 I had a convo this week with a young american artist in which he assured me
he wasn’t a christian rapper, instead he was just a believer and a rapper… he felt that by saying he was a christian rapper it made a divide and that as ‘believers’ we need to be more open and not cause divides. This isn’t a new thing of course, as much as this young artist would like to think that he’s making a statement with this, he’s not, as many a christian artist goes through the same thought pattern. Its a long running conversation amongst the die-hard artists, the ones who have been in the game long enough to know the importance of being relevant amongst their cultural peers. In another convo with a UK grime rapper it was said “there has been a lot of hurt in the underground christian scene”, what was being referred to is the artists out there who gave up their rights as a christian and turned away from their faith due to them having countless years fighting for a place in mainstream music, trying to be heard. That being a christian and a musician doesn’t or shouldn’t mean that you’re categorized or put in a box much like any major award ceremony where there is a ‘gospel section’. Its great that the gospel scene has its own scene and can be allowed alongside the mainstream awards but at the same time its a double edged sword because as we’re placed in the gospel category we are almost certain to never come out of that box. And why is that an issue you may ask (before believers start saying ‘well thats being unashamed of the gospel isn’t it…), it’s an issue because as a music artist you should be given the same respect as any other no matter what belief system you have and a wider point of view would be to say that you can reach far greater people inside the secular scene. You still might be saying ‘Well that’s great though because I’m unashamed of the gospel so I don’t mind being subjected to cultural categorizing’. However, most artists who represent Jesus realize they need to hit the mainstream in order to make the biggest impact and to follow Jesus’ calling ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel’ Mark 16:15. It was Andy Mineo who said it best when he said “you wouldn’t say that’s a christian police man and that’s a regular policeman or that’s a plumber and that other one is a christian plumber’. So why do it with musicians? DJ 70x7 supports artists by bringing awareness to their talent and creativity. The HopeJamz Radio Show plays upbeat music from worldwide artists with New releases, Artist Introductions and Exclusive content!! Listen to The HopeJamz radio show: https://www.mixcloud.com/70x7Music/ 70x7 Music channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/70x7MusicHopeJamzradio 70x7 Music - http://www.70x7music.com/ HopeJamz Radio is also a part of the Tentmaker Music Podcast network. You can subscribe and download shows here - https://linktr.ee/tentmakermusic 
This is the album CHH & CHH fans needed!!
Gods Goon is exemplary. In a day and age where CHH artists are wrestling with who their target audience is, BRM has found a fantastic balance. BRM doesn't pull any punches, from beginning to end "Gods Goon" is raw, real and in your face. It is obvious through these songs that BRM has a love for God and a love for people. He clearly desires to see people come to know Jesus and for the church to take God and evangelism seriously. "Gods Goon" is an album that plays well for the believer and the non-believer. There are many testimonial aspects to this album; for instance, "Where to Go" is a powerful song where BRM is sharing about an extremely hard time in his life and how lost he was. What I really like about this song is that BRM is very open about what was going, he isn't hiding things, there is a picture painted that I am sure many can relate to. This song sets the stage well for the next track "Anxious" which has a beautiful and relevant chorus. I don't think I need to go into details concerning the message of this song but something I love, is how these 2 tracks pair, but what I enjoy even more is how they lead into "To the Clouds". "Gods Goon" is extremely well thought out, it is very intentional in its layout. It's purposeful. For the believer this album will challenge you and hopefully spark a fire to reach the lost for Jesus. "I'm Ready", "Wind Em Up", "Goon" & "Pop Off" make it clear that BRM understands the call to go and make disciples. There is a boldness all over this album that is not only refreshing, it is so needed. BRM's passion for Jesus is so evident, he knows where his gifts come from and it is also evident that he is seeking to bring glory to God with his gifts. Here are my overall thoughts... To CHH artists: "Gods Goon" has raised the bar. BRM has created something that should challenge those of us in the game, this album should push all of us to get better at what we are doing. Also, take the message in "Let the Fire Out" to heart and examine your life in response to the message of this song. May we rejoice with our brother in his accomplishment and may it fuel us to rise to the occasion, for such a time as this... To CHH fans: "Gods Goon" is an instant classic, this is as an album that you will go back to often. "Gods Goon" is also an album that you can show your friends who think CHH is lame. I also ask that you let this album challenge you in your walk with Jesus. You may not be a rapper, but God has called you into the greatest mission of all time. As a believer you are part of God's redemptive plan for all creation. God has called each and everyone of us to share the Gospel and to make disciples. If you want to live a life that matters, this is that life. Go stream or purchase "Gods Goon" on any platform, it's available everywhere. Links above (under the album cover) and beneath the videos below. I believe that if you like an artist you should seek to support them by purchasing the album so they can keep making the music you enjoy. This is one investment you won't regret.
