Testimony: A Musician's Story show

Testimony: A Musician's Story

Summary: Testimony: A Musician’s Story is an interview podcast series, where premiere artists in Christian Hip-Hop share their Christian testimony. The interviewer and actress, Gaelika Brown, talks to Christian rappers about their music, and the role God plays in their life.

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Podcasts:

 A House Divided by Divorce Brought Gospel Rapper, Jekasole, to God’s House | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Folks used to clown her music and now she is part of the Rapzilla Freshman class of 2021. In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story, Purto Rican rapper-singer-songwriter Jekasole shares her Christian testimony. Jekasole discusses the hard decision she made to leave relationships and her home church to follow God’s calling on her life. She speaks candidly about losing her dear friend and fellow CHH artist Prof. Biz.. Jeka also talks about praying for people on Instagram Live. Additionally, she breaks down: ”Low Low” feat. Justcallmedt, “N Luv” feat. Scootie Wop, “Separation Anxiety”, and “Time FR” feat. Kham, and Red Tips in the 4-song-breakdown.

 Christian Pop Artist, Mogli the Iceburg, Lost His Mother as Kid and Found God as a Man | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Meth, weed, Jesus, and mortality. In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story ¼ of Indie Tribe, Mogli the Iceburg, shares his Christian testimony. Mogli discusses his dealing with the concept of mortality after his mom passed away when he was 12. We discuss struggling with race and identity as a half Mexican and German growing up in Tennessee. Additionally, Mogli shares his thoughts on Christian rapper Rockstar JT tweeting that he smokes weed.

 Zander, A Modern-Day Prodigal Son Story | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Watching Kanye West make beats motivated him to learn to produce music; his dad being the first Christian in his family broke generational curses and now the prodigal son is receiving his legacy. In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story, presented by Sound Seekers, producer and rapper Zander shares his Christian testimony. My grandmother, Mother Brown, makes a funny appearance and delivers a prayer for Zander. Zander talks about his debut album Legacy and the series of house tours he performed at. Additionally, he breaks down "Hope of Glory", "An Account of Providence", “The Prodigal Tale”, and "Legacy" in the 4-song-breakdown.

 From Foster Care to Adoption Female Rapper, A.I. The Anomaly, Felt Like God's Only Mistake | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

She was 20 yrs old and single when she had her son. She knew she needed God in order to love her son, and through loving her son, she learned how to love herself. In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story, rapper and multi-hyphenated artist, A.I. The Anomaly, shares her Christian testimony. She discusses growing up in the foster care system, her passion for philanthropic work in underserved communities, and being the first woman signed to Bizzle’s God Over Money Records. Additionally, she breaks down “Grown Woman”, “Facts”, “Relentless” feat. Bizzle, and “Freedom’s Palace” feat. Jered Sanders in the 4-song-breakdown.

 Assyrian CHH Rapper, Marc Stevens, Almost Gave Up Music Until God Put a Revival in His Heart | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Assyrian CHH Rapper, Marc Stevens, Almost Gave Up Music Until God Put a Revival in His Heart

