Christian hip-hop mainstay DPB, née David Paul Brooks, isn’t here to charm the trend-following masses or pander to playlists. He’s here to testify. On “American Strong,” he offers up a full-bodied, red-white-and-spirit declaration of faith, unity, and national restoration — less a pop single than a moral proclamation in 4/4 time.
The beat bumps just enough to get your attention, but the star is the message — delivered with the raw conviction of a believer who knows the world is messy and still insists God’s grace applies to it. And you. And all of us. “Stop the division, love is our mission,” he raps like it’s a self-evident truth, not a pipe dream. No irony, no hedging, no clever subtext. He’s dead serious.
Of course, that’s going to rub some people the wrong way — especially if you’re allergic to Bible references, national pride, or straight talk about skin color and shared humanity. But DPB’s theology isn’t theocratic. It’s integrative. His America isn’t a gated heaven-on-earth. It’s a work in progress where “Black, white, red, brown” are brothers, and freedom is tied to collective moral action.
What’s refreshing is that the guy isn’t self-righteous. His flow isn’t acrobatic, and he won’t make you rethink your favorite metaphors. But he delivers with authority and warmth, and he clearly believes what he’s saying. That sincerity carries the record. Like any effective gospel artist, he’s less concerned with your approval than your awakening.
So no, this isn’t for everyone. If you need irony, ambiguity, or a hook engineered for TikTok, look elsewhere. But if you’re willing to hear an honest voice cut through the static and remind a fractured country that unity isn’t weakness — and that “we all bleed red” — then “American Strong” delivers exactly what it promises.
–Robby Christman
