 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  We’re in the age of self-promotion and self-management with most musicians learning how to handle their own business, from do it yourself learning videos on Youtube to advice guides and gurus adding their knowledge.
The days when many artists were just dreaming of signing that mega deal with a record company seem to be ageing out as most musicians prefer to go the indie way. Kings Dream Entertainment artist Ruslan is someone who has been posting videos on artist awareness, promotion and the teaching of business skills, along with there being other music moguls and aged veterans sharing their top tips too. Personally I think it’s great that independent artists are realizing they can sell records and even make a living from their craft. Look at the likes of Zuby (UK based emcee) managing to sell over 22,000 albums whilst never signing a record deal, on top of that he has managed to find other ways to sell and promote his craft by having one of the first popup shops across the UK with his Blue & Purple store. The awareness for artists to be able to manage themselves is a great thing, especially for new artists coming up, but where does this leave personal managers and record labels, is their assistance no longer needed? Here’s the thing, whilst it’s great for musicians to learn how to do things themselves, it is also great to have management that can be your representation in the business side of music, because as you get more well known in the industry and your work load becomes bigger you’re going to need a hand. You’ll need someone on team who can point you in the right direction, plan your next move, push your promotion into the right lanes. You will want a person or a team which is there for your every need so you can just focus on doing what you love… making music. So if you’re just starting out in the music industry in whichever genre, I would urge you to learn the basics yourself, there’s some good self management do-it-yourself videos online. When you do start growing you may need to find some good management to help pave your way, look for management companies which have a few artists on their books already and offer short contractual time periods so if you don’t partner well with them you’re not locked in and can easily exit! Don’t give up! The indie road can be a tough one but at the same time very rewarding not just because of the amount of knowledge you gain but also because it gives you the freedom to create and showcase your art the way you want it whilst being able to pursue whatever you want. 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!!
 It's a great day!
Way back in 2012, Universal and other major companies were caught in a scandal buying billions of fake streams for their YouTube accounts. It was only discovered when YouTube changed their algorithm to curb the 'black-hat' technique of paying for fake plays. Even after Universal was caught with their hand in the cookie jar, news media, like Clevver, still covered for them with reports claiming that Universal was 'only moving their videos to their VEVO platform', and YouTube was simply doing 'housekeeping'. Well it looks like the needle has been moved a little bit further. Because now it seems that Spotify is following Youtube in the pursuit of Bot-blasting. According to Rolling Stone, Spotify, Amazon, Sony, Warner, Universal and other major players in the music business are joining forces to battle the evil empire of Stream Manipulation. Once they Implement their new changes, people who have been gaming the system by buying likes and plays will no longer be able to benefit from these practices. So while we may witness the further clamping down of Big Business over Spotify, blocking out the little man once again, we may also get to witness a great purge of click-farms, bot-merchants, playlister curators and other kinds of cheaters who game the system with dubious streaming practices. Maybe this is a great day for who simply want to build true relationships with their music will have a fighting chance here. I've watched media companies blow up with ridiculous engagement and numbers, but always walked away scratching my head wondering how they were able to make such an impact with little money and in such a short amount of time. Call me skeptical, but I'm pretty sure a lot of the people that I've seen rocketing into the stratosphere are about to slow their progress significantly once it's exposed that they were buying plays and likes the whole time. They will no longer be able to rely on stream manipulation strategies to make their money, and further raise their profiles. I think it'll be a good thing to see plays and engagement brought back down to a reasonable level. It may even drive the value of music streams upward. I think that it will definitely help build artists' confidence in their abilities once they see that they can make a living by pulling realistic numbers, instead of comparing themselves to their competitors with ridiculously inflated numbers. I'm sure that it sounds like I'm glad to see the world burn, but it's quite the opposite. I want to see the playing field leveled so that fair remains fair. I want to see justice for the artist. ~X  We were blessed to have the opportunity to connect with the lead singer and founder of the up and coming Christian rock band Adelaide, Laura [aka Adelaide]. It has been amazing to watch the band grow over the last couple of years and their latest album "Strong + Brave" is nothing short of incredible! Those of you who have been supporting Tentmaker over the last year or so know, we like to keep the main thing the main thing and so as always... Laura, when did you come to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? For as long as I can remember, I have gone to church. God became very real to me at a young age through some hard seasons of my childhood. I was 6 years old