Anybody remember DC Talk?

[Gnarwhal]

Growing up in the 90s, they were one of the first groups I ever liked. In fact, the first CD I ever bought was their 1995 album Jesus Freak. A little while later I bought the album they released before that Free At Last (1992). If you never heard of these guys, it's where Toby McKeehan (Toby Mac) and Michael Tate got their start along with the third member of the trio Kevin Max.

They started off with hip hop but Jesus Freak took a turn towards alternative rock. At any rate, most of their music addressed social issues like race through a faith based perspective. Even though I don't subscribe to a protestant ideology anymore, I think their stuff is pretty universally agreeable. Today I randomly started playing a track called "Colored People", a song which I think had a profound impact on my nine-year-old self back in 1996 because it described all of us as a "kaleidoscope" but all part of the human race. I think it's a song that everybody could benefit from listening to and remembering where we all come from.

So just for some Friday afternoon frivolity, here's a throwback to the early 1990s!

And if you're interested, here are the lyrics:

Spoiler: Colored People Lyrics

(1, 1, 1, 1... 2, 2, 2, 2... 3, 3, 3, 3... 4, 4, 4, 4)

Pardon me, your epidermis is showing, sir
I couldn't help but note your shade of melanin
I tip my hat to the colorful arrangement
Cause I see the beauty in the tones of our skin

We've gotta come together
And thank the Maker of us all

We're colored people, and we live in a tainted place
We're colored people, and they call us the human race
We've got a history so full of mistakes
And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace

(1, 1, 1, 1... 2, 2, 2, 2... 3, 3, 3, 3... 4, 4, 4, 4)

A piece of canvas is only the beginning for
It takes on character with every loving stroke
This thing of beauty is the passion of an Artist's heart
By God's design, we are a skin kaleidoscope

We've gotta come together,
Aren't we all human after all?

We're colored people, and we live in a tainted place
We're colored people, and they call us the human race
We've got a history so full of mistakes
And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace

Ignorance has wronged some races
And vengeance is the Lord's
If we aspire to share this space
Repentance is the cure

(1, 1, 1, 1... 2, 2, 2, 2... 3, 3, 3, 3... 4, 4, 4, 4)

Well, just a day in the shoes of a color blind man
Should make it easy for you to see
That these diverse tones do more than cover our bones
As a part of our anatomy

We're colored people, and we live in a tainted place
We're colored people, and they call us the human race
We've got a history so full of mistakes
And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace

We're colored people, and they call us the human race
(Oh, colored people)
We're colored people, and we all gotta share this space
(Yeah we've got to come together somehow)
We're colored people, and we live in a tainted world
(Red and yellow, black and white)
We're colored people, every man, woman, boy, and girl
(Colored people, colored people, colored people, colored people, yeah)

 

[TenthAveN]

Jesus Freak is an anthem.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Consume me is a favorite.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Reminds me of another of Tait's classics:

 

[Blade]

STILL listen to them off and on.