Hip Hop etched its name into history this week when The Clipse became the first rap group ever to perform a concert at The Vatican. The Virginia duo joined John Legend in St. Peter’s Square during the landmark event, Grace for the World, the first concert ever hosted at the sacred site.
The show was co-directed by Pharrell Williams and featured a diverse lineup of global talent, including Andrea Bocelli, Jennifer Hudson, and country star Jelly Roll. Together, they created a genre-spanning celebration of music with a universal message of unity and faith.
When it came time for John Legend’s set, he surprised the crowd by bringing out Pusha T and No Malice to perform their collaboration “The Birds Don’t Sing.” The performance struck a chord not just musically but symbolically, as the track carries a spiritual undertone that connected deeply with the setting.
For No Malice, who has openly embraced Christianity in recent years, the moment carried added meaning. Performing at one of the holiest sites in the world alongside his brother marked both a personal and cultural milestone.
With The Clipse’s appearance, Hip Hop officially broke new ground at The Vatican—an unprecedented achievement that underscores the genre’s growing place in global and spiritual conversations.