when I gave my life to Christ. Wow, praise God, that's amazing! It is beautiful when a young person comes to know Christ and He starts doing His thing! That's what's up! How long have you been making music & why did you get started? I have been writing lyrics since I was twelve. At 14, I joined my worship team at my church at the time under the leadership of my Aunt. I sang backing vocals and played strings on the piano. Believe it or not, I've always been a very shy person. Hanging out in the background was my comfort zone. My upbringing wasn't ideal and with it came a lot of hardships. Music took me to another place and to me it was an empty gift unless there was a receiver. Feeling completely reliant on God, it only made sense to sing to and for Him and make that the depth of the lyrical content. That is when my music began to mold itself and find it's purpose in my life. Love it! It is our hope and desire that more of us live in what you stated towards the end there; "Feeling completely reliant on God, it only made sense to sing to and for Him and make that the depth of the lyrical content." That is inspirational. What are some of your short term/long term goals? I kind of take life as it comes. In the beginning of all of this, I honestly didn't know what to expect. I had written all of these songs and I had no idea what to do with them. I was fine selling the songs and having someone else sing them. Obviously, God had other plans...including pushing me way out of my comfort zone. So long as I am able to successfully balance my life as a wife, a mother and ministry, I'm succeeding. I do push myself in everything I do but, I'll never stop making music. Nothing wrong with that! Our Father is in the business of stretching us and pushing us out of our comfort zone, praise God for your willingness to be obedient to Him. With what y'all have been creating as of late we are thankful that you have responded to the call! Who are some of your favorite musicians (artist or band), and who have been rocking to lately? Wolves at the Gate, Skillet, Fireflight, Evanescence, The Cranberries, Tenth Avenue North, Citizens and Saints Great list! Y'all just released a new album, can you briefly share a bit about the inspiration behind the album as a whole? It's been amazing to see these songs come together and in a way, compliment each other. Our message to The Church is pretty loud throughout the record. We address unity in Strong + Brave, motives in Masquerade, materialism in Chasing Echoes, forgiveness in Reminiscing, the battle that rages inside of us in Restore Me and the need for a Savior in Pick Up the Pieces. By the end of the album, we hope you have been challenged to see what your heart reflects as a person. Who are you? How are you fitting into the story God is writing for your life? How does God fit into your life? Or are you writing your own? Each one of us are so priceless to our Creator, yet we waste so much precious time on pointless things. We hope it shows a perspective of encouragement to The Church in that we're in this together - each unique with different stories and callings. Fantastic! Music with purpose that takes you on a journey, love that! Personally, we think the message within each song and the album as a whole is clear and powerful. One of our staff (Fisher), is all about the song Deep Waters, he is currently working on an album and has that song on his "album inspiration playlist". He was real excited about us having the opportunity to chat with y'all. What is your favorite board game or video game and why? (we like to have some elements of fun sprinkled in, we want people to get to know artists and see they are real people too). As a band, we like to play Quiplash which is a load of fun. The way the band plays involves a lot of inside jokes - mostly between the guys since they grew up together, and references to The Office. Honestly, most of the games played by the band are in the van and totally made up! Okay, so having never heard of Quiplash, I looked it up, haha, that sounds like it would be a blast with the right group of people! Sounds like y'all have a lot of fun, that is both awesome and I am sure needed while you are out grinding! 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? I'd have to call it, "Strong+Brave" and 3 songs would be Fighting My Battles by For King and Country, Unbreakable by Fireflight and The Resistance by Skillet. Do you have a particular life verse and favorite book of the Bible? Romans 15:13 (you guessed it, Romans is my favorite book). "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." That is a wonderful verse, such a fantastic truth! Do you have any practical advice you would like to share with aspiring Christian artists? It would be to truly question your motives as an artist. What is your true heart's desire? If it is to make a name for yourself, be an artist that is a Christian. If it is to make Christ's name the primary focus and share the gospel, then be a Christian artist. It has been very disheartening to see artists confuse these ambitions because the heart truly reflects backstage. Be a minister wherever you are - to the sound techs, hosts, bands, those serving you lunches or driving you around - we all need to see the love of Christ and enjoy each other's fellowship. Never lose sight of the heart of Christ and servanthood: to love God and love people. Thank you for this, we have been sharing very similar thoughts with people. Our first podcast was centered around the Christian artist verses artist who is a Christian conversation and I think you hit the nail on the head. Huge shout out to Laura from Adelaide for taking the time to answer our questions, such a blessing! We want to thank those of you who took the time to read this and we really want to encourage you to check Adelaide out, you will be thankful you did! Check out Adelaide's new single Strong + Brave off their new album "Strong + Brave" and if you are digging it, be sure to follow the links and give the whole album a go! Thanks again, God bless!  