There was a time when rap-rock ruled the world. Although I don’t want those days to come back, there were some pretty sweet albums made during those years that I still enjoy. I think the best of that genre/era was “The Fundamental Elements of Southtown” by P.O.D. Since P.O.D. is still around, I assume we’re all familiar with who they are and what they do. But when TFEOS came out in 1999, it shook up the Christian music scene in a huge way.
The Christian underground was coming out with lots of great heavy bands at this time. I say “heavy” because these bands weren’t metal or hardcore or rock. They were just heavy. Blindside and Project 86 were coming out with fantastic records around this time as well. But P.O.D. trumped them all in break-out success and buzz. P.O.D. succeeded on a commercial level unseen by a Christian bands since dc Talk or Jars of Clay, and for obvious reasons, P.O.D.’s road to success was much harder than those other two bands.
…Southtown had a great mix of heavy jams and tribal sort of drumming thrown in with rapping and reggae beats and Rastafarian lyrics. It was from this album that I learned about the term Jah as a shortened form of Jehovah. Lots of unique elements presented themselves all at once and forced their way into the consciousness of every Christian music fan. They even invaded the CCM world when their song “Set Your Eyes to Zion” was included on the WOW 2001 CDs.
Payable On Death’s frontman, Sonny, is still vocal in the Christian music scene as part of the Whosoevers. His lyrics were really encouraging to listeners and caused me to reflect on the majesty of Jehovah and the warrior-like aspect of the Church. Those ideas were somewhat unique in the Christian underground music scene.
This album meant a lot to me. It meant a lot to lots of people. Now I’ll shut up about it.
I play music and write articles. I write the Metaphysical Monday article for IVM. I have a folk project due out later this year. I identify with the Reformed aspects of the Christian faith and I live in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia. Follow my musical life at facebook.com/sethhecoxmusic and my (lame) comedy life at twitter.com/sethhecox. 
| synn'r sainte jeb'beau, 21m ago 
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Atlantic Records didn’t push Blindside or Project 86 enough for them to go to the next level,and didn’t give them much radio play on secular radio like their supposed to. Project 86 and Blindside probably would have been better off to stay on Tooth and Nail Records instead of going that route. That the reason why your seeing a lot of band release new albums independently,they have big enough fan base to do that.
Neither of those bands had the catchiness to be as big as P.O.D.
Agreed on this about how this record ‘popped’ the bubble for Christian Hard Music. I was not a Christian at the time of its release and worked at a alternative radio station in Los Angeles, we played the fire outta every single dropped on this album. Also, another point/fact about this record was Carson Daily who was the biggest host on TRL at the time of its release was a big champion of these fellow SD natives. I heard rumors he was infact a Christian himself, too bad he never used his platform to produce any low hanging fruit. I’m a huge fan of this record but I actually think Satellite (2001) is a better album start to finish and represents the band better. I love and pray over and follow POD and The Whosoever Movement, great stuff, the new record will be incredible, can’t wait!
I read an interview with Carson Daily once where he said, as a teenager, he contemplated going into the priesthood. So, it sounds like at least at one point in his life he held to some Catholic doctrine.
“Although I don’t want those days to come back.” WHY?!?!?!? Done right rap/rock is amazing. John
John, I’m right there with you!!
Word up.
Yup. Bring it back!
I’m not Seth, but personally I would say the key words are “done right”. Both genres have so much potential for awfulnes on their own that a combination of the two is especially easy to turn into audio torture. Done right, you get P.O.D., Thousand Foot Krutch, early Linkin Park, etc.; done wrong, you get crunkcore.
Lol, word. 2 many hatas out ther.
That album changed everything. Saw all 3 bands in Jacksonville FL, POD, P86 and Blindside. WOW, that was a show i will never forget. Love those bands, Its amazing they all are still rocking. I like the new Blindside album a lot. Great stuff.
At the time, I kind of liked it but I definitely do not want to see a return of rap/rock nu-metal. Just the idea brings up awful memories of Fred Durst and his backwards, red Yankees hat.
Not to get into semantics but I’m not sure I would call their lyrics “rastafarian”. Since Rasatarianism is an offshoot of Christianity, Rastas co-opted much of their idioms and vernacular from the King James version of the Bible. What often seperates “rasta” lyrics from “biblical” lyrics is the worship of Haile Selassie I (Ras Tafari) and the talk of the virtues of ganja – and I don’t hear either in P.O.D.’s lyrics. I hope that doesn’t sound condescending but I’ve always cringed when I’ve heard P.O.D. described as having a rasta element.
1. Hatas guna hate. Wud u prefer wanabe scenestas/ hipstas in skiny/ girl jeans+ v- nex? Ya, thats much beta, lol.
2. Agreed.
Really wasn’t a huge fan of this CD… The only song that still gets the occasional play is “Bullet the Blue Sky”. All others… meh… Satellite is probably my favourite still :)
And another note, Project 86′s Drawing Black Lines is the best. ’nuff said.
True dat. ’nuff said
Ah what the heck, may as well post three times in a row. Just a thought of this while setting the table like a good son should, I like how those three bands were connected somewhat, with Sonny on “Six Sirens”, Christian on “Anything Right”, we just needed Andrew on a Blindside song to complete the circle! … triangle….
Unless of course there IS a Blindside song featuring Andrew Schwab… if there is I feel terrible for not having it
Six Sirens is an UNREAL track- in my opinion it’s Project 86′s most underrated song.
I could very well agree with that. I’d say Pipedream is the most favoured track from their self titled, but I like “Six Sirens” wwaaaayyyyyy more. You said it best: UNREAL. What a perfect team up
haha, “I dont want those days to come back”
Haha yeah, METAL all the way!! \m/
I’m gonna write in spanish, who will be interested to know what I say use the google translator.
POD junto con dc talk fueron mis primeros contactos con el rock cristiano, yo había perdido la fé en la música, en mi país (uruguay) solo nos llegaban bandas que realmente no me interesaban, yo estaba muy interesado en bandas como Limp Bizkit, Korn y por otra parte en todo el movimiento britpop. Cuando en una estación de radio cristiana sono POD no podía creerlo, me preguntaba como podía ser? Realmente no creía que estaba escuchando una banda de ese estilo y que fuera cristiana. Luego leí mucho en internet, conocí Blindside y Project 86 mediante POD. Me enviaron sus discos desde NY, y pude comprar algunos aca. ellos cambiaron mi vida, con tan solo 16 años ya no estaba escuchando solo bandas que repetian una y otra vez la palabra F*ck sino que escuchaba bandas que daban gloria a Dios. Estoy esperando con muchas ansias su nuevo album. Dios los bendiga
I’m going to reply in Spanish. So yea, use google translator again: me gusta!
And, I should’ve noted earlier, I’m going to wear a sombrero in my profile pic. Translate that!
Tengo un examen de espanol en una semana para la universidad, gracias por la practica =]
haha, lol
Great article that takes me back. And I think we just got a new poll question: “Do you want the days of rap-rock’s rule over the world to come back?” Lol
Great article that takes me back. And I think we just got a new poll question: “Do you want the days of rap-rock’s rule over the world to come back?” Lol
I’d be curious to see how that poll turned out :P
Still jam to this album. Seriously wonder what people have against rapcore…it’s an awesome genre which should stick around.
Though currently stale, POD was once a radical and special band. Their buzz and intensity, both musically and culturally was freaking insane. Good times.