 So much has been happening in BRM's world these days, from signing with Rapture Ready Productions too getting set to drop an album July 19th and everything in between. BRM was one of the first people to submit his music to Tentmaker, and we were impressed out the gate. The way BRM handles Himself as a Christ follower amplifies his music as it is clear that he isn't in this for himself but rather for God's glory. We were blessed to have the opportunity to chat with BRM and ask some questions, we hope you enjoy reading his responses as much as we did. Could you please share a bit of your testimony? When did you start following Jesus? I didn’t grow up christian. Never really believed in God till about 2005. It took a while for me to even believe God existed and that he sent his son Jesus to die for me. It wasn’t till about 2012 where I began seeking a relationship with God and living my life for him. After struggling with selfishness and almost ending my marriage, God spoke to me through my wife. He restored my marriage and i finally started to understand it was him who I needed in my life and not earthly temptations. He’s taught me how to be a husband, father, and to see myself as a child of God. Wow, praise God, that's amazing, thank you so much for sharing! So how long have you been making making music & why did you get started? Been writing music since I was in Junior high, since the first time I heard "Gangstas Paradise" by Coolio! Did some music in high school with some buddies as well. I didn’t start writing music for God until 2012 when I rededicated my life to him and started writing testimony into my music. I was never really a good talker but I was able to put my feelings and testimony into rap verses and song. What are some of your goals as an artist or just life goals in general? I love music, and will continue making it. I don’t put a lot of pressure on myself with the music. I want people to hear my music, hear my testimony, and build relationships. I look forward to meeting more people, making more connections, do some more live shows, and hopefully touch peoples lives. My 9-5 job is a P.E. teacher and enjoy teaching kids, I believe that will lead to coaching and possibly some youth group opportunities down the line. Can you tell us a bit about your upcoming album? So this will really be my first official album! When I signed with Rapture Ready Productions they told me I had to put an album out and was hesitant because I really like to just drop singles to a video. But I thought this would be a great opportunity to try something new. The name of this album will be called “God’s Goon,” … and should be released July 19th. This Album for me is about GOD using me where I’m at … and in turn trying to meet you where your at! The album covers and handles a lot of topics that most people can relate too. Topics in this album include: Anxiety, testimony in not knowing where to turn, changing our perspective and seeking GOD, feeling strong in faith, ready to be sent out, addicted to music, CHH needing to work together and so so much more! I’m a goon for GOD, I’m coming to tell you about him the best way I know how, and if the devil gets in the way, I got something for him too! I know we are for sure excited for your album to drop!! Can't wait!! We will for sure be promoting here on the site! Who is your favorite musician of all time and who have you been rocking to lately? I grew up listening to people like Eminem, Jadakiss, Canibus, Wu-tang Clan… but the people i listen to now are Derek Minor, Andy Mineo, NF, Social Club Misfits. I’m actually a lover of all music and genres from country to rock to rap. If its good, ill listen to it. We think it is fantastic that you love music of all genres, in our opinion it is so important for an artist to be diverse in their listening and there is so much good music out there!! We do like to sprinkle a little random elements of fun in these 1 on 1's so if you were a dinosaur which dinosaur would you be and why? Probably a Triceratops, they looked pretty tough with the horns on their head, had very thick skin, but they were mostly plant eaters, mainly just wanting to be left alone. My music sometimes may come across as a big bark or bite, but that's just my look and energy. The Triceratops has always been pegged as the arch nemesis for the T-Rex. So I take it to mean the triceratops was spirited if provoked! It sounds like you have put a lot of thought into that before us asking it lol, great answer! If you were to name a Playlist after your life, what would you call it, and what would be 3 songs you would include on that playlist? Title: Lost now Found Lecrae - Tell the World Andy Mineo - Coming In Hot NF - Lost In the Moment Life verse and favorite book of the Bible? Life Verse: 9. Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will Favorite Book: 1 Corinthians Do you have any practical advice you would like to share with aspiring CHH artists? I would say Build Relationships with people in and out of the genre. Make yourself available to people. And don’t be afraid to reach out. Be genuine, be vulnerable. Fantastic advice! We hope you all enjoyed reading this and a huge shout out to BRM for taking the time to answer our questions! Be sure to check out a couple of his songs below and for sure support him when "God's Goon" drops July 19th!!