We had the honor of reviewing Relent's new album "Heart Attack" and I am just going to say this out the gate, it may be a bold statement but it is one I am fully confident and comfortable saying. "Heart Attack" is one of the smartest rock/metal albums I have heard in a long time. I will be honest, when I first came across these guys and read their bio, I noticed that they were being compared to Sevendust and P.O.D., in my mind those are some big shoes to fill. I grew up listening to Sevendust, I may be showing my age here but I remember when Sevendust first came on to the scene and their first two albums were monumental in my life at that time. So, naturally, when I see this comparison, I am immediately skeptical, first, because a lot of bands make the comparison and second, most fail to meet the high bar they have set. Relent is different. You may be asking yourself "okay, so what makes this one of the smartest rock/metal albums you have heard in a while?" Well, I'm glad you asked! "Heart Attack" is very, very well written. One of my favorite things to see bands or artists do, is have a theme that runs throughout their album. To me, a cohesive theme demonstrates care and creativity. Sadly, this seems to be a lost art in a day and time where singles seem to rule. "Heart Attack" is clear in its message, the struggle is real but in Christ, we have victory. One of the things I love and appreciate about this album is that it's not all doom and gloom. So many Christian bands just talk about the struggle but aren't bold enough to provide the solution or give the listener any real hope. Again, Relent is different. Another reason "Heart Attack" is smart is simply in its song writing as a whole. As I stated, this album is very, very well written. There are so many great dynamics going on within each song, they are fluid in their approach. If you are looking for some punishing breakdowns that accompany some beautifully written melodies than Relent will for sure scratch that itch. Relent plays a bit with the traditional formulas but does so tastefully and in a way that the average listener can appreciate it and the more avid music fan will see its brilliance. A prime example of this is in the song structure we find in "Addicted". They start with a super sweet guitar lick which leads to a large intro, and after the intro we are dropped off into a pre-verse of bass, drums and some tasteful feedback. Now, here is where they demonstrate some song writing brilliance, they give you a super contagious taste of the verse and then immediately sore into a wonderfully catchy chorus. Then it gets better. When you come back to the verse they immediately build on where they left you by adding a more aggressive vocal line over a fantastic melody that was established in the taste, they gave you in verse one and it just continues to build. This sort of brilliance is all over the album, and is why I can say with complete confidence that this one of the smartest rock/metal albums I have listened to in a long time. One of the other things I enjoyed about this album is that they have a rap element vocally that is threaded throughout. This can be risky in my opinion because sometimes it can come of contrived, cheesy, and out of place. Relent is different. The rap parts are tasteful, they are not overdone and they make sense, and as a guy who makes hip-hop, I can totally appreciate that! Lyrically, these dudes are on point. One of my favorite lyrics comes out of the songs Rise, it's "I don't care what they say, You paid the price for me." I think that this lyric sums up the album as a whole. As I stated earlier "Heart Attack" has a clear theme running throughout and the best part of it is that they are unashamed of the gospel. I can't tell you how many Christian bands I have listened to over the years that don't talk about Jesus. One of the first things I am listening for is the message and does the band or artist share the gospel and the name of Jesus, or, is it watered down, cryptic, or simply non-existent. There are lots of schools of thought concerning approach and many reasons are given for why a band/artist might not be so forth coming about their views but I will be honest, the best approach and view is a view that says "I don't care what they say, You paid the price from me." Lyrically the album is dealing with the "sanctification" (the process by which we are being cleansed, renewed, and being made more like Christ) of a believer, and lyrically stands out in the midst of a Christian music scene that quite frankly, has a lot of noise. Relent is different. So, if you are in the market for a super solid album that will strengthen you in your walk with Jesus while simultaneously bringing joy to your ears than "Heart Attack" is that album. In my opinion, there is not a bad song on it and it flows extremely well. I love the heavy breakdowns and the beautifully contagious melodies that run throughout the whole album. We want to strongly encourage you to snag a copy, dive in and enjoy! If you have something you thought I should have mentioned please feel free to leave a comment. Is there a lyric that really hit you? We would love to hear it! Leave a comment and go support these dudes as they rep Jesus to the world through dope music! As always thanks for taking the time, God bless! 
We first encountered BRM last year and we knew pretty quickly that God was using this cat, and that he had some great things ahead of him. Since then BRM has signed to Rapture Ready Productions and has quickly found himself on many peoples "you have to listen to this" list. BRM is raw, and has no problem sharing his faith in Jesus and the journey God has him on. Recently BRM entered into the Get It Done Records rap contest and he took 1st place (you can listen to his entry below, it's fire!).
