Pastor Phil from Church on the Block is joined by Amy Williams, DJ Ruckus, and Pastor Jay for an engaging discussion about hip-hop artist Big K.R.I.T. They reminisce about Thanksgiving, talk about their favorite holiday foods, and dive into an in-depth interview with Big K.R.I.T. The conversation covers K.R.I.T.'s career, his lyrics, and the impact of music on faith and life. The hosts explore the intricate relationship between hip-hop, the church, and the streets while discussing the challenges and joys of making and appreciating meaningful music. Tune in for insightful reflections on balancing mainstream music with messages of faith.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[00:00:00] Brauchen wir wirklich noch einen Computer? Alle wahrscheinlich nicht. Aber wenn du Musik mit der Power eines Neuralprozessors neu erfindest oder unterwegs Migrationsmuster mit einem ganztägigen Akku analysierst oder deine Idee mit dem KI-gesteuerten Co-Creator zum Leben erwächst, dann kann ein Co-Pilot Plus PC einen Unterschied machen. Nicht alle brauchen einen leistungsstärkeren KI-Computer. Aber wenn du versuchst, die Welt zu verändern, auch wenn es nur deine eigene ist, haben wir einen für dich entwickelt. Microsoft Co-Pilot Plus PC mit Snapdragon. Die bisher schnellsten und intelligentesten Windows-PCs. Die Akkulaufzeit variiert hier nach Nutzung und Einstellungen.
[00:00:33] Das ist Pastor Phil von Church on the Block und du bist in der Technologie und der Intellectual Insider, Pastor Jay.
[00:00:51] Right hier, Church on the Block, 9 a.m. every Sunday morning, Channel 140 CSXM. Hang mit uns.
[00:00:56] Welcome to Church on the Block. We are here again this Sunday, man. I hope that you had a good Thanksgiving. I hope that you're full. I hope you're done now with the turkey sandwiches. Maybe you got turkey soup. You know, trying to find all kind of great things to do with the leftover turkey. Did you have stuffing or did you have dressing? Which one did you have? You know what I mean?
[00:01:18] So we are great for you. Did you have pumpkin or did you have sweet potatoes?
[00:01:22] Right, right, right, right, right. Did you have some greens?
[00:01:25] Did you have spaghetti or spaghetti casserole?
[00:01:29] I don't know about that. I don't know about that spaghetti casserole.
[00:01:31] Did you have mac and cheese at all?
[00:01:34] Man.
[00:01:36] Did you have some mac and cheese?
[00:01:39] But we're back with you, man. And again, hope all things went well.
[00:01:43] I know you've been listening to the show. We're doing these interviews with these great artists.
[00:01:47] And we're back, man. We are back with you with our last interview of one of the great artists who rocked at our block party this past year.
[00:01:57] Big crit.
[00:01:59] A phenomenal artist.
[00:02:01] Yes, DJ Ruckus turned me on to him. He was in the car.
[00:02:04] I was like, man, who is this though, man?
[00:02:06] Because you want good music.
[00:02:08] When I believe as a follower of Jesus Christ, you can discern the truth in any song, in any kind of context, right?
[00:02:18] There are some songs I'm just not going to listen to.
[00:02:20] And what they're saying is not good for my soul and spirit.
[00:02:25] I get that.
[00:02:26] And that's the reality.
[00:02:27] So even in the midst of looking for good music, you're bumping into some stuff that ain't.
[00:02:31] But there are some artists out there that you may not even think and see that they are following Christ because they're not particular on a script that you would say this plus this equals the fact that they love Jesus.
[00:02:45] This brother we're going to talk about in an interview, man.
[00:02:47] I believe in my heart that he loves the Lord the way his character is and conversation and what he's been doing in his own challenges.
[00:02:53] A big crit.
[00:02:54] King remembered in time.
[00:02:56] You know what I'm saying?
[00:02:57] That's one of the questions we should ask.
[00:02:59] Like, break that down for us.
[00:03:00] I know you got the album and everything with that piece, too.
[00:03:02] But, man, we love crit, man.
[00:03:04] So with my great hosts on the show, man, what's going on, y'all?
[00:03:08] What's happening?
[00:03:09] What's happening?
[00:03:10] What's good, family?
[00:03:11] It's your girl, Amy, the Hope Dealer.
[00:03:13] Excited to be here and talk a little bit more about Big Crit because y'all just turned me on to him.
[00:03:20] So I'm a new believer.
[00:03:23] Yeah, yeah.
[00:03:24] Yo, Ruck is here.
[00:03:26] Like, crit here.
[00:03:27] You know, just saying what's up to y'all.
[00:03:29] Yeah, I am a big crit fan, you know?
[00:03:32] And yeah, I rock with him.
[00:03:36] I rock with him.
[00:03:37] So, you know, if you got challenges about why we're talking about him, hit me up.
[00:03:42] And I'll tell you why I listen to his music and why I talk about him.
[00:03:46] Well, let's bounce back and forth with what those challenges already could be in people's minds.
[00:03:52] Go back to Ruck is why and how you first started connecting with crit.
[00:03:58] Like, were you just DJing and heard him?
[00:04:01] Were you listening to him?
[00:04:02] Or what is it that got you into him?
[00:04:04] Yeah, so I don't remember how I...
[00:04:06] So, I know Crit has popped up on, like, Lecrae's stuff and a couple different things.
[00:04:12] He did something with J. Cole.
[00:04:16] And somehow, it may have been one of my homies.
[00:04:19] I got a buddy that looks just like Crit.
[00:04:23] What?
[00:04:23] If I show you his picture, you're going to think that they're brothers.
[00:04:27] And I actually, I almost wanted to ask Crit what part of Mississippi he was from.
[00:04:32] Is his daddy a Rolling Stone?
[00:04:35] Because my boy, when I tell you they can be twins, and he grew up in Mississippi too.
[00:04:44] And so, we've always cracked this joke about him and Crit being related or could be brothers.
[00:04:51] And I think that was how I ended up listening to his music.
[00:04:55] And listening to his music came from me...
[00:04:57] I've shared this with everybody, how music is very important to me.
[00:05:03] It enriches my soul when I hear good music with good lyrics and good production.
[00:05:09] And so, man, I started listening to some of his stuff.
[00:05:12] And I was just like, oh, man.
[00:05:14] Man, I've been asleep on this dude.
[00:05:17] And, man, I just started jamming and rocking out to him and just listening to some of his songs.
[00:05:22] His party music is okay.
[00:05:24] Again, I'm not a big commercial guy when it comes to music.
[00:05:28] But I like the music that's deep.
[00:05:30] And so, he does a great job of doing both.
[00:05:33] Giving you the, hey, come dance to this and shake your butt.
[00:05:37] But he also gives you the challenging, let me give you something to think about, a little bit more mature thinking of my challenges in life that you may be facing.
[00:05:48] And so, that is how I came across him.
[00:05:51] And I've been just jamming out with him and vibing with his music ever since.
[00:05:55] Man, one of the songs I love from Crit, man, is Mixed Message.
[00:05:59] Man.
[00:06:01] Man.
[00:06:01] Man.
[00:06:02] And the song says, you know, he talks about, and I'm going to mess it up.
[00:06:09] He talks about, I'm like, F the police.
[00:06:12] But I call them when they broke into my boy's career, right?
[00:06:16] He's just, all these mixed messages, you know?
[00:06:18] He's like, you know, I want to be this, one of the things he's talking about, I want to be a revolutionary, you know?
