Some religious upbringings teach adolescents the dangers of rap music. Though rap as a genre could never be defined as evil, if it ever were, artist Oppose in his new album Time to Deliver, Psalm 32:7 is working to redeem it with his beats and lyrics.
Hailing from Philadelphia, the coordinator of seminary relations and recruitment at Palmer Theological Seminary, Osaze Murray uses his ability to rap to serve God. Becoming the artist Oppose, Murray devises head-bobbing beats and mind-catching rhymes inspired by his life. That includes his trust in God to fix brokenness, his past life of smoking and his walk away from it and his commentaries on scripture.
The album itself is well done. The seven tracks available have a little bit for every person who enjoys rap/hip-hop music. Rap fans listening to Oppose for the first time might wonder if they put in their Jay-Z CD. His beat and lyrical rhymes, even down to the sound of his voice, is all a similar style to Jay-Z. There also may be possible influences from Philadelphia’s Roots and even Snoop Dogg. While sounding similar to some of the best-known rappers in the world is not a bad thing, having a different sound is what can either help your music take off or bust.
Murray is trying to add his own Christian perspective to rap music. While he may sound like other rappers at times, if people listen carefully, they will be able to hear Oppose and not anyone else.
The rhymes about life in Philadelphia are the most capturing aspects of Murray’s lyrics. Murray authentically tells the story of his childhood and the current state of Philadelphia. His message of God healing all the brokenness around us is compelling and reminds us of the true mission of Christ.
However, there is room for improvement.
While all the songs will keep people swaying and nodding their heads, and every song is professional and well done, there is not that one song on the album that stands out from the rest.
People who enjoy music, especially rap music, will enjoy Murray’s work. However, for Murray to take off as an artist, he needs to keep the music he currently has and add a song or two that really shock people. He needs to add a taste to his music that catches people that normally do not listen to rap music.
Murray can supply just that. The rap industry, and the world even more so, is desperately in need of the life-giving, unifying, healing power of the Christian message coming from Murray’s rap/hip-hop music.
Murray’s CD is available in the campus bookstore and online at www.opposemusic.com and www.myspace.com/oppose3. In the near future www.godchaserez.com will have Murray’s music available for digital download.
Will Cunningham 
Mikaela Brown 
Sophia Hunter