It’s Okay, If We Agree To Disagree!
Such is the case with the recent beef stew between rapper Meek Mill, and Philadelphia pastor Jomo K. Johnson last week. The two got into a heated exchange over Meek’s new song “Amen” which the pastor called “blasphemous” followed by a public boycott of the song.
While Meek felt that the song was an expression of art and rejected the pastor’s initial offer of an apology to the Christian community, Meek has had a change of heart and issued an apology on BET 106th & Park show Monday night. Meek explains that he comes from a Christian and Muslim family and by NO MEANS intended to offend the Christian community when he wrote the song. However, Meek assures his fans, christian’s, and anyone else who felt offended by the song that he is aware of the concern of his lyric references of ‘Amen’ and ‘church’ in the song and how it is perceived, and therefore he issued an apology. The pastor then called into the show and forgave Meek Mill.
Here’s Meeks apology:
“People find all types of stuff offensive. I don’t think no preacher or no church approves of any type of rap music – because rap music is a lot of bad stuff ….But at the end of the day, it’s real life. And me I wasn’t trying to disrespect no religion or anything like that…I have half Christian and Muslim in my family…I ain’t drop the song with bad intentions. I did it just because it was a good feeling.That’s the feeling it gave me so I said, ‘Amen, church.’ I didn’t do it with bad intentions at the end of the day..”
Here’s the pastor’s apology:
“This apology was the condition for lifting the Call-To-Action boycott. Therefore, I want to say as a follower of Christ, that I completely forgive Robert Williams for this song because Jesus has completely forgiven me. While I have made the choice not to listen to or support any artist that promotes blasphemy or misogyny in their music, I appreciate Mr. Williams being willing to acknowledge his wrong. It is my sincere hope, that he, along with all popular rappers with their fans, will embrace God’s total forgiveness by turning from the sin promoted through mainstream Hip Hop, and trust solely in Christ for salvation. Christ died for all the evil we have done and spoken. And it is only through repentance and faith that forgiveness can be found. I want to say thanks to everyone who chose to cover this story, and a special thanks to all those who supported me.”
Who said we can’t come together and find a common ground? Amen!
Here’s an appropriate song and video for this wonderful occasion: Marvin Sapp “Never Would’ve Of Made It”