Episode 17: Propaganda

by Jeff Blackburn | 1 Comment

Some of you (more than I wish) are much like me in that you hear and see issues of race relations all around us in society, but aren’t quite sure how to engage. You believe in equality…and you have some sense (though limited experience) that things have not always been equal for all…but the conversation seems bigger than what you can take in.

In fact, most of your efforts involving issues of race are focused on not saying or doing anything that will get you labeled a racist. Not exactly a forward moving approach…but for far too long…it’s been an unprocessed default position for me (as a white man) and many others.

What’s the way forward?

It’s a question I’ve been asking for a while now…and it’s taken a little bit of digging to find real help. Don’t get me wrong…there are a lot of loud voices on all sides of the race conversation…but while there is plenty of truth in those conversations, I haven’t always felt safe to join in…or if I was sort-of aligning myself with folks that operated outside the bounds of my faith.

About a year ago, I heard Jason Petty (aka Propaganda) interviewed on The Liturgists podcast (with Michael Gungor and Science Mike). While I had heard some of Prop’s art and music before, I was completely unaware of how helpful his voice would become in my life. Prop shared personal and historical perspectives on issues of race that seemed so matter-of-fact obvious that I was actually frustrated that no one had ever explained things to me so clearly before.

Let me promise you something: If you have wanted to get a better handle on the context of the race conversation in America…listen to Prop on today’s episode….you WILL walk away with new questions, new understandings, hopefully a little discomfort, and a certainly a fresh hope of what the way forward looks like for race in America (particularly for followers of Jesus).

Propaganda is a Hip-Hop and Spoken word artist with the mind of a true poet. Well-educated scholastically and practically…Prop carries a distinct and unique voice of challenge, hope, and grace into American society.

I could go on and on about Prop….He’s genuinely one of the most thoughtful and powerful artists of our time. Does that sound overstated to you? I hope it does. Then I hope you listen today…check out his music…his spoken poetry…his heart. Then come back to me and see if you think I’m overstating his gift.

Propaganda has a voice that our society needs to hear. I hope that after engaging with him today, that you’ll share his voice with others in your world.

If you get the chance to see him in person…do it. You won’t regret it.

(Here’s a link to his current Xpressions tour: https://www.kingdomtickets.com/xpressions with another tour coming in the fall.

I hope you enjoy today’s conversation as much as I did!

If you find yourself with new questions…or want to respond to today’s episode…please feel free to comment below or contact me personally. It’s a conversation we need to press into!