 
Theology Thursdays: "Miss Holy Roller" by Will Smith
Last Saturday, while we were making our way to the National Action Network’s Town Hall meeting concerning violence in Hip Hop, a friend let me hear part of Lost and Found, the new CD by Will Smith. If you need help, he’s “Fresh Prince” as in “DJ Jazzy Jeff and the…” to you gracefully graying Hip Hop heads.
When my friend likes a CD, and wants to make a case for an album, he assumes the role of a producer and introduces the tracks so that the ones he feels I am likely to enjoy appear in succession with lesser tracks mixed in here and there. One of the first songs he played for me was “Miss Holy Roller” and it caught my attention. The content does not match my prejudgment of what Will Smith would say in a rhyme. In “Miss Holy Roller” Will Smith speaks as a Christian who feels he is being unfairly judged by a person who has become a zealous witness for an interpretation of Christianity that has helped her reform her life.
At this moment I don’t know how well Lost and Found is doing commercially, or how well it will do, but we would like to share the song with our viewers, including those who might not pick up the CD. So while it isn’t the next installment of The Dead Sea Scrolls, Prophecy and Messiah, for this Theology Thursday we offer you a work by Will Smith, with content for you to consider and discuss in the BEC Dialogue Room.
Tomorrow, for Hip Hop Friday, we will publish a few of my thoughts concerning the aforementioned Town Hall meeting, which was held by Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, as well as thoughts on issues of content and violence in Hip Hop. And now, here’s Big Willie….
Andy J. Solages
BEC Contributing Editor
*****
"Miss Holy Roller" by Will Smith
This is dedicated to an old friend of mine….She’s a Holy Roller now; turned over a new leaf. Now everything old is going to burn…
Chorus:
Miss Holy Roller
New Angel
with your Bible out shouting
and you're ringing a bell
mid-life
reborn
and can't wait to tell
if I don't believe what you believe
I'm going to Hell.
Verse 1:
I've been down with Jesus since Sunday school and Easter speeches
The Bible was survival
that's what my grandma would teach us
Since I was 5
I've been dying and trying to read it
and when I did
it redefined it.
Now you was 34 when you found Jesus
after your life fell to pieces
Wife two times
with two guys
now enlightened
and speeches
seem to flow out your mouth with the hype of a preacher
Took your whole life to reach you
now I'm a trifling creature?
Chorus:
Miss Holy Roller
New Angel
with your Bible out shouting
and you're ringing a bell
mid-life
reborn
and can't wait to tell
if I don't believe what you believe
I'm going to Hell.
Verse 2:
Come on
if I die right this second
I reckon that God would simply check
into my life and times
dissecting my rhymes
He'll see how I've been leading his troops
You can't do dirt your whole life and then say “oops.”
Now where was Jesus when you was cheating and you was
deceiving me?
Where was Jesus when you was greedy?
Your lawyers was bleeding me?
Where was Jesus when every weekend a new man was living with you?
Oh wait, he was with me
trying to keep me from killing you.
Now where was Jesus when you was lying and you was betraying me?
When I was trying to make it
And you was hating
delaying me, huh?
Where was Jesus when the ice was thrilling you?
Oh wait, he was with me
trying to keep me from killing you.
If I ain't know Jesus ain't no telling where I would be
It's been nights I felt like feces
I needed to fight to release it
I'm in the limelight
it's hot and the heat is ceaseless
I’m holding my tongue while little bums cut me to pieces
The only reason’s cause I studied the life of Jesus
And venting with my pen
intending to write and release it
But when an ex-friend slights me or slam me with venom
I hate it
I can't stand it
Damn it
I really resent it
I always strive to be righteous
my version of God’s the reason why I never write rap verses with curses inside
The reason I never purposely hurt persons,
I've applied many teaching of God
Searching the reaches of God
Pondered the mysteries of why you be dissing me
I adore you
all I hope for you is freedom from misery
You made mistakes and blunders
you breaking from under it
But yo
if I'm going to Hell
it's making me wonder….
Now where was Jesus when you was cheating and you was
deceiving me?
Where was Jesus when you was greedy?
Your lawyers was bleeding me?
Where was Jesus when every weekend a new man was living with you?
Oh wait, he was with me
trying to keep me from killing you.
Now where was Jesus when you was lying and you was betraying me?
When I was trying to make it
And you was hating
delaying me, huh?
Where was Jesus when the ice was thrilling you?
Oh wait, he was with me
trying to keep me from killing you.
The greatest atrocities ever committed on this planet have been in the
name of God. This country was founded by the Puritans, for the express purpose of oppression free worship. Your attitude is the same arrogant, fearful fundamentalism that fueled the hatred of the Crusades and the attacks on 9/11. If we are not allowed to worship God as groups, and individuals, free from persecution, in respectful tolerance, then there is only one outcome.
Chorus:
Miss Holy Roller
New Angel
with your Bible out shouting
and you're ringing a bell
mid-life
reborn
and can't wait to tell
if I don't believe what you believe
I'm going to Hell.
Andy J. Solages Thursday, April 14, 2005 To discuss this article further enter The Deeper Look Dialogue Room
The views and opinions expressed herein by the author do not necessarily represent the opinions or position of BlackElectorate.com or Black Electorate Communications.
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