 There has been a lot of chatter and buzz surrounding Lecrae's latest release "Let the Trap Say Amen" and I think rightly so. I will not pretend to know Lecrae's heart, and I can only take him at his word and so as a result this blog will not be addressing that but rather looking at some of the possible issues with the album and as a result of it, asking the question, has Lecrae compromised? I really only have a couple of concerns with the album, I don't think it is a great album but it is good, I can appreciate what Lecrae has stated as far as his intentions and I think it is a bold move for him to change his style and I think he did it well.
First thing to look at is the paring up with Zaytoven, from the information available on him, it seems as though Zaytoven grew up in the church and that is where he learned to play instruments etc... I couldn't find any thing on a profession of faith but I am not certain on this and so I won't be addressing that but rather looking at who Zaytoven has aligned himself with. Before working with Lecrae, Zaytoven has been making beats for Gucci Mane, Migos, Future, Waka Flocka Flame, and others. This concerns me a bit but it might not concern you and that is okay, but let me share my thoughts on the matter before you check out. It seems to be clear from my perspective that Zaytoven has aligned himself with the world and is making beats for some rappers with some questionable character traits. I know that there is a lot of discussion concerning secular music and whether the Christian should have any part in it. I will say from my perspective, why would I want to enjoy or participate in music that is promoting, sex, drugs, often times the objectification of women and generally doesn't seem to have much in the way of a positive message (this is not always the case for all secular music and think a large level of discernment is needed, personally for me if it is something I find offense, or goes against the values I hold as a Christian then I choose not to listen or watch). With all that being said, is it possible that Zaytoven grows from this and follows Jesus, maybe turns down some of the artists that he has been working for because he can't get behind their message, only time will tell, but I do think it is important to talk about. 2nd, I found the pair with Waka Flocka Flame very questionable for a couple of reasons. My concern is that him doing a song with Flocka becomes an endorsement of Flocka as a rapper. People look up to Lecrae and a move like this comes across as if he is signing off on Flocka and what he stands for. That can be dangerous and has the potential to lead people astray. Lets say that someone is a Lecrae fan and they listen to this album, they then come to this song and see Waka Flocka's name as a feature, so then they begin to check him out. They then begin to listen to Waka and think that it is okay to listen to him because if Lecrae put him on his album then he must be okay to listen to and support. This is problematic for me because Flocka puts out some very questionable music from a lyrical position. A quick search of Flocka's lyrics and you are entrenched in curse words and some very iffy material for a child of God to be engaging in. One of the first images you will see is Waka flipping the camera off. See you and I may be mature enough to handle that but what of our weaker brothers and sisters? Don't we think this move should at least be examined and discussed? We may agree to disagree but it is for sure a conversation worth having (in love and as mature Christians). Here is the crux of the issue for me and I am going to use 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 to demonstrate my point. In that Paul notes something very important. "When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ." 1 Corinthians 9:21 In other words, don't compromise who you are in Jesus to gain the favor of others. I am not saying Lecrae has or has not compromised, this is why we are having this discussion. However it does seem to me that he is making some interesting moves in an attempt to reach the lost. Be in the world not of the world (Romans 12:1-2). We are to engage the world for Jesus, we are to go to great lengths to win the lost to Christ but we are not to sin or unite ourselves to sin in the process. Paul states bad company corrupts good character. Though this is true we are not to hide behind the verse, we are still to engage. Jesus ate with sinners but He Himself was not one, and He never condoned sinful behavior. My issue in this is what it points people towards, Jesus or the world? The argument I see made often is "Lecrae didn't write this album for Christians." Maybe not, but as a Christian Lecrae should be seeking to glorify God in all that he does (1 Corinthians 10:31) and that includes who he aligns himself with. Even though Jesus ate with the sinners, he called them to repentance, he commanded them to change directions and to put the sinful behaviors down and follow Him. Following Jesus means to deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow after Jesus... "If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it." Matthew 10:38 This is no small thing. Jesus never compromised who he was to gain favor, not once, never. This blog is in no way an indictment on Lecrae or his character, rather it is seeking to have a discussion and analyze the things we are seeing and challenge ourselves and our presuppositions. We would love to keep the conversation going, what do you think, has Lecrae compromised? As always, lets keep our comments Christ-centered and loving, our hope is to grow and have mature conversation. So leave a comment and share you thoughts! We look forward to hearing from you!  Brotha Dre has been grinding for a minute, and he has been consistent. You don’t purchase a Brotha Dre album without the expectation that you are about to enjoy some straight fire, quality music that will not only rock your ear drums but will also challenge you in your walk with Jesus. Brotha Dre dropped “Trinity” back in July of 2017 and it has never left my rotation. Brotha Dre wastes no time, right from the beginning you are hit with powerful Christ-centered lyrics, and it becomes very clear that Brotha Dre is seeking to give God all the glory. I love the honesty on this album, it is as though the listener gets a snapshot into Brotha Dre’s life as he shares bits of his testimony and how Jesus has brought him from death to life. Every song on this album is worth the listen. It is worth it not only because they are fantastic songs but also because each song points to Jesus in a way that is unrelenting, understandable, and relatable. The “Trinity” album is hard hitting, Christ glorifying, simply epic!