 Jered Sanders is Making Christian Hip Hop for the Grown & Sexy | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story I interview God Over Money rapper, Jered Sanders. Sanders was born in St. Petersburg, FL, and raised in the Arlington, VA area where his step-dad was stationed. Sanders had a late introduction to the church. While he was in high school his mom went to a revival and gave her life to the Lord. She felt her family had to make up for the lost time, so they were heavily involved. One would think teenage Jered wouldn’t be into commuting 45 minutes to church for service, Bible study, and choir, but he enjoyed it! Well, what he really enjoyed was the attention he got from the girls from singing in the choir. It was his love for the ladies that led him to a youth retreat in high school. “I had an idea of what I was going for, but at the same time, God had other plans. He was like, ‘I’mma plant these seeds. I know what you think you are here for. But you are also here for this too,’” said Sanders. While at the retreat Jered had his first serious encounter with the Lord. In the midst of running around with his disposable camera trying to take pictures with cute girls and get their numbers, he noticed something. His peers were actually worshiping the Lord and they had seemed to enjoy it! Suddenly he realized that he was in a safe space, and he began to worship. It liberated him, and after that moment he felt the need to get closer to God. “It wasn’t just an emotional moment. It was transformative. I need to know more about this dude,” Jered said. Following high school, Sanders attended Florida A&M University, a time he calls his “wilderness experience”. “College was going to either make me better understand the provision and grace and mercy of God, or I was going to be real close to Satan,” said Sanders. That high reverence Sanders felt for the Lord kind of fizzled out once he left the retreat. Sanders became lukewarm. But God’s presence never left him. College is where he saw the hand of the Lord over his life. He felt the nudge of the spirit warning him to avoid certain situations. “If I pressed into those places I wasn’t supposed to be in, consequences came. But the warning signs were always there,” Sanders shared. Post-college Jered begrudgingly moved back home after not being able to make it on his own. He was set up on a blind date, that didn’t go so well. The two didn’t like each other, and it turns out the woman was already in a relationship. Six months later she asked Jered out for ice cream, and although he was dating other women he agreed to go. What made this woman stand out from the others was her love for the Lord. “Due to her persistence in the Lord, I grew. I wanted to know more about Him, so that I could know more about her,” revealed Sanders. The two are now married with kids and are working on launching a podcast together. “I see God every day I wake up because I have a wife that holds me accountable. I have children that keep me on my toes. You learn a lot about God, more intimately through marriage and parenthood,” said Sanders. In 2010 Jered was still profiting off of that choir singing voice, and was signed to a label and tasked with singing hooks. One day he was asked to sing a hook on a track that had an open verse. Jered decided to not only sing the hook but rap over that open verse. The CEO wasn’t impressed with his skills as a rapper. This motivated Sanders to study the techniques of rapping and to not have a weakness. Two months later he sent the CEO a couple more tracks, and this time dude was impressed. His project Sorry for the Delay was released exclusively on DJ Booth. His name was bubbling in the streets along with Whiz Kalifa, Big Sean, Big Krit, and more. But there was one problem, Sanders’ wife didn’t support the music he was making. So he stopped. After throwing a temper tantrum he refocused and wrote “Real”. “Real” was a testimony piece about the reality of where he was in his faith walk. Sway in the Morning and other high-profile hip-hop outlets spun his record. All Hip Hop put him on an emerging artist list with Nipsey Hussle, Logic, and Dee-1. That’s when Sanders transitioned and became a Christian hip hop artist. Now signed to Bizzle’s God Over Money Records, Sanders says “I just want to bring something distinct to the space that we are in… [CHH] doesn’t allow us to get older. No matter how young I look, I still have a wife and children. What’s wrong with making content for people in that transitional stage with a wife and kids? Regular hip hop allow artists to age”. Sanders is set to release another rap album. He believes it is an incredible work of art, that will be his best project to date. But he is most excited about getting back to his roots, singing. He plans to retire from rap and make R&B music.

