Efrain Alicea, Brother E, in concert. PHOTO: Courtesy of brothere.com

heppard, whose stage name is Mister Showtyme, raps some Sundays at Bedford-Stuyvesant's Powerful Praise Tabernacle and plans to turn his mother’s church in Crown Heights into a club for Christian rappers next month. The Judah Lounge, as he calls it, won’t serve liquor, but will offer juice and tea and let 60 people hear the music they like, but with a positive spin.



"People will be coming here to praise God with their music," says Sheppard, who describes his music as a mix between Will Smith and DMX. His songs are similar to mainstream hip-hop, "but my music just won’t tell you to kill anybody."

Despite this, Sheppard has experienced what some local youth are living. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Sheppard says he has the credibility that allows him to rap in a juvenile detention center. "I’m not candy," he says, referring to his personality.

Sheppard says the Judah Lounge idea has the potential to spread across Brooklyn. With its large number of churches and history of launching famous rap stars - Jay-Z being the latest example - Brooklyn could create a huge scene for gospel hip-hop, Sheppard says.

Though he is excited about opening his music to a new audience, Sheppard’s ultimate goal is to inspire. He says he doesn’t care if listeners become Christian or Muslim, as long as they find a higher power. "The most important thing is the praise that goes up," he says.

Teenage boys dance, separately from girls because of religious practice, to the tunes of the Moshav Band. PHOTO: Rachel Elbaum

Other gospel rappers in the city echo Sheppard’s words. "My measure of success is seeing people come to Christ," says Efrain Alicea, a 36-year-old gospel hip-hop artist who raps in the pulpit at the Crossroads Tabernacle in the Bronx.

Alicea, known as Brother E on stage, first performed about eight years ago at another Pentecostal church in the borough. He was terrified of being rejected by the fundamentalist congregation, but says they quickly embraced him and his music. He has performed at Rikers Island and in the summer raps on street corners to reach out to teens.

Besides Christianity and Judaism, bands have adopted other less mainstream religions.

"Krishnacore," which mixes hardcore punk music with Hare Krishna values, was started in New York City. Like their Jewish and Christian counterparts, krishnacore musicians see it as a means to provide enlightening messages within powerful music.

"I just think that there’s always going to be people who want something a little more inspirational, which is the music I like to make," says John Porcelly, 34, former guitarist for Shelter, a krishnacore band.

Porcelly grew up Roman Catholic and listened to seminal punk bands like the Dead Kennedys. "As I grew older, I became a vegetarian and got into yoga, so I could relate a lot with the Eastern way of thought," he says.

Unlike the other religious music, krishnacore’s popularity appears to be declining a bit, Porcelly says. "I wanted to put out a krishnacore compilation last year and I had to cancel the project," he says. "I guess if you’re selling diamonds, don’t expect too many customers."

Soul Sampler: Listen to the songs of these religious musicians.