[00:06:29] But I'm scared, right?
[00:06:33] All these things.
[00:06:34] And he just talks about this paradox that he lives in back and forth, right?
[00:06:40] You know?
[00:06:42] And he's just unpacking oftentimes, you know, what life is like, mixed messages, mixed messages, man.
[00:06:51] Uh-huh.
[00:06:51] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:06:52] He brings it up.
[00:06:54] And then another one, man.
[00:06:56] Can we play that one?
[00:06:57] Can we play that one?
[00:06:58] We're trying to, we know, we'll try to bring it up.
[00:07:01] We'll see.
[00:07:01] I'm looking up the lyrics to help Phil out.
[00:07:04] Help Phil out with the lyrics.
[00:07:06] He said, I want to be saved, but it's F the police.
[00:07:10] Right.
[00:07:11] Don't want to be here, but I'm too scared to leave.
[00:07:15] Right.
[00:07:15] Man.
[00:07:16] Yeah, he breaks it.
[00:07:17] Yeah.
[00:07:18] What else did he say on there?
[00:07:19] What else did he say?
[00:07:19] He said, I want to be my girl, but I want to cheat.
[00:07:26] What does he say?
[00:07:29] Well, the revolutionary one, he says, revolutionary, although I'm free, I got me a lover, but I
[00:07:35] still want to cheat.
[00:07:36] You want to cheat, right?
[00:07:38] That's not me.
[00:07:39] That's not me at all.
[00:07:39] I'm good.
[00:07:41] He's like, I love her and I hate her at the same time.
[00:07:43] I'm whack and I'm dope in the same line.
[00:07:45] I'm dope, but I'm glossed in the same shot.
[00:07:50] I'm confusing on a sunny day.
[00:07:52] That's not that funny.
[00:07:54] I'm confusing on a sunny day, man.
[00:07:57] This is the one I like.
[00:07:59] I got to find it.
[00:08:00] I got to find it.
[00:08:03] You know, I want to be rich, but I'm giving back.
[00:08:07] Yeah.
[00:08:09] I want to be rich, but I'm giving back.
[00:08:12] Yeah.
[00:08:13] Man.
[00:08:13] I'm screaming peace over beats, but I grab a strap.
[00:08:16] Right.
[00:08:16] Yep.
[00:08:17] Yep.
[00:08:18] You're talking about AK make a brother shake down.
[00:08:22] You're talking about, you know, we got a gun for some protection.
[00:08:27] That's fun.
[00:08:28] So, so like when you hear lyrics like that, they just didn't come because he had to make
[00:08:34] another song real quick because his last song was like last week and they got to hurry up
[00:08:39] and get some on, on YouTube.
[00:08:41] And you got to, you know, it's taking time in the kitchen to bake something and to cook
[00:08:45] something just papers.
[00:08:47] He had to ball up and throw away, you know, see, to me, hip hop has got to take me somewhere.
[00:08:53] Right.
[00:08:54] Got to take me somewhere.
[00:08:55] And so when it's, when it's good, good music that way, man, he, he's going to bring, uh,
[00:09:00] bring it out of you.
[00:09:01] Like other, other, other jam, the layup, layup.
[00:09:04] This is from other older albums, but he just talks about, you know, you've been doing this
[00:09:09] for so long, man.
[00:09:09] You just need a layup right now.
[00:09:11] You just need a layup.
[00:09:12] Man.
[00:09:13] I'm going to give you one more, one more line from this song.
[00:09:16] He said, God on my line after all, but I ain't pick up what he called.
[00:09:21] Matter of fact, I ain't pick up at all because my bills paid now.
[00:09:25] Now set my grace.
[00:09:26] Now my life still don't still long.
[00:09:29] So why would I pray now?
[00:09:31] Yeah.
[00:09:32] Right.
[00:09:41] That's right.
[00:09:43] Come on.
[00:09:43] We've all felt that.
[00:09:45] We've all been there.
[00:09:47] Yeah.
[00:09:48] Yeah.
[00:09:49] Yeah.
[00:09:49] That's what made me start listening to crit.
[00:09:54] Cause on that album, man, he got like two, it was two cities, right?
[00:09:58] It was double side.
[00:09:59] It was a double sided album.
[00:10:01] Yeah.
[00:10:02] Yeah.
[00:10:02] Through two.
[00:10:03] I don't think we say double sided.
[00:10:04] It was just, it was just two albums in one.
[00:10:07] Cause it ain't like it's a CD.
[00:10:09] It's just, it's just, you go on Apple music.
[00:10:11] You either pay for it or you, you play it.
[00:10:14] Right.
[00:10:16] Right.
[00:10:16] It was two, two, uh, two city double, double, double.
[00:10:20] Yes.
[00:10:22] And he was, we had a whole party side.
[00:10:24] Right.
[00:10:25] Right.
[00:10:25] Yeah.
[00:10:25] Um, and we went to go see him in concert.
[00:10:28] Yeah, we have, we have, I think then we see him twice.
[00:10:32] I'm not sure.
[00:10:33] I know.
[00:10:34] I couldn't see him the second time.
[00:10:36] Okay.
[00:10:36] I couldn't see him.
[00:10:37] That's right.
[00:10:37] So I saw him twice.
[00:10:39] Right.
[00:10:39] And I think the first time that's when I got put on the Rhapsody.
[00:10:42] He had Rhapsody up there with him.
[00:10:44] He had Rhapsody.
[00:10:45] And then he had, he had Shaha.
[00:10:47] Shaha.
[00:10:48] Yeah.
[00:10:48] Shaha.
[00:10:49] Shaha the Prince.
[00:10:50] Yeah.
[00:10:51] Yeah.
[00:10:52] You know?
[00:10:53] Um, and see, to me,
[00:10:55] when we hear good music like that and good artists like that,
[00:10:58] it's like, uh, wow.
[00:11:01] I feel like something missing as a believer in these other artists that
[00:11:05] ain't saying this, saying it is, as, as reflective in that context,
[00:11:09] you know?
[00:11:09] Yeah.
[00:11:10] Why do you think that is?
[00:11:13] I think, I think folks got to feel they gotta, they gotta stay safe.
[00:11:17] You know?
[00:11:18] Yeah.
[00:11:18] Um, you know,
[00:11:20] why do they have to stay safe?
[00:11:22] One, because they're not going to get called to this festival.
[00:11:25] And get paid.
[00:11:26] You know what I'm saying?
[00:11:27] They're not going to call to this church.
[00:11:29] They're going to be dogged out by the church.
[00:11:30] Are you really rapping about the Lord?
[00:11:32] You know,
[00:11:33] you use the N word in your song.
[00:11:35] You,
[00:11:35] you really have the Lord.
[00:11:36] You,
[00:11:36] you didn't use enough scripture.
[00:11:38] Right.
[00:11:39] And so,
[00:11:40] you know,
[00:11:40] you got cats like the cray who's been through that.
[00:11:43] And,
[00:11:43] um,
[00:11:44] and then other artists as well.
[00:11:46] Um,
[00:11:46] and then there's a bunch of artists that got shot down way before they
[00:11:49] was even,
[00:11:49] even that large,
[00:11:51] but they really was saying some deep stuff.
[00:11:53] Right.
[00:11:54] Right.
[00:11:54] Um,
[00:11:56] and so I think that there's room at the table for believers of all kinds.
[00:12:02] Right.