 Get to Know Erinn Knight, the Woman Behind the Scene of the Christian Hip Hop Music Business Industry | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story I interview artist manager-party promoter-booking agent-label president, Erinn Knight. Erinn was born on the south side of Atlanta, GA. If you know Erinn, then you know she is an ATL enthusiast! ATL has the highest number of black entrepreneurs per capita in the world, and she grew up seeing a lot of successful black people, so she attributes her ability to dream big to her city. “I come from the dopest city in the world,” said Knight. “ATL is the first place ever I felt fully accepted and loved. Bless my parents but I never felt that in my home life,” she revealed. Knight grew up in a two-parent household, as a pastor’s kid. As a PK she felt as though her identity was restricted. Her identity wasn’t her own, her parents wanted her to present herself oneway, and the church community put their expectations on her, “People put the hopes of their children onto PKs. They want you to influence other kids and you too, are a kid,” Knight said. The older Erninn got the more her mom allowed her to be herself, but she said it was always a struggle. And to this day, she believes her parents don’t totally understand her career, “When you are a visionary you are never going to be able to explain yourself to people,” she concluded. There are several instances in her life where Erinn recommitted to her relationship with Christ. When sharing her Christian testimony she highlights the ages 16, 19, 21, and a time most recently during the pandemic. “It’s impossible to really believe something if you only believe it at face value the first time you hear it. If your doing anything aside from deconstructing it consistently, you might as well be blindly following something that could be misleading,” Knight shared. Furthermore, she believes “To be a black Christian there is no way I can just take it by face value… Christianity has been so influenced by imperialism, colonization, and white supremacy… The first ten iterations of the gospel were through white lenses… It’s about learning where the church started, and what the truth of the Bible says about me.” In the Christian Hip Hop music business industry, the name Erinn Knight brings clout. She is not only The Woman, but she is That Person! This is interesting because she comes from the rock/punk world, and she had to google the acronym CHH. The Vans Warped Tour is where she spent years learning and developing her skill sets. She did a brief stint in film, and then discovered the music of rapper-singer Kaleb Mitchell, by way of singer Xavier Omar’s SoundCloud account. Knight and Kaleb developed a relationship on social media, that led to weekly phone calls with the then 16-year-old and his dad. This is where trust was built. Once Kaleb was 18 years old she became his manager. Kaleb and Erinn shared a couple of full-circle moments with the artist Xavier Omar, FKA SPZRKT. The first song she and Kaleb dropped on her new record label Build Your Own Dreams (which she is the president of), featured Xavier Omar. And the first music festival she organized, the Holy Smoke Festival, Xavier and Kaleb performed at. Prior to managing artists, starting a label, and throwing a festival, Erinn and her team started the booking agency INVT Only. Originally they worked with Kaleb Mitchell, Wande, nobigdyl., and WHATUPRG. Now they work with 12 artists. Knight isn’t quick to work with someone. She prefers to walk with them for a year and make sure all parties involved can provide value, and it has to make sense. “The reason why anyone fails is because of the business infrastructure. Not because they are not talented. I try to help people avoid pitfalls and from signing bad deals. I try to help them find their pathway through without having to give up their masters, or with someone who doesn’t have their best interest [in mind],” said Knight. Knight doesn’t work exclusively with Christian hip hop artists, nor does she work exclusively in music. Erinn manages southside ATL rapper Scotty ATL, and BYOD is the brand manager of his premier gold grill company, Grillz by Scotty. BYOD recently has gotten into merchandise management as well, where they do the manufacturing, fulfilling, design, and customer service of the clients’ merch. How does God’s presence help her navigate the Christian hip hop music business industry? “I definitely see His hand working in me and through me in the music scene. Especially, the amount of influence that He has given me, not only in the Christian scene, but the Atlanta scene, and being able to maneuver worldwide. I’ve seen a lot of favor. Musically, He is helping me to go where ever I need to go and helping me to make sure I stay grounded.”

 Kham Uses His Christian Music Industry Platform to Push for the Betterment of Black People | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Key Points In Interview: 5:53 - Kham shares how he accepted Christ into his life at 9 years old. 7:30 - While he was 16 years old, he watched his peers settle with drugs, weed, and sex. This made him wonder if there was more to life. Mom put the fear of God in him. 9:30 - Kham wants people to know that giving your life to Christ isn’t all rainbows and you and God skipping through daisies. There are ebbs and flows. 10:05 - Kham opens up about being exposed to pornography at 12/13 years old by a friend. As a result, he struggled with lust during high school. During his sophomore year in college, he was delivered from it. 21:00 - He talks about his conservative PWI experience at Liberty University. While in school Kham became more involved with social justice issues. Kham says the university talked about service but when the opportunity to serve another race came up, they made it political. 27:00 - Kham talks about his excitement over “Charged Up” being on All American, and how it was surreal. 31:00 - He talks about his music start. 37:00 - Kham talks about meeting and opening up for Andy Mineo. 38:00 - He shares why he chooses to use his platform in the Christian music industry, to make songs about racial injustice. 42:00 - Kham talks about being a part of the Rapzilla Freshman class of 2021, the first class with a cypher, and a concert. 45:47 - Mother Brown’s prayer. 50:00 - The 4-Song-Break-Down

 Douglas Boyz | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

George Floyd’s mural was destroyed by lightning and some folks on Twitter are calling it an act of God, but these brother’s disagree; two adult men discover that they are brothers and unite through music. In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story, presented by Sound Seekers, producer and rapper Flash Victorious, and rapper Rifca (righteous in faith increase abundantly) share their Christian testimony. This duo, known as The Douglas Boyz, were the first to do a Christian rap line dance, “The Gospel Step”. In this interview the brothers talk about their debut album Bridging the Gap. And, my grandmother, Mother Brown, delivers a lusty prayer for the brothers.