You may be asking yourself "why is Tentmaker covering this?", you may not be asking that, but either way, we are covering it because it is important. We believe that we should celebrate the success of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should be encouraging each other and building each other up. The way we see things here at Tentmaker is that we are in this together and we know how hard it can be. We know what it's like to sometimes feel like you are on an island or when things go well it is nice to rejoice with others and know that they are truly on your team. BRM isn't just about BRM, that is clear in the way he handles himself, he supports us just as much as we support him, and in our opinion, that is how it should be. The mission, share the gospel, set the stage so that others will hear the word of God and come to know Him. "So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ." Romans 10:17. We just wanted to give a shout out to the homie BRM and congratulate him on his victory!! Listen to the entry, check him out on YouTube and be sure to hmu via social media!  We are very excited to have had the opportunity to catch up with Elohin and hear a little bit about his journey and how God is moving in his life. At Tentmaker we like to keep the main thing the main thing and so we always lead with this question, could you please share a little bit of your testimony with us? I have been following Jesus for about 12 years now. I grew up in a single parent home raised by my mom, aunt and late grandmother. My home wasn't a Christian home. I was taught to believe that God existed and I was given a kids bible but it really didn't mean anything to me especially as I got older. I had no relationship with Jesus and I honestly didn't want one. As long as I felt I was a good person then everything was all good. Not having a father around didn't help either. It left a very negative impression on me. My mom did her best to raise me the right way but I really struggled with identity and trying to fit in with the people that I hung out with. When I discovered hip hop it gave me an identity and a sense of belonging. I often tell people that hip-hop was a gift and a curse for me. It kept me from going too far with many of my bad choices because I was really focused on the music. On the flip side it hindered me from ever pursuing a relationship with God because hip hop was something that I wasn't willing to give up and walk away from. After a relationship heartbreak and me beginning to reap the many consequences of my bad choices, I began to consider the possibility of getting closer to God. Shortly after that I started working a new job and I was fully introduced to the saving truth of the gospel by one of the supervisors who was a Christian and a rapper as well. We became good friends and I started attending a Pentecostal holiness church with him and eventually asked God to forgive my sins, gave my heart to Christ and was later baptized. Thank you for sharing, that is fantastic, praise God!! You started to share a bit of this in your testimony but can you elaborate more on how long & why you started making music? I've been making music since I was 13 years old. I started writing because I wanted to be creative but more importantly I needed an outlet to express myself and my feelings. The problem is I was not good at it lol. After I wrote my first song I made a promise to myself to never write again because I felt it was so bad lol. I eventually broke that promise and started writing again. I continued to get better and grow as an artist which led me to start pursuing hip hop as a career. Once I became a Christian I stopped rapping for about a year. When I started back my message was different because my heart was different. Now, writing is just second nature and I do it consistently. My music obviously comes from a Christian perspective because of my faith but I write songs and make music for everyone no matter what beliefs they have or don't have. Awesome! What are some of your goals concerning music and life? On the mic I find myself on stages of all kind from performance venues, festivals, churches, prisons, detention centers etc... One of my goals is to continue putting out new music every year or sooner and to ink a national distribution deal to expand my reach and impact. I talk a lot about personal struggles, social issues and faith in my music and I find that those who are in their 20's and 30's and even those in their 40's are my biggest listeners. When people appreciate your gift and are impacted by your songs it really keeps your passion burning especially on those difficult days. Off the mic I want to continue learning and becoming a better father to my two boys and a better husband to my wife. Family is everything and I deeply value them. I also want to raise 100% of my ministry budget and continue to impact the public school youth here in metro Detroit and throughout the entire state of Michigan through a ministry that I'm involved in called Michigan Youth Alive. We bring a positive non religious message to youth in public schools during school hours and we partner with churches in the community of those schools to bring a gospel driven night event at the school after hours. That is great that you are getting into the opportunity to go into schools like that, praise God! We will be praying that God do a mighty work in and through you and those involved!! Who is your favorite musician of all time and who have been rocking to lately? I don't really have a favorite artist/ band of all time. I like a wide variety of artist and groups. I'm the type of guy that will listen to Lauryn Hill, Da T.R.U.T.H., Tasha Cobbs, Aaron