Christian hip hop (originally Gospel rap, also known as holy hip hop or Christ hop) is a form of hip hop music which uses Christian themes to express the songwriter's faith. Only uring the 1990s did the term "Christian hip hop" become descriptive of this type of music. While the audience is typically Christian, the music is also used in (Christian) missions work for the purpose of evangelization. Christian rap and hip hop artists are often professed Christians who often use their background to spread the religion's beliefs.