I wanted to bring that up, in part, because neither I nor Mr. Hoskins would probably ever call ourselves experts in the field of Christian hip hop, but we're both definitely fans. We also have somewhat different tastes in the genre (to an extent), which could make for a difficult time coming up with a cohesive list that we're both proud of. So, instead of one combined list of twenty between the two of us, we've each come up with ten of our favorite and most deserving Christian rap artists (these lists will include solo acts, duos, trios, and any other combination you can think of). Did your favorite make the list? If so, great! If not, that's okay, because we want you to tell us your favorites in the comments down below. Without further ado, here are our [non-definitive] top ten Christian rap acts! -- Scott Fryberger, JFH Staff Writer

Kevin Hoskins

1. The Cross Movement
"I found a letter and it read: I bled, all because I love you, my blood was shed, all because I love you, they killed Me instead, all because I love you, I arose from the dead, all because I love you."

"They are the pillars of CHH and were so far ahead of their time as they paved the way for so many artists today. With stellar albums like Human Emergency and Holy Culture, CM is easily at the top of my list."

2. Lecrae
"Changed my heart and gave me a desire for His work mayne, kill me if you want but I'm gon' get back out that dirt mayne."

"When I popped Real Talk into my CD player, I knew I found something special. I had no idea how much this would do to change the face of CHH, though. Albums like Rebel and Anomaly are practically flawless."

3. Playdough/Krum
"There's too many emcees, not enough mics to talk, to be or not to be, it's three minus one for the definition, it's all soul also, and after mic check one, too many emcees rockin' the same flow, the number to tango, it's Knight and it's Playdough, we're terrible two's from Tuesday till today, we're scratching off our to-do list so touche, et tu brute?"

"From his awesome solo joints (Lonely Superstar is still my favorite rap album of all time), being part of ill harmonics and Deepspace 5, to so many hot feature spots, Playdough/Krum is easily among the best there is and is still killing microphones today."

4. Mars ILL
"I got seven ways to say something different, if you're allergic to the truth, then I suggest you keep your distance."

"They are the independents of independents. Manchild spits better than practically every rapper I have heard and the ATL crew has simply made some of the best hip hop albums of all time with releases like Backbreakanomics and Sound Methods 2.0, which showcase Manchild and Dust at their best."

5. KJ-52
"Next thing I know everything got real quiet, I opened my eyes, to my surprise now it's real silent, I realized I had died, now it's my judgment."

"I can't help it: the blend of funk, humor, and seriousness that KJ represents makes him one of my all-time favorites. I still spin Collaborations and Behind the Musik to this day."

6. Grits
"Like the dirt still up under the rug, my life be like bad characteristics covered in Christ's blood."

"The duo of Coffee and Bonafide were one of the first to bring that dirty south style of CHH to my ears. While their best years seem to have been short-lived, it was pretty stellar while it lasted. The Art of Translation and the Dichotomy releases are some of the best ever dropped."

7. Andy Mineo
"I got two choices when I do this, make moves or make excuses."

"Mineo may not have been around for a long time, but what he has done in this short time is something that I can't get enough of. Each release that Andy has dropped has been great, earning him a spot on my all-time favorites list."

8. NF
"And I'm sorry, but I gotta leave, but man this track was beautiful, the least I can do if I murder a beat is take the time to go to its funeral."

"Speaking of not being around very long, NF is up next. He is simply amazing in ways that many rappers just can't compete with. I thoroughly enjoy the raw, gritty, purely emotional sounds that he has been dropping in recent times, making him one of my favorite, for sure."

9. Social Club Misfits
"Only misfits around me and I'm praising my Savior who didn't leave me the same way that He found me."

"Social Club is the best! Even though they are mostly underground and unheard of by many, Marty and Fern have dropped so many good albums over the years, with Summer of George and Misfits 2 being my favorites. They needed to be on this list."

10. Propaganda
"And she begged me to stop stretching her thin and stuffing her full, and stop being so concerned with the old her and future her, but love her now, her presence is God's present, and you should be that, present."

"Somehow, I actually missed the Humble Beast representative when Excellent came out, but it is easily one of the best rap albums ever created. Throw in Crimson Cord, all of those epic spoken word joints, and stellar guest features, and Prop is slated to climb this list at a quick rate if he keeps this up."

Scott Fryberger

1. Playdough/Krum
"What I think's cool you probably think is hot, and what you think's cool I probably think is not, but that's alright yo, we're two different human beings, you like trendy rappin', I like real emceein'."

"Playdough put out album after album, and his fanbase remained relatively small and tight-knit. You would think rebranding himself as "Krum" after nearly twenty years as "Playdough" would cause his fanbase to dwindle, but his Road Dogs stuck right beside him. And why wouldn't we? He's outstanding. From the early days of ill harmonics and Phonetic Composition through a bunch of albums and mixtapes, Krum earns an A+ with his wit and naturally-gifted flow. Hey, by the way, go get Bare Knuckle Gospel, like, right now. It's free, and it's good."