[00:12:02] And,
[00:12:03] having artists at the same way who love the Lord,
[00:12:06] um,
[00:12:07] in,
[00:12:07] in the same context,
[00:12:08] you know,
[00:12:09] there's a,
[00:12:09] there's a difference between like,
[00:12:11] like Christian lyrics and,
[00:12:13] and Christian beats and things like that.
[00:12:16] But yet there is true.
[00:12:18] Like Christ used parables all the time,
[00:12:21] all the time to wake you up to like,
[00:12:23] what was that seeds?
[00:12:25] Man,
[00:12:25] am I,
[00:12:26] am I on hard soil?
[00:12:27] Am I thorny soil?
[00:12:29] I got to think about this.
[00:12:30] My do be snapping a lot.
[00:12:32] So now you're,
[00:12:33] you're,
[00:12:34] he's using that story to,
[00:12:36] to awaken you like,
[00:12:37] like,
[00:12:37] like that.
[00:12:38] So I think artists who,
[00:12:39] cause he says a verse in one of his songs,
[00:12:42] he said,
[00:12:42] I speak in code to my worthy friends.
[00:12:45] Right.
[00:12:45] And when he's saying that,
[00:12:47] he's saying some Christian values in his rhyme.
[00:12:49] He said,
[00:12:49] world,
[00:12:49] worldly friends,
[00:12:51] didn't he?
[00:12:52] I thought he said worthy.
[00:12:54] I'm about to Google it right now.
[00:12:56] I got the lyrics right here.
[00:12:58] I'm speaking code to my worthy friend.
[00:13:00] But if he's saying speaking code to my worldly friend,
[00:13:03] I'm,
[00:13:03] I was taking that like,
[00:13:05] okay,
[00:13:05] you're speaking the truth and it's in the gospel.
[00:13:08] Um,
[00:13:08] in a way that we get it,
[00:13:10] we understand it.
[00:13:11] Right.
[00:13:11] There's,
[00:13:11] there's some things,
[00:13:12] there's some things you can say that you don't always have to say.
[00:13:15] That's in Luke chapter two,
[00:13:17] verse 52.
[00:13:18] You can just say,
[00:13:19] man,
[00:13:19] we need to grow in wisdom,
[00:13:21] man.
[00:13:22] We need to grow in strength.
[00:13:23] We need to grow in mentally,
[00:13:25] emotionally,
[00:13:26] and spiritually.
[00:13:27] That's Luke two 52,
[00:13:28] but you just broke,
[00:13:30] you just broke it down in a different way.
[00:13:31] Yeah.
[00:13:32] I agree,
[00:13:32] Joe.
[00:13:33] I agree.
[00:13:34] And,
[00:13:34] and,
[00:13:34] and in this society now,
[00:13:35] man,
[00:13:36] especially so many people in one of the shows,
[00:13:38] we're going to talk about,
[00:13:39] you know,
[00:13:39] why young,
[00:13:39] so many young people leaving the church,
[00:13:41] but,
[00:13:41] but in this society now,
[00:13:43] man,
[00:13:43] folks have just abandoned,
[00:13:45] uh,
[00:13:46] the,
[00:13:47] the relevancy of God,
[00:13:48] the relevancy of church because of,
[00:13:50] of folks,
[00:13:51] um,
[00:13:52] and how they've,
[00:13:53] how they,
[00:13:53] you know,
[00:13:54] felt uncomfortable.
[00:13:55] If I,
[00:13:55] if I really meet you right where you are,
[00:13:57] whatever the case may be.
[00:13:58] And,
[00:13:59] um,
[00:14:00] you know,
[00:14:00] music is that,
[00:14:01] is that space.
[00:14:02] One of my,
[00:14:02] our students from our dance troupe,
[00:14:05] they dance to energy,
[00:14:07] uh,
[00:14:07] at the,
[00:14:07] at the,
[00:14:08] uh,
[00:14:08] yeah,
[00:14:09] at the,
[00:14:09] uh,
[00:14:09] it was cool.
[00:14:11] It was so beautiful to see our kids shine in that space and get so much love from the crowd.
[00:14:16] It was like,
[00:14:16] Oh,
[00:14:16] I was in tears.
[00:14:17] I was like,
[00:14:18] that's what we're talking about.
[00:14:19] Well,
[00:14:19] young people can be seen in a different space.
[00:14:22] You know,
[00:14:22] he says,
[00:14:22] I need your energy.
[00:14:23] He said,
[00:14:24] this world is killing me.
[00:14:26] Light it up,
[00:14:26] light it up,
[00:14:27] light it up.
[00:14:27] See,
[00:14:27] to me,
[00:14:28] he's talking to believers,
[00:14:29] like light it up.
[00:14:31] We just talked last week,
[00:14:32] you know,
[00:14:33] a soul development about lighting up the darkness,
[00:14:36] right?
[00:14:36] He's to me,
[00:14:37] he's,
[00:14:37] he's speaking that truth in that country cleverly,
[00:14:39] right?
[00:14:40] Uh,
[00:14:40] if you feel me,
[00:14:41] light it up,
[00:14:42] light it up,
[00:14:42] light it up,
[00:14:43] right?
[00:14:43] If you feel me,
[00:14:44] light it up.
[00:14:44] You know,
[00:14:45] I need your energy.
[00:14:46] Yeah.
[00:14:47] Big breath.
[00:14:47] Yeah.
[00:14:48] Tasteful.
[00:14:48] He's going,
[00:14:49] he's going,
[00:14:51] fly like a salsa,
[00:14:53] live in the moment.
[00:14:57] Oh man.
[00:14:58] One of his other,
[00:14:59] one of his other songs is,
[00:15:00] is about,
[00:15:01] um,
[00:15:03] about,
[00:15:03] like I'm a being a Martian.
[00:15:05] I feel like I'm out of place.
[00:15:06] Like I'm a Marsha.
[00:15:07] Like he's,
[00:15:07] he's like,
[00:15:08] you know,
[00:15:08] he's like,
[00:15:08] he's like,
[00:15:09] Oh,
[00:15:10] um,
[00:15:10] I'm gonna jump in my spaceship and I'm gonna get up on out of here.
[00:15:13] Like,
[00:15:13] you know,
[00:15:14] you feel like you're the odd person out in some different spaces like that,
[00:15:17] man.
[00:15:17] So I love that song and that context,
[00:15:19] man.
[00:15:20] He's just creative.
[00:15:22] And,
[00:15:23] um,
[00:15:23] you know,
[00:15:24] he's got some,
[00:15:24] some,
[00:15:25] um,
[00:15:26] great fan base and some other things he's moving,
[00:15:28] moving to do,
[00:15:29] you know?
[00:15:29] Um,
[00:15:31] um,
[00:15:31] and as we talk on this interview,
[00:15:34] you're going to hear a little bit about our conversation about,
[00:15:37] you know,
[00:15:38] uh,
[00:15:38] hip hop,
[00:15:39] the church in the streets.
[00:15:40] And we're kind of asking different questions of each of those kind of,
[00:15:42] kind of components.
[00:15:43] Um,
[00:15:44] he's going to say some,
[00:15:45] uh,
[00:15:46] some interesting things.
[00:15:46] We're going to come back in a second and talk a little bit about,
[00:15:50] about that,
[00:15:50] uh,
[00:15:50] interview.
[00:15:51] And,
[00:15:51] um,
[00:15:52] want you to check out some stuff about,
[00:15:54] uh,
[00:15:54] big crit and don't be shook as a believer.
