Review: HIP HOP & HYMNS by Mawunyo Gbogbo

"It cost an arm and a leg just to live on your knees,

And I'm trying to keep my sanity, God help me please"

- Snoop Dogg, Midnight Love 

As an 80's kid growing up in Australia, Hip Hop & Hymns provided the nostalgic trip down memory lane I didn't know I was craving until after I'd consumed every crumb off my plate. Commonwealth Banks' Dollarmites program, Bi-Lo, The Source - these were parts of my childhood I got to relive through the authors' easy flowing writing style. Yet, Hip Hop & Hymns takes the trip further, providing a behind the curtains look at a perspective most Aussie kids aren't privy.

"To make bread I gotta steal for sport,

So I stole the show and made some pennies for my thoughts"

- Onyx, Last Dayz 

Dabbling in petty crime, exposure to drugs and alcohol and making bad decisions with members of the opposite sex paints a picture a lot of teenagers can relate. The raw honestly is refreshing and welcome. The ying to the yang in the ups and down of life is so eloquently depicted in Hop Hop & Hymns. 

"I rap divine Gods check the prognosis, is it real, or showbiz?

My window faces shootouts, drug overdoses,

Live amongst no roses, only the drama, for real"

- Nas, Memory Lane 

While there's plenty of drama, the strife life in Hip Hop & Hymns is accessible and relatable. The influence of circumstance and situational bias we experience as teenagers resonates throughout our adult lives and is beautifully articulated here. It's so pleasing to feel the profound impact rap has on author Mawunyo Gbogbo, equally as much as it has had in this reviewer's formative years. 

True, there's a distinct lack of shootouts or drug overdoses in this memoir (per the Nas reference above), however the themes of hardship, perseverance, resilience, and survival in the face of adversity resonate throughout the chapters. Despite featuring little reference to the Queensbridge emcee; Nas' early albums Illmatic and It Was Written were playing on constant rotation in my head as Mawunyo Gbogbo took me by the hand and walked me down her memory lane, not shying from any truths or tribulations as she laid bare her story for all. 

"So put your money on the bread winner.

I kick lyrics so dope that the brothers call em head spinners."

- Lady of Rage, Afro Puffs 

I get a kick out of reading 'feel-good stories', particularly those where real people overcome hardships, personal demons, and bad situations for the betterment of their growth and maturity. It's inspirational and relatable. Hip Hop & Hymns makes for a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.