TEMPLE OF BLING

Concluding part of Channel 4's Hip Hop Nights strand. As America finds a renewed thirst for spirituality and religion following 9/11, many believe hip hop is corrupting the morality of young people. For years the Christian church in America has been at war with hip hop culture. The Church once stood as the rallying point for African Americans, but hip hop has now replaced it as a powerful and influential culture. But as hip hop does its own soul-searching after the murders of some of its most famous rappers, some see an opportunity for, as Kurtis Blow said, "hip hop to save the Church and for the Church to save hip hop". Last year 10% of hip hop sales - over $1billion - were in religious hip hop. While messages of sex, violence and material wealth continue to sell, Temple of Bling follows rappers Corey Red and Precise as they attempt to bring their Christian message to a mainstream market. The programme also visits the Christian church of Bishop Jordan and Reverend Run, who preach a message of prosperity while advocating material wealth or the pursuit of "bling". As religion and hip hop continue to grow rap music could yet become the new gospel for the 21st century. With contributions from Reverend Run from Run DMC, Kurtis Blow, Chuck D, Ice-T, Roxanne