2. Mars ILL
"I want more love, more strength, more power, with less over-the-counter sales of gunpowder...I want less violence and more moments of silence, there's more to this life and I pray to God you find it."

"Manchild and Dust? Forget about it. Pop in any of their albums - any of them - and you can sit back and enjoy some of the finest hip hop either side of any river. Dust's one-of-a-kind production and Manchild's uncanny lyricism are a perfect combination. They've had a new album in the works for literally at least five years now, and I absolutely cannot wait to hear it. But classics like Raw Material and, of course, Pro*Pain never get old."

3. Deepspace 5
"Deepspace 5, spittin' for all the people who don't wanna be spoonfed their meal."

"Comprised of some of the best emcees and two of the most excellent producers around today (including all three of the people mentioned above), Deepspace 5 stands as my favorite hip hop crew. Even now, I can spin Unique, Just Like Everyone Else for days on end if I got the chance. And with five or six releases under their belts (including the impromptu mixtape The Blueprint 3 Outtakes), the crew has proved themselves in the industry and the independent scene as a force to be reckoned with."

4. Heath McNease
"It's a head-scratcher, you win the bet after the best rapper pimp-slapped you right out of your LensCrafters."

"Heath McNease just oozes talent. And he literally put out more albums in a three-year period (all of which were stellar) than most bands release in a decade. His freestyling ability makes for some great, off-the-cuff tracks like "Nintendo Thumb" and "Nerd Out," but he also takes time to sit down and actually write songs that make your heart cringe, make you think, and/or make you want to worship the Lord. Thrift Store Jesus is perhaps his best work, but The Gun Show, Wed, White, and Wu, and Jesus Shuttlesworth also contain some of the best raps he's ever written."

5. Beautiful Eulogy
"Even the air we breathe is a gift we receive, yet we think we're entitled to."

"These guys may be labeled as a hip hop grop only out of sheer necessity to classify their sound. Then again, Braille and Odd Thomas are veterans on the mic. Along with Courtland Urbano, though, the team is a different animal, albeit a truly dynamic one. Intricate rhythms and melodies, truly unique, electronic-based beats, and deep, theological wisdom; these are the things you get out of this spectacular trio."

6. The Cross Movement
"If they can talk about cash and trash in their raps, then we can talk about snatching cats out of traps."

"While certainly not the first to do Christian hip hop, The Cross Movement definitely played a huge part in causing the genre to be accepted by a wider range of people. You couldn't find a youth group in the early 2000s that didn't have a copy of Holy Culture hanging out somewhere in the building. Though they disbanded some time ago to pursue individual music careers, CM remains one of the greatest crews to ever rap about Jesus."

7. Lecrae
"Stay focused, you ain't got no ride? Your life ain't wrapped up in what you drive, the clothes you wear, the job you work, the color of your skin, naw you're Christian first."

"Lecrae has to be on this list - not just because he's Lecrae, and even Christians who don't like rap have at least one Lecrae album in their collection. No, it's because he truly is one of the best rappers in Christian music history. Sure, he's been mildly controversial as of late, and albums like Anomaly and Gravity arne't necessarily his best works, but he's accomplished so much since Real Talk, even going so far as to use his talent to bring Jesus to a lost world. Also, his Church Clothes mixtapes are kinda dope..."

8. Jurny Big
"I'm on my own now, they sayin' I'm the greatest, the only thing that I would add is vastly underrated."

"Jurny Big is the working man's emcee. This dude is in his mid-to-late 40s, he's a dedicated husband and father, and he's still schooling other emcees with his pure rap talent. He even steals the show with some of his guest vocal work. Whether he's rapping for LPG, The Battery, Tunnel Rats, or solo, he's nearly incomparable. There are few better than Jurny Big."

9. Soup the Chemist
"I work on my delivery to have a curve like a Pringle, while you spend all your time on Christian Mingle."

"A true pioneer of the underground rap scene. His style is a lot different than most out there today, and he probably wouldn't fit in well with the Reach or Lamp Mode fanbases...but he probably inspired your favorite rapper. If you can find a copy of Dust (under Sup the Chemist), you'll see what I mean. It'll be worth your while to give it a spin or two."

10. Tunnel Rats
"Wack emcees be aware, we've come to share about the coming of the Christ, so you must come prepared."

"It's nearly criminal that most Christian hip hop fans don't know the Tunnel Rats. This crew was so big that they could barely get everybody onto a CD. Their self-titled saw perhaps the largest number of rappers in any given crew, Wu Tang Clan included. Their answer, though, was to just make a lot of songs for each album. Tunnel Vision is a must for Christian hip hop fans, as it showcases some of the rawest talent from these Southern Californian guys and gals.

Honorable Mentions: Collectively, Kevin and I have to give some honorable mentions to Elsie, Jackie Hill Perry, JGivens, Listener, Scribbling Idiots, Sev Statik, Shames Worthy, T-Bone, Theory Hazit, Trip Lee, and Verbs. Please don't be offended if your favorite rapper wasn't listed; remember, we want to hear your favorites in the comment section!