[00:15:57] You're still going to be a believer.
[00:15:58] If you listen to the song,
[00:15:59] it's not like,
[00:15:59] Oh my God,
[00:16:00] Jesus is gone,
[00:16:01] but you,
[00:16:02] you'll find some stuff in there.
[00:16:03] You'd be like,
[00:16:04] yo,
[00:16:04] that's,
[00:16:04] that's something to ponder and think about.
[00:16:06] Even in my own faith church on the block,
[00:16:08] man,
[00:16:08] real talk about hip hop,
[00:16:09] the church and streets.
[00:16:10] Stay right there with us.
[00:16:11] We'll be right back.
[00:16:25] Yo,
[00:16:26] welcome to church on the block,
[00:16:27] man.
[00:16:27] We are here.
[00:16:28] Pastor J,
[00:16:30] DJ,
[00:16:30] uh,
[00:16:31] ruckus,
[00:16:31] uh,
[00:16:32] rock boy.
[00:16:32] Uh,
[00:16:33] he's been with us back and forth,
[00:16:34] holding it down.
[00:16:35] Um,
[00:16:36] uh,
[00:16:36] DJ rock on,
[00:16:37] uh,
[00:16:37] Amy.
[00:16:38] And,
[00:16:38] and we want to have a conversation with you,
[00:16:40] uh,
[00:16:41] crit,
[00:16:41] man.
[00:16:41] We love you.
[00:16:42] We love your heart.
[00:16:43] Cause you a real dadgum MC.
[00:16:45] I will say some other words,
[00:16:46] but it's a real,
[00:16:47] you know,
[00:16:51] in this,
[00:16:52] in this era now,
[00:16:53] man,
[00:16:53] of hip hop,
[00:16:54] as long as you've been in it,
[00:16:55] man,
[00:16:55] what are you seeing are some,
[00:16:57] you know,
[00:16:58] challenges and some good thing.
[00:17:00] I mean,
[00:17:00] we,
[00:17:00] we searching for good music,
[00:17:01] you know what I'm saying?
[00:17:02] Being able to have some real good hip hop,
[00:17:04] man,
[00:17:05] to,
[00:17:05] to bring us through,
[00:17:06] to lift us up and encourage us.
[00:17:07] It's going to sound crazy,
[00:17:07] man.
[00:17:08] I feel bad for the consumer.
[00:17:09] Hmm.
[00:17:10] Hmm.
[00:17:10] Primarily because it's like,
[00:17:12] even,
[00:17:13] even when I first started making music,
[00:17:14] it was my job to make my music sound as much mainstream as I possibly could.
[00:17:20] Hmm.
[00:17:20] Sonically get the bass guitars,
[00:17:22] get the,
[00:17:22] the guitars,
[00:17:23] get the live horns.
[00:17:24] Right.
[00:17:25] And at this point in my career,
[00:17:26] if like,
[00:17:26] if I,
[00:17:26] if I'm like,
[00:17:27] Oh,
[00:17:27] I'm going to have strings and I'm going to have an orchestra.
[00:17:29] Yeah.
[00:17:29] And I'm going to pay for that.
[00:17:30] And unfortunately,
[00:17:31] I feel like some artists,
[00:17:33] they,
[00:17:34] yeah,
[00:17:34] the money's there,
[00:17:35] but the quality of the music is dying out.
[00:17:37] Hmm.
[00:17:37] It is between mixing when they decide to record the record,
[00:17:41] where they record the record at.
[00:17:42] Okay.
[00:17:42] Yeah.
[00:17:42] And I think the quality diluted the idea of even being as creative or making it
[00:17:48] where everyone can't make the music.
[00:17:49] Hmm.
[00:17:50] So now when you think about AI,
[00:17:52] you think about people making beats on their phones or recording in their
[00:17:56] bathroom,
[00:17:57] just on AI,
[00:17:58] on the iPhone is because the quality of music got so bad that anybody could
[00:18:03] record anywhere.
[00:18:04] Wow.
[00:18:05] And when I started,
[00:18:06] man,
[00:18:06] it took a lot of money to get in the studio and record.
[00:18:09] And then you got in there.
[00:18:10] That's right.
[00:18:11] You,
[00:18:11] you couldn't play around.
[00:18:12] Right.
[00:18:12] You got to make it happen.
[00:18:13] And so,
[00:18:14] um,
[00:18:14] I remember a lot of my partners had eight track recorders.
[00:18:17] That's eight takes you,
[00:18:18] well,
[00:18:18] there's eight tracks you got four tracks is for the hook.
[00:18:21] Then you're doing,
[00:18:22] you literally,
[00:18:22] then you got two tracks for the version and two tracks for ad libs.
[00:18:25] And if you mess up,
[00:18:27] we got to run it back,
[00:18:28] man.
[00:18:29] A that's tape.
[00:18:30] And so I think that,
[00:18:32] that's when I first started a dance,
[00:18:34] you know what I'm saying?
[00:18:34] So it's,
[00:18:35] it's a lot of that quality that I miss.
[00:18:37] And I think a lot of artists forgot about because it's so easy to record,
[00:18:41] but I just wish they would spend more money on quality of music instead of more money on materialistic.
[00:18:47] Yeah.
[00:18:48] Yeah.
[00:18:48] Yeah.
[00:18:49] That's dope,
[00:18:49] man.
[00:18:49] I'm glad you're here.
[00:18:50] He's the MC right here.
[00:18:51] I am.
[00:18:52] I am.
[00:18:52] And so I just appreciate hearing somebody who understands what it takes to make quality music as well as,
[00:18:58] but I want to talk about it.
[00:18:59] We're talking about the Sonics and talking about,
[00:19:01] um,
[00:19:02] you know,
[00:19:02] the consumer,
[00:19:03] you feel sorry for them,
[00:19:04] but as a MC,
[00:19:06] uh,
[00:19:06] a writer.
[00:19:07] Okay.
[00:19:07] Right.
[00:19:07] And this,
[00:19:08] and this day and age where the pen,
[00:19:11] I would say has not been as prolific.
[00:19:14] Okay.
[00:19:15] Nor has it been as important.
[00:19:16] You mean people are rapping on chat GPT?
[00:19:19] People on chat GPT,
[00:19:20] they put their bars on chat GPT.
[00:19:21] I just mean that they're not taking as much time with the pen as,
[00:19:24] as the artists that I remember consuming.
[00:19:26] What would you say to a young up and coming artists?
[00:19:30] Um,
[00:19:30] those who may listen to this show,
[00:19:31] those who may,
[00:19:32] uh,
[00:19:33] aspire to be where you are,
[00:19:34] um,
[00:19:35] about lyrics and importance of what you write about,
[00:19:39] how you display it and what it is you say to people when you have the opportunity.
[00:19:42] I feel like artists,
[00:19:44] like especially rappers,
[00:19:45] write your words down.
[00:19:47] Cause that gives you time.
[00:19:48] Even if you want to type it out,
[00:19:49] write it down.
[00:19:49] It gives you time to really analyze what you're saying,
[00:19:51] get to the bottom of what you're saying.
[00:19:53] And it makes it cohesive with the hook.
[00:19:55] I think a lot of people went,
[00:19:56] to the singer perspective,
[00:19:58] which is finding the melody,
[00:20:00] humming the melody and put the words in later,
[00:20:02] which is totally fine because four bars for a singer is not four,
[00:20:06] four bars for a rapper.
[00:20:08] Right.
