A discussion about “Talented Xth”, race, & faith

On Monday night I was honored to be a part of an online discussion about rap, race, and faith.

It was hosted by author Seth Tower Hurd and included hip hop artist/urban missionary Kareem Manuel and Ta-Tanisha Jordan, a Chicago-based actress who will be opening up a Children’s Theater Company this fall.

Our talk was sparked by the release of Sho Baraka’s Talented Xth album (which hit #3 on iTunes’ Hip Hop/Rap charts yesterday) and his “Jim Crow” song that uses the “n-word” and “b-word” – something that surprises and shocks people given Sho’s past affiliation with one of  Christian hip hop’s most visible record labels.

Our hour long conversation covers:

• The “Jim Crow” song and its “controversial” language
• Whether or not Christians (particularly rappers) can use the “n-word” and “b-word” in their lyrics
• How music like this can motivate others toward positive action
• How this type of music compares to hip hop pushed in mainstream media
• What happens when marriages between Christians get strained
• Whether or not music by Christians that uses strong language should carry parental warnings or offer “clean” alternative versions

NOTE: It’s challenging to talk about these issues (particularly which terms are okay and which are not) without using the actual language. 

So heads up that the “n-word” and “b-word” are spoken in this video.

 

INTERVIEW: Brinson on “No Other Heroes” and what to think when God doesn’t seem to answer your prayers

I recently caught up with GodChaserz Entertainment CEO/producer/rapper Brinson via e-mail to discuss his new album, what to think when God doesn’t seem to answer your prayers, and which film made the best superhero movie this summer.

Sketch: No Other Heroes marks your third solo album and 22nd release from the GodChaserz record label you founded and own.

After so much time and effort spent in music ministry, I imagine that things can occasionally get boring, frustrating, or just routine. So what motivates you to press on and move forward these days?

Brinson: A couple of things really.

First and foremost, I believe I am called to do GodChaserz. If I didn’t believe God sent me to do this I would have quit a million times.

The second reason is all the testimonies, they really help me stick it out in the hard times. That being said, I quit at least 20 times while making NOH. Then the Lord would have people from all over the country send me emails, texts, tweets about how my music has impacted their kids, youth ministry, or changed the culture of their church, etc. That is one of the biggest things.

Also, I think I have had that “I’m being slept on” mentality for so long that I still work extra hard like I have something to prove. Every album it feels like I (or any of the guys on the label) have to reprove that GodChaserz is a force in Christian Hip Hop.

Other than that, I’m still having fun. I love to be on stage, I love meeting people. And I want to make sure I’m clearing a path for other GodChaserz artists.

Sketch: Your song “Gold” unfolds a pretty interesting story. What inspired it?

Brinson: I was inspired by watching numerous artist on TV. We see the same story all the time. From KC and Jo Jo, to the late, great Whitney Houston – the list goes on and on. They all come up in church, God gives them a gift, then they leave the church and blow up. Drugs and all sorts of crazy things come into play when money is involved. It always leads to emptiness.

Sketch: Your song “Hit the Floor” is a bit of a departure from your typical sound but may be my favorite track on the album. What made you want to spazz out on the song and in the video?

Brinson: On every album I always have some sort of hybrid song (ex. “Green Grass Theory,” “80/20″, “Hello”). This time around it’s “Hit the Floor.” I’m big on pushing the envelope with fusing styles on my albums.

As far as spazzing out, while Juice2020 (co-producer) and I were going over the project, we kept pushing hard for lyrics, harder lyrics. I just had fun with “Hit the Floor” and it came out great. I never thought it would be the first video but God brought it all together; the concept, look, everything. I think everyone is going to enjoy this one.

Sketch: You attempted to fund the production and promotion of this album using the popular crowd-sourcing site Indiegogo.com. With it you set, but did not reach, a goal of $50,000. What made you post such a lofty target figure and what does it say about faith and God’s willingness to financially bless or not bless your work here?

Brinson: Man Sketch…. this is a hard thing to talk about.

I wasn’t going to do it at all. As you know, I’ve been doing this for so long without any big label push behind me. I’ve been relying on favor and faith in God’s provision. Many doors have opened that way, so I was just going to stick to the formula.

But I know the message has to reach more people. So I prayed on it and believed the Lord said “Go.” I still fought with it too. But, I know an obedient and willing heart will always win with the Lord. So I stepped out on faith and went for it.

We didn’t reach our goal, and naturally a man will question if he obeyed God. The “Where did I go wrong?” question came up. Ultimately, I just chalk it up to God having a greater purpose, maybe to just kill my pride of not wanting to ask for help.

I set the target so high because I know what good can be done with that amount of money. I could reach more people – especially orphans and kids in group homes. As far as God’s willingness to bless, I still believe He’ll do it. God is able.

Would I do it again? Probably not. But, if I feel the Lord is saying do it, I’m not dumb enough to tell God “No”. Those things never work out.

Sketch: Since the new album is called No Other Heroes and I know you’re a film fan which made the better movie this summer: The Avengers, The Dark Knight Returns, or the Spiderman reboot? Why?

