Christian rapper Rawsrvnt performs at Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade’s 30th birthday brunch

Christian rapper Rawsrvnt and Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade

This past Saturday Houston gospel singer Yolanda Adams and Christian rapper Rawsrvnt were invited to perform at a surprise brunch to celebrate the 30th birthday of Miami Heat basketball star Dwyane Wade. The event kicked off what is said to be a week-long celebration for the former NBA champ and gold Olympian whose actual "born-on" anniversary is Tuesday, January 17.

South Florida native Rawsrvnt, who is known offstage as Eddy Puyol, said the opportunity came about when Wade’s mother, Jolinda, saw him perform at an event for the Tree of Life non-profit organization.

Without knowing she was in the audience, Puyol rapped his song “On Fire” which includes a reference to Dwyane Wade. He said that Ms. Wade, who is a pastor at a Chicago church her son purchased for her, made it a point to meet Puyol afterward and share a word of encouragement.



“She told me she loved the song and thought it should be played in the Miami Heat’s arena as the team’s new anthem,” Puyol said. “She also talked about raising Dwyane to be a man in the physical sense and wanting to continue to pour into his life in the spiritual sense. Months later, I received the invitation to perform at his birthday party.”

Rawsrvnt and Jolinda Wade

Saturday’s intimate affair was attended by a select group of Wade’s family and friends and held at the W South Beach Hotel and Residences. A healthy buffet was served alongside chicken and waffles inspired by Los Angeles’ famous Roscoe’s restaurant.

Rawsrvnt said he opened the party with a performance of his “I Gotta Feeling/Take It All” mashup of the Black Eyed Peas and Hillsong United hits and then turned the stage over to Adams who sang the Marvin Sapp chart-topper “Never Would Have Made It.”

“The party was full of surprises," Puyol said. "Dwyane didn’t even know it was going down. It was real cool to hear some of the childhood stories shared by family members and see his reaction when his 91-year-old grandmother showed up just to love on the boy.”

Rawsrvnt on stage at Dwyane Wade's 30th birthday party

Puyol said he closed his second set with a performance of “On Fire” after Pastor Wade led the audience in a group prayer for the quick healing of Dwyane’s recently injured ankle.

No stranger to the mainstream entertainment scene (Puyol appeared as a bachelor on the reality dating show Donald J. Trump presents The Ultimate Merger and led a pre-race NASCAR chapel event after “On Fire” was selected as the intro theme for driver Michael McDowell), Rawsrvnt said he believes the party invite was a divine call to his specific mission field.

“People just want to enjoy life. But unfortunately they often believe there is no joy in Jesus,” Puyol said. “Hopefully my music and lifestyle can help change that misconception.”

“We simply can't afford to keep the world's greatest message trapped inside the four walls of the church,” Puyol said.

Christian rapper Rawsrvnt rocks NASCAR

Motor Racing Outreach president Billy Mauldin, NASCAR driver Michael McDowell, and Eddy "Rawsrvnt" Puyol
Photo courtesy of Rawsrvnt

When considering the soundtrack for a NASCAR race event, few people would mention Christian rap as the first music genre that comes to mind. But given the passionate, faithful, and youthful fanbases of each, the two growing movements were bound to eventually cross paths. And just recently - they did.

On the weekend of November 20, hip-hop worship artist Eddy “Rawsrvnt” Puyol was invited to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the final race of the Sprint Cup Series where he performed and led chapel, met NASCAR driver Michael McDowell, and even got to sit in the driver’s seat of McDowell’s #66 Toyota Camry (a rare honor that was apparently the talk of the track.)

Rawsrvnt enters Michael McDowell's #66 Toyota Camry
Photo courtesy of Rawsrvnt

It all started earlier this year, when Rawsrvnt was waiting on a flight to Jamaica to film a music video and killing time by reading his Twitter feed on his iPhone. A fan sent him an “at reply retweet” that mentioned McDowell had selected Raw’s song “On Fire” as his theme music for an upcoming race.

“I was both shocked and honored,” Puyol said. “I have to admit I hadn’t followed NASCAR that closely before, but to know that their massive audience would hear my lyrics about being ‘on fire’ for Jesus before Michael hit his gas pedal was very encouraging.”

Puyol and McDowell began to exchange notes of mutual appreciation via Twitter which eventually led to more offline conversations about faith and the fast lane. McDowell said he was an outspoken Christian who had been hipped to the “On Fire” song through Billy Mauldin, the president and CEO, of Motor Racing Outreach (MRO.)

“One evening I was home just looking around in iTunes for something new. I like cutting-edge music, stuff you usually will not hear on Christian radio. I also know when a song or a musician stirs my spirit. As soon as I heard ‘On Fire’ I was hooked,” Mauldin recalled.

“I am a 47 year-old father and still very young at heart so not only does this music appeal to me, but then I can introduce it to my children. I am always finding new stuff for them. I am also quick to share music I like with others. This is where the NASCAR connection comes in.”

Every year at the fall race at the Bristol Motor Speedway the drivers are introduced with a theme song. Fans love it and the drivers get a kick out of picking songs that reflect their personality or persona as racers.

Michael McDowell and Rawsrvnt before the Homestead-Miami race
Photo courtesy of Rawsrvnt

About two weeks before that race, McDowell and Mauldin were flying back from Montreal with the Joe Gibbs Racing teams. Mauldin asked McDowell if he had picked his song for Bristol. He replied that he had not, but needed to.

“I told him I had a song he needed to check out,” Mauldin said. “So I handed him my headphones and started ‘On Fire.’ Immediately a great big grin came across his face and he said ‘That’s it!’ The rest is history.”

Rawsrvnt singing during the Motor Racing Outreach chapel service before the Homestead-Miami race
Photo courtesy of Rawsrvnt

At the Miami event, Rawsrvnt participated in the MRO’s pre-race chapel service where he performed and shared his personal story of redemption through Christ. He sung his popular Black Eyed Peas/Hillsong United “I Gotta Feeling/Take It All” mashup and a remixed version of “On Fire” that included a new reference to the NASCAR community.

Afterwards, he handed out over 1,000 copies of his Grammy-nominated No Ordinary Love album and followed Michael McDowell to the track for the pre-race prayer.

“Michael leaned over to me and said this is one of the few sports where you’ll see and hear them so specifically and boldly mention Jesus’ name,” Puyol said. “I told him I thought it was cool that NASCAR is all about representing the faith, family, and pride in our country.”

Rawsrvnt pointing out Michael McDowell's car
Photo courtesy of Rawsrvnt

Looking back, Rawsrvnt said he feels like this story perfectly illustrates how God’s Kingdom operates.

“It’s really all about being faithful over the small things and allowing Him to orchestrate the meetings, events, and elevations that He wants – not us!

“Who would have imagined that one man’s random search on iTunes would lead to me being able to talk about Jesus through my music to a crowd of over 150,000 race car fans?”

Only those who believe in a God as big as ours.