[00:20:09] And so what's happening is a lot of rappers are doing what singers did.
[00:20:13] And it's not cohesive because you got 12 bars is multiple similes,
[00:20:19] cadence,
[00:20:19] carry and it's not making any sense versus if it's a singer,
[00:20:23] they have time to make it flow and make it make sense to go.
[00:20:27] That's dope,
[00:20:27] man.
[00:20:28] That's dope.
[00:20:28] That's needed.
[00:20:29] I mean,
[00:20:29] I need to be blasted all over the world.
[00:20:30] Almost like,
[00:20:31] you know,
[00:20:31] like,
[00:20:31] like I'm a pastor.
[00:20:32] So certain,
[00:20:33] certain churches,
[00:20:34] you can't get this until you get through this.
[00:20:36] It's almost like,
[00:20:37] you can't get this until you get to that.
[00:20:39] And it got to,
[00:20:39] they all got to make sense.
[00:20:40] Like you got to tie in,
[00:20:41] you know what I'm saying?
[00:20:56] Oh man,
[00:20:57] young,
[00:20:57] young.
[00:20:58] Man.
[00:20:59] So you said you were doing some stuff,
[00:21:01] man,
[00:21:01] and,
[00:21:01] and,
[00:21:01] and moving in ways to impact the neighborhood,
[00:21:04] impact the community,
[00:21:05] man.
[00:21:05] Send me,
[00:21:05] tell us a little bit more about what that's like.
[00:21:06] Well,
[00:21:06] a lot of his research right now.
[00:21:08] Okay.
[00:21:08] Cause,
[00:21:09] I literally have been in a position where making songs wasn't enough.
[00:21:14] A lot of it is like,
[00:21:15] okay,
[00:21:15] now I'm at that age where moving around,
[00:21:17] seeing what people are doing in their communities.
[00:21:19] Yeah.
[00:21:19] And they've been doing it for a while.
[00:21:20] Right.
[00:21:21] Um,
[00:21:21] it's teaching me what to do when I go back home,
[00:21:23] you know,
[00:21:24] because sometimes the instrumental is,
[00:21:26] is beautiful.
[00:21:27] The rapping is,
[00:21:28] is great,
[00:21:28] but the beat can be so intoxicating that the,
[00:21:31] the,
[00:21:32] the vision and the,
[00:21:33] and the message gets lost.
[00:21:35] So now it's about talking to people,
[00:21:36] getting in front of people,
[00:21:37] and expressing myself without the music.
[00:21:40] You know what I'm saying?
[00:21:40] Yeah.
[00:21:41] And so what I learned from being here,
[00:21:43] what I've learned other community ventures,
[00:21:45] I can take back home and start trying to teach people the same thing.
[00:21:48] Yeah.
[00:21:48] But a lot of it is building my community as much as possible.
[00:21:51] Yeah.
[00:21:52] Um,
[00:21:52] and talking to the youth cause they need talking to without 808.
[00:21:55] Yeah.
[00:21:56] Not talking at,
[00:21:57] talking with.
[00:21:58] Yeah.
[00:21:58] Yeah.
[00:21:58] Exactly.
[00:21:59] Exactly.
[00:21:59] So let me ask you this.
[00:22:00] And then Jay,
[00:22:00] you can help me anytime.
[00:22:02] Like,
[00:22:03] our church called,
[00:22:04] I mean,
[00:22:04] our show is called,
[00:22:04] you know,
[00:22:05] a real talk about hip hop,
[00:22:06] the church and the street.
[00:22:07] So let's,
[00:22:08] give me your thoughts on real talk about the streets.
[00:22:11] Like from an artist perspective,
[00:22:13] you know,
[00:22:13] we talked about,
[00:22:14] we were talking to an artist earlier today,
[00:22:16] ruckus was,
[00:22:17] and we were just talking about like,
[00:22:18] even music is not,
[00:22:19] I mean,
[00:22:20] how it communicates to the street and everything like that.
[00:22:22] So you have a lot of relationship to the street,
[00:22:25] but you bring out a whole nother swag to it,
[00:22:27] man.
[00:22:27] You,
[00:22:27] you,
[00:22:27] you make it,
[00:22:28] it's grown folks hip hop.
[00:22:30] You know what I mean?
[00:22:31] Thank you.
[00:22:31] Thank you.
[00:22:32] Thank you.
[00:22:32] But,
[00:22:32] but,
[00:22:32] but,
[00:22:33] but real though,
[00:22:34] in that midst of that.
[00:22:35] So what would you say about that?
[00:22:36] And your music to the streets in that way?
[00:22:38] A lot of it for me is just,
[00:22:40] um,
[00:22:41] we get older and which is the point.
[00:22:43] I would tell a lot of the youth getting older is a great thing.
[00:22:46] It's an amazing thing.
[00:22:48] When I was young and I was listening to a lot of artists that I grew up
[00:22:51] listening to,
[00:22:51] the idea of being 21 wasn't a concept for me.
[00:22:54] It was like,
[00:22:55] Oh,
[00:22:55] okay.
[00:22:55] I'm gonna die for on 21.
[00:22:57] I got to 21.
[00:22:58] Then I'm seeing artists that I looked up to.
[00:23:00] They didn't make it past 25.
[00:23:01] I got to 25.
[00:23:03] Wow.
[00:23:03] Then people 20,
[00:23:04] I got to 27 and I got to 30 and I was like,
[00:23:07] Oh wow.
[00:23:09] I've made it.
[00:23:10] I'm grown.
[00:23:11] Right.
[00:23:11] And I got to get my life together.
[00:23:13] Wow.
[00:23:13] And I challenged a lot of these young men get to 30.
[00:23:15] Yeah.
[00:23:16] See what life is like because the music industry has made it in a way where
[00:23:20] they think that the artists that they're listening to is living the same
[00:23:22] lifestyle they're living.
[00:23:23] And it's not the same.
[00:23:25] Right.
[00:23:26] It's not.
[00:23:28] But this is literally the total opposite.
[00:23:31] It's very much time schedule management security.
[00:23:36] Right.
[00:23:36] It's very much protected.
[00:23:38] Yeah.
[00:23:38] These young kids are not in the same vein.
[00:23:40] Yeah.
[00:23:40] And when I was growing up listening to music,
[00:23:42] at least I knew that,
[00:23:44] okay,
[00:23:44] they're dropping albums,
[00:23:45] but this isn't,
[00:23:46] this isn't true to form.
[00:23:48] But cause art and life never was the same back then,
[00:23:51] but now it's collided.
[00:23:53] And a lot of youth is like,
[00:23:54] when you listen to these songs,
[00:23:55] best believe that the artist is not going to go to jail for what you're
[00:23:58] going to go to jail for.
[00:24:00] Right.
[00:24:00] Right.
[00:24:01] And so it's just dial it back.
[00:24:03] You can use it for motivation when you doing your homework,
[00:24:05] your paperwork,
[00:24:06] when you own any track and field,
[00:24:09] when you,
[00:24:09] when you,
[00:24:10] when you do your aggressive towards sports.
[00:24:12] Yeah.
[00:24:12] Yeah.
[00:24:13] But in the streets,
[00:24:13] you going to do the time.
[00:24:15] Yeah,
[00:24:15] exactly.
[00:24:16] The artist going to retire.
[00:24:17] Right.
[00:24:18] Right.
[00:24:18] Right.
[00:24:18] Get their lifetime achievement.
[00:24:20] Right.
