The above statement seems like a blaring paradox at first glance. These aren’t topics that usually make their way into a conversation as one complete statement. Not in my conversations, at least. This, however, will have to change as we get familiar with Bridging The G.A.P. (Gospel and Poetry).

Hawaii. Catchy synth-heavy beats. Poetry. Jesus.

The above statement seems like a blaring paradox at first glance. These aren’t topics that usually make their way into a conversation as one complete statement. Not in my conversations, at least. This, however, will have to change as we get familiar with Bridging The G.A.P. (Gospel and Poetry).

Bridging The G.A.P. is a collective that hails from Hawaii. Hawaii is not exactly renowned for their status as a breeding ground for hip hop artists. Off the top of my head, I couldn’t recall of knowing a single rapper from that part of the world. Their album, The Great Commission, would be my first Hawaiian “rap experience”. And a delightful experience it was.

The intro track, GAP Intro, jumps off the album on a good note. Against a backdrop of a head-nodding synth bassline and grimy drums, the concept of the album is explained in a way that is reminiscent of slam poetry jams. We as the audience are reminded that Jesus Christ is our bridge across the gap of sin and darkenss.

God First encourages the believer to know what their priorities should always come second to our dedication. With an autotune-laced hook, the song keeps it safe by going with a mid-tempo pace. With such a mesmerizing intro preceding it, I felt that this track could’ve been more livelier. This continues with Bridging the GAP, adopting a mellow groove that almost sounds like it’s straight out of the West Coast. This song is clearly evangelistic in nature, with the second verse skillfully articulating what they mean by bridging the gap.

The next two songs is where things start picking up. First, Jesus Saves is a song that continues Bridging the GAP’s knack for teaching about the saving power of Jesus. Armed with a handful of scripture references they flow on an enjoyable grungy beat (not unlike the intro) pleading with the listener to seek Jesus. The impeccable cadence and flow of the MCs is disappointingly offset by the shoddy mixing of the hook’s vocals. The next song, No Power, does more than make up for that though. The constant affirmation that we have overcome and the banging 808’s make this one an anthem for all believers.

We Won’t Back Down, In Or Out, Captured and the title track, The Great Commission, continue the ready-for-radio theme. These catchy tracks could be right at home with the current Hot97 playlists.

Every album needs a “introspective” moment where the artist digs deep into the reservoirs of their hearts and shares with the listener. Bridging the GAP happily obliges with Hear My Cry. Before you roll your eyes, I’ll tell you that they do it in a way that does not come off as cheesy. They split the song into two parts with each part having a different rapper on it. Meek and Zealous each take turns pleading with the listener to accept Christ before it’s too late.

The Great Commission is a very solid project. It’s a radio-friendly project that utilizes the current trends in music to advance the commission that Jesus commanded. Therein lies my gripe with this album. I’m all for keeping up with the trends, but the heavy synths get a bit repetitive after the first ten tracks. While the production is stellar at points, the buffet on offer is not as diverse as I would like it to be. That, along with some minor mixing issues, hinder this project from being a great album. That being said, it’s still a good addition to your collection.