Spiritual Cyphers: Hip Hop and the Church

WRITER/DIR: Ariyan Johnson
PRODS: Ariyan Johnson, Leslie Saltus Evans, Charlie Jordan Brookins
FEATURING: Ariyan Johnson, Cetra Dance, Suncerae Clark Fredericks

Ariyan Johnson shares her personal journey about the struggles and triumphs of her two conflicting loves, Hip Hop and the Church. Through research and interviews with pastors, historians, artists, and pioneering women hip hop dance artists, the film explores the burgeoning industry of Hip Hop and its challenge for acceptance within the Black Christian Church. This first installment of the documentary film series explores correlations of the elements of Hip Hop between the Emcee as the Preacher, the Deejay as the Worship Music, Graffiti as Black Church aesthetics, and the B-Boy/B-Girl as the Liturgical Dance Ministry, and Knowledge as the Word of God (Bible). Culture penetrates all…