[00:24:20] Right.
[00:24:23] What is hip hop's responsibility there then?
[00:24:25] Like to the young folks that's listening,
[00:24:28] but also I think just to the culture in general,
[00:24:32] what is,
[00:24:33] what is our responsibility?
[00:24:34] Um,
[00:24:35] how are we to steward that kind of power and influence?
[00:24:38] How are we to steward the messages we give?
[00:24:41] And lastly,
[00:24:42] um,
[00:24:43] the real lives we impact,
[00:24:44] like when you're not on the mic.
[00:24:46] To acknowledge what a worker over inequity is.
[00:24:48] Hmm.
[00:24:49] I think hip hop is,
[00:24:50] is in a form of,
[00:24:51] um,
[00:24:52] where you preach something,
[00:24:54] but you're not living it.
[00:24:55] Hmm.
[00:24:55] And so me as artists,
[00:24:57] it's like there's certain songs where I've tried to recorrect them over time.
[00:25:01] I've went past that and I was like,
[00:25:02] oh,
[00:25:02] okay,
[00:25:02] well I don't quite feel that way now.
[00:25:04] And so let me talk about a different version of that.
[00:25:07] And even when I was making the music,
[00:25:08] I was telling you I'm battling,
[00:25:09] which is why mixed messages.
[00:25:11] If you're going to look at forever in a day cover,
[00:25:13] I'm like,
[00:25:13] I'm battling with myself.
[00:25:15] I think.
[00:25:15] I think.
[00:25:16] I think it's called original.
[00:25:16] Yeah.
[00:25:17] what you know,
[00:25:18] which that song that came out,
[00:25:19] it exists.
[00:25:20] And so the thing is,
[00:25:22] is like hip hop has to take a responsibility for the fact that they let a lot of people straight,
[00:25:26] but they did,
[00:25:27] but,
[00:25:27] but it didn't pick up the format of saying it.
[00:25:30] That's how it happened.
[00:25:31] That's what happened.
[00:25:32] And,
[00:25:33] and start writing songs to reverse that narrative.
[00:25:35] And a lot of artists,
[00:25:36] I would challenge them as they get older to reverse the narrative and not dial back.
[00:25:40] And it's like,
[00:25:40] oh,
[00:25:40] I want to be young again.
[00:25:42] Nah,
[00:25:42] man,
[00:25:43] be the OG.
[00:25:43] Cause in the nineties,
[00:25:44] I wanted to be like the OG.
[00:25:46] I was already a kid.
[00:25:48] You know what I mean?
[00:25:48] Right.
[00:25:49] Right.
[00:25:49] Yeah.
[00:25:49] Yeah.
[00:25:50] Now,
[00:25:51] hip hop,
[00:25:52] the church and the streets.
[00:25:53] What do you think about the church now in this time?
[00:25:55] And a lot of you,
[00:25:56] look at you,
[00:25:57] you can be real with us.
[00:25:58] You can be real with us.
[00:25:59] We,
[00:25:59] we,
[00:26:00] we,
[00:26:01] we go in on the church at the same time.
[00:26:03] We love the church.
[00:26:04] We love the people that got the body of Christ in that context.
[00:26:06] But as an MC,
[00:26:07] you could say,
[00:26:08] uh,
[00:26:09] if your pastor don't know you,
[00:26:11] you'd like,
[00:26:12] know your name.
[00:26:14] What are we talking about?
[00:26:15] Right,
[00:26:15] right,
[00:26:15] right.
[00:26:16] If you,
[00:26:17] if you,
[00:26:19] in that,
[00:26:20] in that building,
[00:26:21] that's a tough gig.
[00:26:23] Yeah.
[00:26:23] They got 5,000,
[00:26:24] 40,000.
[00:26:25] And if it ain't an extra level where they housing people that need housing.
[00:26:29] Mm.
[00:26:30] Come on.
[00:26:31] Come on,
[00:26:31] man.
[00:26:32] When they touching the people.
[00:26:32] Yeah.
[00:26:33] Man caught in those gas.
[00:26:34] It's tough gig.
[00:26:35] Right.
[00:26:36] Cause if,
[00:26:36] if you balling out of people and they,
[00:26:39] and they go to work every day.
[00:26:41] Yeah.
[00:26:41] Tough.
[00:26:42] Yeah.
[00:26:42] So I see,
[00:26:43] I get that,
[00:26:43] man.
[00:26:43] Cause you got churches.
[00:26:45] That's,
[00:26:45] that's the thing.
[00:26:46] And then you got,
[00:26:47] then what happens?
[00:26:47] You got people who are warped thinking that that's how I gotta be blessed.
[00:26:50] There was,
[00:26:51] there was an article about a lady who she,
[00:26:53] man,
[00:26:53] it's a lot of,
[00:26:54] it's a lot of pastors tuition has been paid by po folk,
[00:26:57] man.
[00:26:58] You ain't like a lot.
[00:26:58] It's a lot of kids went to school.
[00:27:02] So I just,
[00:27:06] I truly believe the church is a place where people should go and actually get
[00:27:09] help.
[00:27:10] And I don't mind them bringing out the pie chart.
[00:27:12] Cause even when I was growing up,
[00:27:13] they brought the pie chart out.
[00:27:14] And the most we did was fix the roof.
[00:27:16] Cause it was a leak in the building.
[00:27:17] You know what I'm saying?
[00:27:18] I get a new bathroom.
[00:27:20] Yeah.
[00:27:20] But I mean,
[00:27:21] you got the building fund,
[00:27:22] the thermometer.
[00:27:24] Oh yeah,
[00:27:24] exactly.
[00:27:25] Exactly.
[00:27:26] But for the most part,
[00:27:27] man,
[00:27:27] if your pastor don't know your name personally,
[00:27:30] ain't been in your house,
[00:27:31] that's a tough game.
[00:27:33] That's true.
[00:27:33] That's true.
[00:27:34] That's what,
[00:27:34] that's what we want.
[00:27:35] We want,
[00:27:35] we want a faith where people can touch,
[00:27:37] you know what I'm saying?
[00:27:37] Yeah.
[00:27:38] And that's what your music does,
[00:27:39] man.
[00:27:39] Your music touches,
[00:27:41] It does it,
[00:27:42] It does me.
[00:27:43] Jay,
[00:27:43] I don't,
[00:27:43] you got another question too?
[00:27:44] Last one though.
[00:27:45] I just,
[00:27:46] that is a,
[00:27:47] like you're sitting in the embodiment of that being in North Lawndale.
[00:27:51] Like this is who we are.
[00:27:52] Yeah.
[00:27:52] Yeah.
[00:27:52] And as coming from somebody who's kind of on the outskirts of our community,
[00:27:57] I just love that you echo those sentiments.
[00:27:59] I would just love to hear your thoughts on if you were to paint the picture of a kind of church that Big Crick would be a part of,
[00:28:07] right?
[00:28:07] Like what would,
[00:28:08] what would attract you?
[00:28:10] I'm not talking about young limbs,
[00:28:11] but you.
[00:28:12] One that would keep the devil out.
[00:28:14] Oh yeah.
[00:28:14] Keep the devil.
[00:28:15] Well,
[00:28:16] that would be me working six days out the week.
[00:28:18] And on the seventh day,
[00:28:19] I'm in there with everybody else that's off.
[00:28:21] And we talking.
[00:28:22] And then six days out the week and I'm there.
[00:28:25] And it ain't done paying my rent to be there.
