G. Craige Lewis on Hip-Hop, Spiritual Warfare, and the Church
Interview Summary - July 13, 2025
Overview
This powerful interview with Pastor G. Craige Lewis, founder of EX Ministries and author of "The Truth Behind Hip Hop," reveals the spiritual dimensions of hip-hop culture and its impact on the church and society. Lewis shares decades of research, personal encounters, and prophetic warnings about the current state of American culture.
Key Revelations and Themes
The Spiritual Origins of Hip-Hop
Hip-Hop Was Corrupt From Its Inception:
"Hip-hop was corrupt in its creation because the creation creators and founders of it were corrupt. So African Bambata went to Africa and he learned the ways of the Zulus. The Zulus are into ancestral worship. He brought those spirits back and began to make raps and beats about how those spirits how powerful they were. That's what planet rock is about."
On the Spiritual Nature of Music:
"It's not about beats. If you know anything about frequency you know that it's never just beats. It's never just music. Music carries the heart of the author that created it."
The Prophetic Warning
Lewis's Early Vision (1980s):
"God began to show me that Heavy Metal Music was doing at the time... basically just devil worshiping... And then he said 'But it's coming for the African-American kids. They're going to become devil worshippers.' And I was like Lord... because we you know black people... we were scared of the devil and we would sin some sins but we didn't think the devil was a part... Not on purpose."
The Fulfillment of the Prophecy:
"And so now when you see young black men they look totally different now. But God showed me that way back then. We're talking in the 80s. People thought I was crazy. 'No way. Black folks ain't going to worship the devil. No way.'"
Direct Spiritual Encounter
The Hip-Hop Demon Manifestation:
"This guy was shy timid. He was like mousy. After we had dealt with the demons of life he manifested. When this spirit manifested he sat back on the chair. He had a toothpick in his mouth and he sat back on the chair. I said 'You know who I am?' He said 'Yeah I know who you are. You be chosen.' I said 'Chosen for what?' He said 'To deal with me.' I said 'Well what's your name?' He said 'Hip hop.'"
The Connection Between Fatherlessness and Hip-Hop Culture
The Spiritual Father-Son Bond:
"You don't have to know your father for that to be p what your father's sins to be passed on to you. You don't even have to know it. That's true. And he didn't have to be around."
Prison Culture Influence:
"So they wore the do-aggs and the streets you know because in prison the do-agg represented the hair you know that's women's hair. That's the closest you going to get to women in prison. Then they walk around shirtless tat themselves all up sag their pants show their underwear you know all of these different things that were happening with the hip hop subculture."
Celebrity Worship and Demonic Channeling
The Alistair Crowley Connection:
"These guys are taught by Alistister Crowley to channel spirits from the flood. Nephilim were used to getting praise and worship... Well when these spirits that used to get that worship get in a person now that person becomes polarizing. He walks in a room and everybody's like a and it music can't do that."
The Reality of Soul Selling:
"You sell your soul to the devil you owe the devil your soul. Even if Jesus never bowed his head if he accepted the perks that the enemy offered it's as good as worship."
The Feminization of Hip-Hop
Early Predictions Fulfilled:
"What do you think about the feminization of men in hip-hop could you believe would you have imagined that today you got rappers wearing skirts and dresses... No I I said that back then I knew that back then. I have a It's in my videos back then."
The Spiritual Strategy:
"Once you confuse the genders oh my god you stop procreation you stop marriage and you know you make the youth question you know their their their orientation."
AI and Technology as Spiritual Warfare
The Coming AI Deception:
"AI is gonna begin to alter content... It was the devil's plan to pull everybody out of the church put everybody online... COVID everybody you know forced through the bottleneck of the internet. That that that was all planned."
The Spiritual Nature of AI:
"Chat GPT all of that I explain it... when you're talking you're talking to demons. You're using demons. You're using digital means."
The Church's Response
The Failure to Heed Warning:
"I tried to warn the church. You know during her concert she was you know with the Oshune and you know all of that. That's the Yoruba stuff. So I've been you know talking about it since part one of the truth behind hip hop. I'm at 14 now."
The Importance of Real Community:
"The internet has power don't get me wrong... but it can't create community. It can't create fellowship... Jesus created the church for modeling. He wanted us to see it in action."
Personal Testimony and Calling
God's Preparation:
"God chose me because my personality is wired that way... I'm going to be the why guy till he comes. I'm going to always want to know why we do what we do why a person does what they do."
The Cost of Ministry:
"God told me to stop and sell everything. This is before he told me about EX Ministries... Went from broke to broker. And um but that was right before the three years. And I spent three years finding out why he didn't want me to do any of that anymore."
The Message of Hope
God's Heart for Intimacy:
"Even when you're afraid... When you want to put the mantle down... No man. Let's chill together. Let's talk. Let me be here in that moment. Let me be here in that weakness. In your weakness let me be here."
The Father's Love:
"When I first held him in that moment I already loved him. I already was proud of him... All he was was just being my son. That's it. That's all he had. He wasn't good or bad yet... All he had to do was just come out and be my son."
Conclusion
This interview reveals the depth of spiritual warfare operating through entertainment culture and the urgent need for the church to understand these realities. Lewis's decades of research and personal encounters demonstrate that what many dismiss as "just music" or "just entertainment" has profound spiritual implications that have shaped an entire generation.
The conversation serves as both a warning and a call to action - warning about the spiritual deception embedded in popular culture, and calling the church back to authentic community, biblical discernment, and intimate relationship with God rather than religious performance.
For more of G. Craige Lewis's teachings, visit EX Ministries. This summary contains direct quotes from the interview for educational and ministry purposes.