Brinson: The Dark Knight Returns was the best movie of this year – hands down. It was more than a comic book movie, it had everything: suspense, great acting, a plot twist, drama, great fights, shoot’em up, bang bang… it was a great story all around. I thought the acting was at a high level. They nailed every scene. I had to go back and watch The Dark Knight. So yeah, Dark Knight Returns.

The Avengers was a close second. It was a GREAT comic book action movie. Robert Downey Jr. really did a great job acting. He was very impressive, better than all of his Iron Man movies.(I thought Iron Man 2 was horrible.) The dude who played the Hulk was great. I really like him. I appreciated that Samuel L. Jackson didn’t ruin the movie. He isn’t good in sci-fi movies.

Spiderman was an epic fail. I thought the story told was good, but the dude who replaced Toby Mcguire was thumbs down. But hey, you can’t win ‘em all Hollywood.

That was a great question man. You know I’m a big movie buff. I’ve seen at least 20 movies in the theater this year. SMH I need to repent, LOL.

BONUS QUESTION:

Sketch: What song(s) have you’ve made that you think got overlooked, but you thought it was special?

Brinson: On my first album it would be a song called “I Remember.” I thought it was a great song. We talked about so many things about the 80′s (toys, candy, TV shows etc). It was overshadowed by “Solar Powered” that was a big song.

Then on OMG i would say it would be “Breaking Down.” It was a great storytelling/fantasy song. I think my flow and voice tone was great and the third verse was very good.

No Other Heroes releases today at all major digital download stores including iTunes and Amazon.com.

Fonzworth Bentley's "Cool Outrageous" Faith Spurs New C.O.L.O.U.R.S. EP

The paparazzi snap one photo of you performing the role of a personal assistant to your boss and you’re forever labeled as “P.Diddy’s Umbrella Man.” Or maybe not.

Although that was once the life and celebrity slingshot moment for Fonzworth Bentley, aka Derek Watkins, he has since parlayed that fame into a viable career as an author, reality show host, motivational speaker, fashionista, and hip hop music recording artist.

Over the weekend, Bentley debuted his C.O.L.O.U.R.S. EP. It’s a project that was originally scheduled to drop on Good Friday but ended up surfacing three days later on Easter Sunday. Sound familiar?

Although unplanned, such spiritual analogies are not entirely off-base given Watkins’ Christian faith. In fact, he says he started publicly describing his art as “Kingdom Music” as far back as the 2009 MTV VMA Awards. (However, that bit of news probably got overshadowed by a little Taylor Swift/Kanye West dustup you might have read about.)

And speaking of Kanye – Bentley is a G.O.O.D. Music affiliate. At this year’s SXSW Music Festival in Austin he performed at the headline showcase for Kanye’s record label/artist collective. And the two have a professional relationship that at least dates back to the “Everybody” single and video he dropped in 2008 that featured both ‘Ye and Outkast’s Andre 3000 (who grew up with Watkins in Atlanta, GA.)

Additionally, April 22 was Earth Day. One of C.O.L.O.U.R.S.’ key tracks, released last summer, is a song called “Greener” featuring Anthony Hamilton. Bentley said he’s always been fond of layered meanings within his music and used the “Greener” video to include subtle messages related to the conservatory nature of that title by filming it at a wind farm and powering several cameras on the shoot with energy created by those turbines.

“It’s about going to higher heights and newer horizons,” Bentley said. “That includes a greener and healthier diet and taking better care of the planet because we’re on borrowed time. Those that are Kingdom-minded understand that we’re citizens of heaven and are really just ambassadors here.”

As a Christian in the mainstream music industry, Bentley said he’s taken special notice of the “Religion and Hip Hop Culture” class rapper Bun B co-taught at Rice University this semester. The two have worked together in the past (and on this album) and reconnected in Austin last month.

Watkins said he’s proud that Bun’s former rhyme partner, Pimp C, is featured on the EP’s title track and that the deceased rapper’s verse on that song is profanity free.

“Everybody knows that Pimp had a way with words and could even make cursing sound like sweet perfume,” Bentley said. “But at my request, he kept it clean.”

Bentley said he also convinced all of that song’s collaborators (including Bun B and Lil Wayne) to donate their publishing income from it to the children Pimp C left behind.

Another highlight of the EP is a testimony track titled “Believe It” he recorded with Faith Evans. In the song, Bentley recounts a dramatic healing he received from a possibly cancerous tumor in his abdomen. It’s one he also performed at the DaSouth.com’s Christian rap stage at SXSW.



Bentley said one of the most important things that other Christians can do for someone like him who proclaims his faith in the “secular” hip hop market is to pray for and encourage them.

“I know I have a voice that resonates and I could definitely use their help in gaining ‘angelic assistance’ instead of meeting ‘demonic resistance,’” he said.

Fonzworth Bentley’s C.O.L.O.U.R.S (Cool Outrageous Lovers Of Uniquely Raw Style) EP can be streamed in full at therealmrbentley.com. Select songs from the EP can be downloaded for free and others will be available for purchase via iTunes.