[00:28:27] It ain't an extra house on the side.
[00:28:29] I got my house.
[00:28:30] Yeah.
[00:28:30] Yeah.
[00:28:30] Yeah.
[00:28:30] And then I'm,
[00:28:31] and then we talk about everything that's going on on Sundays,
[00:28:34] man.
[00:28:34] I'm,
[00:28:34] I'm not perfect.
[00:28:35] I've,
[00:28:35] I've,
[00:28:36] I've dealt with a lot in the music industry.
[00:28:38] I've,
[00:28:38] I have my own battles with alcoholism and my vice in itself,
[00:28:42] but I've always been very open about it.
[00:28:43] Yeah.
[00:28:44] Yeah.
[00:28:44] Yeah.
[00:28:44] A lot of this is,
[00:28:45] we have a mental health crisis.
[00:28:47] We have a lot going on with people that haven't grieved from pandemic.
[00:28:51] No doubt.
[00:28:52] It's a lot going on.
[00:28:53] And so I think the honesty level needs to be there and we need to increase the
[00:28:58] positivity and not so much magnifying the negativity.
[00:29:01] Yes.
[00:29:01] There's a lot going on on social media,
[00:29:03] man.
[00:29:03] And I challenge people,
[00:29:04] turn your phone off,
[00:29:05] turn,
[00:29:06] turn all these devices off.
[00:29:08] Yeah.
[00:29:09] And then just get to back to walking outside,
[00:29:11] just being outside,
[00:29:12] being around people and talking to them.
[00:29:14] Cause everyone's hurting very much.
[00:29:16] Really?
[00:29:16] That's real talk.
[00:29:17] Yeah.
[00:29:17] After you listen to church on the block and then.
[00:29:19] Yeah.
[00:29:20] Listen to church on the block.
[00:29:21] And then listen to church on the block after.
[00:29:23] Right.
[00:29:24] Right.
[00:29:25] Right.
[00:29:25] That's it.
[00:29:26] That's it.
[00:29:27] So what you got coming down the road,
[00:29:28] man?
[00:29:29] What's up?
[00:29:29] Man,
[00:29:30] just doing this,
[00:29:31] doing this,
[00:29:31] man.
[00:29:32] I,
[00:29:32] I've made a lot of music.
[00:29:34] I got over 300 songs that you can look up.
[00:29:36] And so I'm at that point in my life,
[00:29:38] man,
[00:29:38] where I love making music,
[00:29:40] but I always questioned whether it was really helping people.
[00:29:42] I mean,
[00:29:42] just talk.
[00:29:43] Okay.
[00:29:44] So I like talking now.
[00:29:45] Yeah.
[00:29:46] Okay.
[00:29:46] I like that.
[00:29:46] I love that.
[00:29:47] We're going to jam out.
[00:29:48] Don't you?
[00:29:49] No,
[00:29:49] no,
[00:29:49] no doubt.
[00:29:49] I mean,
[00:29:50] I mean,
[00:29:51] just putting on all the artists and talking to people,
[00:29:53] man.
[00:29:53] That's what's up.
[00:29:53] Yeah.
[00:29:53] That's what's up.
[00:29:54] Thank you for being here,
[00:29:55] man.
[00:29:55] We thank you for being on it.
[00:29:56] In the midst of the time you're about to go on here at the house,
[00:29:59] the firehouse.
[00:29:59] We're going to turn up,
[00:30:00] though.
[00:30:00] Yeah,
[00:30:01] yeah,
[00:30:01] yeah.
[00:30:01] Thanks for cutting away the time,
[00:30:02] man,
[00:30:03] so you can woosah and relax.
[00:30:04] Thank you.
[00:30:04] Yo,
[00:30:05] Church on the Block,
[00:30:05] real talk about hip hop,
[00:30:06] the church and streets.
[00:30:07] Sirius XM,
[00:30:08] Holy Culture Radio,
[00:30:08] man.
[00:30:09] We out.
[00:30:09] Hey,
[00:30:23] man,
[00:30:23] here we are.
[00:30:24] Church on the Block,
[00:30:25] real talk about hip hop,
[00:30:26] the church and the streets.
[00:30:27] And we talk about hip hop today,
[00:30:28] y'all from the block club,
[00:30:30] block party.
[00:30:30] We have big crit killed the concert,
[00:30:34] man.
[00:30:34] It was so much energy.
[00:30:35] Energy cannot be awarded.
[00:30:37] It can't be stopped.
[00:30:38] It can only be transferred,
[00:30:39] man.
[00:30:40] And he transferred that energy,
[00:30:41] just like our energy in Christ.
[00:30:43] When we come through walking righteous,
[00:30:46] people know,
[00:30:46] man,
[00:30:46] there's something different about her.
[00:30:47] She,
[00:30:48] she got a glow.
[00:30:49] And so it is with crit,
[00:30:50] man.
[00:30:50] And that's what I felt when I met him,
[00:30:53] uh,
[00:30:53] talking to her on the phone,
[00:30:54] uh,
[00:30:55] and he just rocked it out.
[00:30:55] And this interview,
[00:30:56] man,
[00:30:56] he was just being real with it.
[00:30:58] The man didn't have to do it.
[00:30:59] He could have just like,
[00:31:00] man,
[00:31:00] I got to perform.
[00:31:01] I got to leave.
[00:31:02] Just humble about it.
[00:31:03] I mean,
[00:31:04] yeah,
[00:31:04] just gracious,
[00:31:05] grateful.
[00:31:06] Uh,
[00:31:06] you know,
[00:31:07] we made sure,
[00:31:07] uh,
[00:31:08] taken care of and everything.
[00:31:10] So you have to worry about my check at the end of the night.
[00:31:12] Everything was covered.
[00:31:13] All that was done through,
[00:31:15] through ACA.
[00:31:16] He dropped some jewels though.
[00:31:17] He dropped some jewels.
[00:31:18] Yeah.
[00:31:19] Yeah.
[00:31:20] Yeah.
[00:31:20] He,
[00:31:20] he dope man.
[00:31:21] And,
[00:31:22] and,
[00:31:22] you know,
[00:31:24] he talks about that.
[00:31:26] If it,
[00:31:26] you know,
[00:31:27] if it don't touch my soul,
[00:31:28] the music,
[00:31:30] if it don't touch my soul,
[00:31:31] we tagged that on the side of the wall of the firehouse.
[00:31:34] Like,
[00:31:34] you know,
[00:31:35] then I ain't listening to it.
[00:31:37] I don't touch my soul.
[00:31:38] I ain't listening to it.
[00:31:39] That's it.
[00:31:40] That's it.
[00:31:40] That's how I feel.
[00:31:41] You can usually tell in those first few seconds,
[00:31:44] right?
[00:31:44] Bro.
[00:31:44] Yeah.
[00:31:45] Yeah.
[00:31:46] Yes.
[00:31:47] Yes.
[00:31:48] As a DJ.
[00:31:49] Go through a whole album.
[00:31:50] Like,
[00:31:50] yeah.
[00:31:50] As a DJ,
[00:31:51] I tell,
[00:31:51] I tell a lot of artists,
[00:31:52] they got,
[00:31:53] they got about a good 10 seconds to grab me with their music.
[00:31:56] You know,
[00:31:57] it's that long.
[00:31:58] It's that long.
[00:31:59] If you're,
[00:31:59] if first thing I'm gonna listen to is your production.
[00:32:02] Okay.
