awe.
In this child's eyes we saw eternity past
They could see the holiness and divine purpose of Jesus in His eyes as a baby.
We learned and we grasped that He had come to be spurned and be gnashed
They began to understand that Jesus would face rejection and suffering in His life.
By the teeth of men who had sinned and earned every lash
Jesus would suffer at the hands of sinful men who deserved punishment.
His back was to receive and that's just a relief
Jesus' back was whipped and beaten, but it brings us relief from the punishment we deserve.
His pain brings us peace, He just asks us to believe
Jesus' suffering brings us peace, and all He asks is that we believe in Him.
So back up and receive this historical figure, look for the whole picture
Take a step back and consider all of the evidence and truth about Jesus.
I'm sure you're soul will grow richer if you back up.
Your soul will be enriched if you truly consider who Jesus is and what He has done.
LORD. You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Even before the mountains were born, even before you formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting. You are God. Wouldn't you like to know this God who goes back forever? You can be with this God forever, Jesus Christ invites you.
God is eternal and has always been present throughout time. Wouldn't you like to know this God and have eternal life with Him through faith in Jesus Christ?
Contributed by Austin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Shawn Mayhall Sr.
on Name Up
Who is the first artist on this track ????