This is a collection of photographer Francis Tatem's personal and professional work.

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Based in Washington, DC
(e) jfrancist@gmail.com
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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Holy Hip Hop











This weekend the Christian hip hop community descended upon Atlanta for the annual Holy Hip Hop Award Show at Center Stage in Midtown. There were performers and fans from all over the country. Some of the music was more overtly religious than others, but all performers shared a common passion for spreading the gospel through hip hop. Many of the artist shared anecdotes of growing up in the projects and living a dangerous lifestyle until they decided to embrace Christianity.

Going into this I had no idea what to expect. I didn't know what kind of people would attend something like this or what the music would be like. It was a great experience. No one I met was proselytizing, instead I saw many people my age just having a good time and connecting with like minded individuals. While I don't ascribe to any particular religion, I think it is fascinating to examine different ways people practice their faith. Overall this might be the one place in music where the gold crosses and Jesus pieces might actually mean something.

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