Growing up, Mykel Mitchell found more truth in the words of Run DMC than any preacher's sermon. He saw more prosperity in the lives of local drug dealers than in the lives of neighboring saints. It was only natural that he would gravitate toward hustling. Years later, when ''the life'' left him empty and he had nothing to lose, he gave Jesus Christ a chance-and he's never looked back.

In Word, Mitchell takes us on the personal, moving, and at times, humorous journey that helped him reconcile his faith in Christ, not only with his intellect and instincts-but with his passion for all things hip-hop. In this refreshingly candid take on church doctrine, he addresses questions like ''Why does God need my money?'' and ''What's the big deal with sex anyway?'' and explains how he came to rock baggy jeans and sports jerseys right along with his platinum cross and tattered Bible, without shame or apologies.