Cole, Phill Collins, William Matthews and Michael Jackson all in one day lol. I'm a melting pot when it comes to listening to music. But I will say that lately I've been really feeling 1K Phew, Da T.R.U.T.H. and William Matthews. All three of these artist make great music. There is nothing wrong with listening to a diverse group of artists, there is so much amazing music out there! It's awesome that you can go through your day listening to that many different people, keeps things interesting! Fun question, what is your ideal sandwich? Man why did you have to bring up food. Now you're making me hungry lol. I would say that an ideal sandwich for me would definitely be a 1/2 lbs bacon cheese burger with chopped smoked beef brisket, a few chopped white onions and BBQ sauce on a toasted bun #Facts Umm, yea, as a resident pudgy man that just made my mouth water!! 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? No questions about it I would name the playlist "The Construction Zone" and it would feature my song On My Knees, 1K Phew - Long Way and Andy Mineo - You Can't Stop Me. My life is always under construction by the Holy Spirit so that title would be very fitting for me. Sweet! Love that! Praise God that He sees His work through to completion! Do you have a life verse and/or a favorite book of the Bible? Job 19:25-27 would hands down be my life verses. Through everything that this world can throw my way, though it may be painful, I am reminded that it is only temporary. In the end I know that I will meet God face to face. Every sorrow will be removed and every tear will be wiped away. I stand on that promise and I deeply anticipate that day. Genesis is my favorite book of the bible overall. God's original plan for mankind and God's redemptive plan for mankind is laid out. Many of the questions and issues that we argue about today are answered right there in Genesis. It's an amazing book. It's awesome to hear you say Genesis, it's not often that people mention that as a favorite book but you aren't kidding, it is an amazing book indeed! Can you share with us a synopsis of your latest release and what was the motivation behind putting the mixtape together? It's really funny because "Boom Bap Soul" which is the name of the mixtape, wasn't even originally apart of my marketing plan or budget. I was still promoting my 2nd album "R 2.0 Let's Continue" and I had began writing and recording songs for a 3rd album when Aretha Franklin passed away. Even though her music wasn't apart of my generation, I was still impacted by her legacy as an artist and as a Detroiter. The next day after her passing I went in the studio and recorded a freestyle called "No Way" over a jazzy boom bap beat that sampled some of Aretha's vocals. It turned out super hot so I immediately put it out on Soundcloud for free download. Eventually I made it an officially single releasing it on Spotify, ITunes ect... I don't know, it just really sparked something in me so I recorded another song "On My Knees" which was also well received. By that time the idea for a boom bap mixtape was birthed. The whole concept for "Boom Bap Soul" is to take soulful boom bap beats and bring back lyrics, barz, and unique concepts that is not commonly found in a lot of the more popular trap music and mumble rap. Not throwing shade at anybody because I like trap music and mumble rap too. I just wanted to shake things up and do something different and something raw that still had a commercial appeal. I have never really done a mixtape so I decided to drop one and go against the grain in the process. Even though it's a mixtape, it honestly flows cohesively just like an album. It doesn't have that unfinished sound that mixtapes commonly have. I decided to make two versions of "Boom Bap Soul". A free download version that has 16 songs and a shorter commercial version with 12 songs. It's honestly a great project. The free download version is available on Datpiff.com at http://piff.me/62544fd and the commercial version is available on all digital outlets (http://smarturl.it/boombapsoul). Love it when God changes our direction and something awesome is birthed, pretty rad story! Do you have any practical advice you would like to share with aspiring CHH artists? The best advice that I can give anyone pursuing music is to 1) Be comfortable in the lane that God has you in. Comparing yourself to others will ultimately hurt you and create discontentment in your heart. Learn to be faithful in front of a crowd of 20 people and if it's God's will to give you a crowd of 2,000 people or 20,000 people you will have proven your ability to handle the small things first. 2) Don't be lazy with your gift and your craft. Regardless of your genre you should be writing/ practicing everyday and setting goals for yourself. Last year I set a goal to write 3 songs a month which is almost 40 songs written within a year. Even if I didn't use the songs I still wrote them so I can get better at my craft. There is a difference between a person who likes the idea of doing music and a person who actually wants to do music. You have to discipline yourself if you are truly committed to doing music as a career or as a ministry. You never get better by accident. It's only with consistent practice and constructive criticism that you become better and that's with anything not just music. That is great advice! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions! It was great to get to know you a bit, sounds like God is doing some amazing things! Want to keep up to date on what is happening with Elohin? You can follow him on Social Media! Check out "On My Knees" off of "Boom Bap Soul" on Spotify!
https://spoti.fi/2NAPU6Z |