If you have yet to pick up your copy of Brotha Dre’s “Trinity” album what are you waiting for? You can purchase it on iTunes here: apple.co/2JQTirv. “Trinity” is also available on all major digital outlets. As always, support those artists that are not only grinding but are putting out quality music! Don’t let another day go buy without adding this album to your collection!  This is one of those moments where you are going to want to pay attention. The legend of Xero is getting set to release a new song called 'till the lights go. This song features up-and-coming Christian hip-hop artists Average Joe and one of the most iconic names in Christian hip-hop, the one and only KJ-52.
'Till the lights go is a mixture of EDM and hip hop, and is super high energy. The song has catchy melodies, pertinent and well laid-out versus. Till the lights go is a track that is shorts you brighten even the gloomiest days as we set our sights on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the song is a call to worship, for us to sing our praises acknowledging all God has done for us. 'Till the lights go will be available on all major digital outlets on June 5th.  Reborn is new to the game in some ways, at least when it comes to rapping for Jesus. Korey Roe a.k.a. Reborn has quite the backstory. Korey was in and out of gangs, prison, and turmoil. Korey accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior while in prison and hasn't looked back. Korey has been exactly as his rap alias states, Reborn. "Who's That?" Is one of Korey's debut songs, and is a sign of things to come. Korey's heart to share God's Word with the lost is very clear and evident, he is concerned with one thing, people coming to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In talking with Korey he will be the first to tell you that he is learning and growing as Christian hip hop artists, he has humbly set out to use the gifts and talents God has provided in a creative way that brings glory to Jesus and Him alone.
Be sure to check out Reborn's song "Who's That?" and throw him an encouraging word/comment! You can check the song out here: https://bit.ly/2rKLEaK.+  Every once in a while, an artist drops an album that changes the game. Beacon Light’s latest effort Loud Drive Home is one of those albums. Loud Drive Home is beautifully crafted from beginning to end, there is absolutely no reason to use the skip button. Rather, turn the stereo up, take a drive, jam out, and reflect. The album starts out with provocative thoughts concerning idolatry and redemption as Beacon admits that hip hop became something for him that it shouldn’t have, and how God has redeemed hip hop in his life. Beacon unapologetically proclaims that Jesus is his first love, in turn, that Jesus has a greater place in his life than hip hop. This sets the stage nicely as you see this theme carry though the whole album. Beacon does a great job of taking the listener on a real-life journey which is fitting given the album’s title. One of the way’s I think Loud Drive Home shines is in its features. The features were very well thought out and it’s clear. This album showcases some amazing talent like Steven Malcolm & Canon but also some fantastic up and coming artists like Kevi and Spencer Kane. If you are looking for a couple of songs to test drive I would suggest Stay Up and Sleeping on me ft. Spencer Kane, if you aren’t sold by those two, check out Too Easy ft. Joey Jewish, after that you’re on your own. Loud Drive Home is dynamic, and in my opinion Christ-centered hip hop at its finest.
I want to encourage and challenge you to support those artists that are not only grinding but putting out quality music! You can purchase Loud Drive Home on all major digital outlets for $9.99, here is the link to purchase it on iTunes: apple.co/2jpKzRR, do yourself a favor and don’t sleep on this album. Learn more about Beacon Light at beaconlightmusic.com  We are excited for Average Joe as this album has already begun to impact lives for the Kingdom of God! You can stream "In Process" on Spotify at spoti.fi/2HMnvHx and you can DOWNLOAD the album for FREE at averagejoeministries.org
Be sure to check it out, you wont be sorry, we promise! If you have already listened to it leave a comment we would love to hear your thoughts! God Bless! |