 Adrien Lamont Sold His Soul to Satan, but God Had Big Things Planned for the Rapper | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Satanic rituals, mental health, and being too hard for Christian Hip Hop. In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story, presented by Sound Seekers, Southern California rapper Adrien Lamont shares his Christian testimony. Adrien discusses his drug and alcohol addiction that led to schizophrenic episodes, which eventually caused him to give his soul to the devil. Don’t worry, God snatched it back with an Uber ride and a modern-day John the Baptist. Also Mother Brown delivers a thoughtful and humorous prayer. Additionally, Adrien breaks down "They Can't Top It", Won't He Do It", “Big Things", and “Unique” in the 4-song-breakdown.

 Representing Women In Christian Hip Hop, Porsha Love Wants To Inspire Young Women of God | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story I interview one of Christian Hip Hop’s talented artists from Detroit, Porsha Love, who shares her Christian testimony.  The evidence that God’s presence is apparent in Porsha Love’s life begins with her praying during this interview asking Him to bless this moment.  Porsha tells us how she always loved church, even as a little child.  “I used to beg my momma to take me to church.” At the age of 3 or 4 years old she would freestyle rap with her brother and always had a gift for rap.   Her mother loved music and it influenced her to pursue music. In high school, she developed her love for music and started pursuing secular music.  Porsha Speaks about how she and her friend re-created a song originally written by Dope Boy Cash Out, but made a girl version that went viral. As an adult, she didn't always go to church but one day she experienced a life alternating moment where she really came to know God and started serving him. But she struggled with the feeling that being a woman of God wasn’t serving her. Porsha shares some exclusive details about past events, almost losing her life to car accidents and intoxication. “I knew that the Devil was trying to take me out”, Porsha expressed. She talks explicitly about the ‘gift of singleness’ and she uses her social media to minister to other women of God that life is not always about being married.  Also, she speaks about being in a season in her life practicing celibacy and singleness. Christian Hip Hop as a whole is growing and Porsha Love would attest to the fact that women in this industry are making moves, “selling out shows, growing a large fan base and killing it on stage.” Additionally, Porsha breaks down: “70 Degrees” feat. Miles Minnick and George.Rose, “Daniel Ch 3” feat. Cree and Kelia Coleman, “Up Tuh Speed” feat. George.Rose, and “Don’t Worry Bout It” feat. Wande in the 4-song-breakdown. Key Points In Interview: 14:12 When invited to go to church, she felt the presence of God for the first time, “I just knew God was God, I didn’t know He could meet me in the middle.” 16:10 Porsha talks about how she felt as an adult trying to serve God and the struggle it caused due to the fact she used to rap secularly in the world. 16:59 She receives a prophecy in bible study that if she did not surrender herself to God, then her life would be on the line. 19:35 Since 10/10/2011, Porsha details how God turned her life around, giving her a ministry about purity.  26:46 Porsha shares how she has a big personality but when it comes to relationships she is really shy. 32:18 She reflects on how great it is that God is not allowing her to build on relationships romantically at present because God is still building in her.  38:18 Women in the Christian hip hop space show genuine love and support for each other. 51:42 Talks about when she wasn't selected for Rapzilla’s freshman list, but yet blessed to have so many features and artists wanting to work with her.  

 Gospel Rapper Miles Minnick: God Says To Come As You Are | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

In this episode I interview California Bay Area rapper Miles Minnick as he shares his Christian testimony. Miles talks about being a teen dad, using and selling drugs, and the Biblical roles of marriage is reversed. Additionally, he breaks down "Yee" featuring Wande, "Glo Time", "Show Out" featuring Hulvey, and "W.Y.T" featuring Nobigdyl. in the 4-song-breakdown.

 Rapper RAW - B Gets Vulnerable And Real In This Christian Rap Journey | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Rapper RAW-B shares his Christian testimony. He talks about growing up with addicts as parents, being homeless at 15 years old, and being molested as a teen by a female pastor who took him in off the streets. Additionally, he breaks down "Expectations”, "No Ceiling", "Like Tom”, and "Soda and Vodka" featuring 350 in the 4-song-breakdown.

 Timeless Christian Rap Music Is Scootie Wops’ Claim To Fame | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Timeless Christian Rap Music Is Scootie Wops’ Claim To Fame

 Christian Pop Artist SVRCINA Relies On God’s Timeline Leading To Music Success | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Pop-singer SVRCINA shares her Christian testimony. SVRCINA talks about her feature with rapper Hulvey and Grammy award winning rapper Lecrae on “Reasons”, major sync-licensing placements she has had, and the fall release of her up-coming album Orchards.

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