
Faith, Race, and Hip-Hop at Harvard | An Interview with Obasi Shaw
The Veritas Forum — The Veritas ForumFaith, Race, and Hip-Hop at Harvard | An Interview with Obasi Shaw
May 24, 2017

The Veritas Forum
Obasi Shaw has recently hit the news as the first Harvard student to submit a rap album as his senior thesis. The album, entitled "Liminal Minds," represents a coming together of Obasi's interests, ranging from Chaucer, to hip-hop, to the pursuit of racial justice. But the key theme that connects all his thoughts and experiences is his passion for Jesus and for applying the gospel of the crucified God to the murky complexities of human life. In this interview, Obasi explores the album in relation to his faith.
More From The Veritas Forum

Christianity and the Tooth Fairy | John Lennox at UCLA
The Veritas Forum
June 3, 2017
Children believe in the tooth fairy until their reasoning capabilities mature and they recognize this belief is neither grounded nor relevant. Does be

Is Belief in God irrational? | Meghan Sullivan
The Veritas Forum
June 11, 2017
Notre Dame philosophy professor, Meghan Sullivan, shares the journey by which – to her own surprise – she became convinced by the truth-claims of the

The Multiverse, the Polygraph, and the Resurrection | Tom Rudelius
The Veritas Forum
July 1, 2017
Our latest podcast episode features an interview with rising physicist Tom Rudelius. We discuss String Theory, polygraph tests, fine-tuning, and our p

The Bible: Gospel, Guide, or Garbage? | N.T. Wright & Sean Kelly at Harvard
The Veritas Forum
May 12, 2017
How should we read the Bible? Our latest podcast features New Testament Scholar and Theologian NT Wright and Harvard Philosopher Sean Kelly, who discu

Under God? | Michael Sandel & Jean Bethke Elshtain
The Veritas Forum
April 28, 2017
Throughout our 25 year history, we've had the privilege of creating conversations between some of academia's giants and of modeling dialogue across di

Connecting Passion and Purpose | charity: water Founder Scott Harrison
The Veritas Forum
April 14, 2017
In March, we launched our Veritas Cities Forums in Seattle, a series of events designed to foster a vibrant public square that invites globally-engage
More on OpenTheo

The Heidelberg Catechism with R. Scott Clark
Life and Books and Everything
November 3, 2025
You may not think you need 1,000 pages on the Heidelberg Catechism, but you do! R. Scott Clark, professor at Westminster Seminary California, has writ

Does Open-Mindedness Require Studying Other Religions Before Becoming a Christian?
#STRask
February 9, 2026
Questions about the claim that if Christians really want to be open-minded, they need to read and study other religions before committing to Christian

Kingdom Priorities: Following the Teachings of Jesus
Knight & Rose Show
February 14, 2026
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose discuss Jesus' teachings from the Gospels, emphasizing truth, evidence, self-denial, and forgiveness. They explore pass

Shouldn’t I Be Praying for My Soul Rather Than for Material Things?
#STRask
February 2, 2026
Questions about whether we should be praying for our souls rather than for material things, why we need to pray about decisions, whether the devil can

Why Are So Many Christians Condemning LGB People Just Because of How They Love?
#STRask
January 15, 2026
Questions about Christians condemning LGB people just because of how they love, how God can expect someone to be celibate when others are free to marr

How Do We Advocate for Christian Policy Without Making the Government Interfere in Every Area of Life?
#STRask
November 20, 2025
Questions about how to advocate for Christian policy without making the government interfere in every area of life, and the differences between the mo

Why Is It Necessary to Believe Jesus Is God?
#STRask
February 19, 2026
Questions about why it’s necessary to believe Jesus is God, whether belief in the Trinity is required for salvation, and why one has to believe in the

Are Demon Possessions and Exorcisms in the New Testament Literal?
#STRask
December 11, 2025
Questions about whether references to demon possessions and exorcisms in the New Testament are literal, how to talk to young children about ghosts, an

Does God Hear the Prayers of Non-Believers?
#STRask
February 26, 2026
Questions about whether or not God hears and answers the prayers of non-believers, and thoughts about a church sign that reads (as if from God), “Just

Conservatism and Religious Freedom with John Wilsey
Life and Books and Everything
October 27, 2025
What is conservatism? And why does it go hand in hand with religious freedom? How should we think about the American experiment of ordered liberty? Ha

Christmas Cranks and Christmas Blessings with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Life and Books and Everything
December 17, 2025
If you are looking for a podcast where three friends talk about whatever they want to talk about and ramble on about sports, books, and grievances, th

Is It a Sin to Feel Let Down by God?
#STRask
November 6, 2025
Questions about whether it’s a sin to feel let down by God and whether it would be easier to have a personal relationship with a rock than with a God

Prove to Me That Jesus Is Not a Created Being
#STRask
January 26, 2026
Questions about why we should think Jesus is not a created being, and what it means to say God became fully human if part of being human means not bei

Can You Recommend Good Books with More In-Depth Information and Ideas?
#STRask
January 22, 2026
Questions about good books on Christian apologetics, philosophy, and theology with more in-depth information and ideas, and resources to help an intel

Is Greg Placing His Faith in the Wrong Thing?
#STRask
February 12, 2026
Questions about Greg placing his faith in his personal assessment of which truth claims best match reality rather than in the revelation of God in Jes