[00:32:03] How,
[00:32:03] how,
[00:32:03] what does sound like?
[00:32:05] Then I'm a,
[00:32:05] I'm going to hear what you,
[00:32:06] what you said on the track.
[00:32:08] You don't got that much time to grab my attention before I be like,
[00:32:12] I'm not interested.
[00:32:14] Right.
[00:32:14] You know,
[00:32:15] so you got to come with it.
[00:32:17] You got to come with the production.
[00:32:18] You got to come with the lyrics that go with the production.
[00:32:21] You know?
[00:32:22] Yeah.
[00:32:22] I'm a harsh critic.
[00:32:24] Yeah.
[00:32:25] To touch the soul.
[00:32:26] Yes.
[00:32:27] Yeah.
[00:32:27] Your soul knows,
[00:32:29] knows what it needs and what you feed it.
[00:32:32] Right.
[00:32:33] Yeah.
[00:32:33] Yeah.
[00:32:34] And I think,
[00:32:36] you know,
[00:32:36] when we were raising our kids and,
[00:32:38] you know,
[00:32:38] we were like,
[00:32:39] like all into what we were trying to be safe around with the church and
[00:32:44] trying to do youth ministry and trying to get cats to like,
[00:32:48] watch what you're listening to,
[00:32:49] what's what,
[00:32:50] you know,
[00:32:50] what you're hearing and everything else.
[00:32:51] Your eye gate,
[00:32:52] your ear gate.
[00:32:53] Right.
[00:32:54] You know,
[00:32:54] we might've taken it to an extreme where cats were like,
[00:32:59] I'm listening to this anyway.
[00:33:00] And,
[00:33:01] and,
[00:33:01] and learning with the young people that I served that.
[00:33:07] The Holy spirit is the one that makes the change and the conviction,
[00:33:12] the move.
[00:33:12] Right.
[00:33:12] Like,
[00:33:13] are you able to raise up a generation,
[00:33:17] walk with young people where finding out,
[00:33:20] like,
[00:33:21] like what is that song doing in their heart and their life?
[00:33:24] What is it?
[00:33:25] What is,
[00:33:25] what's happening to them when they're thinking through this song and the
[00:33:28] mission of that before like judging them in that,
[00:33:31] and that's what I'm selling this for is that sometime listening to
[00:33:34] artists,
[00:33:35] you may say,
[00:33:35] I can't,
[00:33:36] I can't do that.
[00:33:36] I got to be firm.
[00:33:37] I can't,
[00:33:37] I can't listen.
[00:33:38] I got to put them in this box.
[00:33:40] And,
[00:33:40] and,
[00:33:40] and I get it.
[00:33:41] I get it.
[00:33:44] It's about being discerning to be a critical listener and a critical
[00:33:49] thinker about what it is you're listening to.
[00:33:50] So that you can say,
[00:33:51] nah,
[00:33:52] that's okay.
[00:33:53] I think that's the angle to raise our generation up.
[00:33:55] Yeah.
[00:33:55] Like what is it you're listening to being a critical thinker about that.
[00:33:59] Right.
[00:33:59] And then,
[00:34:00] and doing that enough,
[00:34:02] young people be like,
[00:34:02] nah,
[00:34:03] I don't like that.
[00:34:03] I don't like that.
[00:34:03] Not,
[00:34:04] you know,
[00:34:04] it may be the most popular joint out there.
[00:34:06] Right.
[00:34:06] But you'd be like,
[00:34:07] nah,
[00:34:07] it's not my thing.
[00:34:08] Cause you're teaching them to think critical about their,
[00:34:11] what they're listening.
[00:34:12] And it may be the,
[00:34:13] it may be a party song.
[00:34:14] It's just fun.
[00:34:15] You bet.
[00:34:15] That's crazy.
[00:34:16] And they may not be on nothing with this song,
[00:34:18] but they think it critical about why they're listening to it.
[00:34:21] There's,
[00:34:21] there's a lot more substance to that aspect of teaching than just be like,
[00:34:24] just black and white.
[00:34:26] Don't do this.
[00:34:26] And don't do that.
[00:34:27] And then it becomes,
[00:34:27] Oh,
[00:34:28] why can't I do that?
[00:34:28] I'm going to check this out.
[00:34:29] You know what I'm saying?
[00:34:30] I'll tell you something.
[00:34:31] I'm really embarrassed by.
[00:34:33] And I don't,
[00:34:34] I haven't really told nobody this,
[00:34:36] but I'm about to tell all the viewers.
[00:34:38] Right.
[00:34:38] Is that when I joined the church and I'm a hip hop head,
[00:34:43] right?
[00:34:43] Like that was everything to me growing up.
[00:34:46] I was a B girl.
[00:34:47] Like all,
[00:34:48] I just tapped into all the elements of hip hop.
[00:34:51] What was your B girl name?
[00:34:52] What was your B girl name?
[00:34:53] Your business.
[00:34:53] And so I said,
[00:34:55] you was going to tell it all.
[00:34:56] You said,
[00:34:56] you was going to tell it all.
[00:34:58] You said,
[00:34:59] I didn't say I was going to tell it all.
[00:35:00] Come on.
[00:35:01] Come on.
[00:35:03] Sweet juicy.
[00:35:04] For Jesus.
[00:35:06] When I became a Christian in the Pentecostal church.
[00:35:10] Oh,
[00:35:10] it was over with.
[00:35:11] Oh Lord.
[00:35:12] Look,
[00:35:12] I missed the nineties.
[00:35:17] Hip hop.
[00:35:17] Man.
[00:35:18] Man.
[00:35:19] I missed out because the church told me I was going to hell.
[00:35:26] Wow.
[00:35:26] So when people talk about NWA and like all the,
[00:35:31] and I'm like,
[00:35:32] I don't remember it because.
[00:35:35] Wow.
[00:35:35] I was told,
[00:35:37] and it was not taught that critical thinking piece of it.
[00:35:39] You could name Redbone.
[00:35:41] Redbone.
[00:35:41] Redbone.
[00:35:42] I missed the nineties.
[00:35:44] I missed the nineties.
[00:35:46] And that was some of the hottest,
[00:35:47] most.
[00:35:49] Yeah.
[00:35:50] The nineties.
[00:35:52] Yeah.
[00:35:52] Hip hop.
[00:35:53] Yeah.
[00:35:54] Yeah.
[00:35:54] But I missed it.
[00:35:55] So I love that.
[00:35:57] I went through that too,
[00:35:58] Amy,
[00:35:58] but I still snuck and listened to it.
[00:36:01] I didn't.
[00:36:02] I didn't.
[00:36:03] And I was recording.
[00:36:04] I was recording over my mother's Kenna Copeland tapes and putting a lot,
[00:36:08] putting hip hop,
[00:36:10] uh,
[00:36:11] all on the tapes and stuff.
[00:36:15] Wow.
[00:36:17] Did she ever grab a tape and be like,
[00:36:19] I want to pay.
[00:36:20] you know,
[00:36:20] she,
[00:36:20] I'll take the tapes.
[00:36:22] I'll take the tapes and hide them.
[00:36:24] I'll take the tapes and hide them.
[00:36:26] Right.
[00:36:26] And so she would be like,
[00:36:27] she'd be like,
[00:36:28] I'm missing some tapes.
[00:36:30] I'm missing some tapes.
[00:36:34] I can't do it,
[00:36:35] man.
[00:36:35] you know,
[00:36:36] there was turn to burn,
[00:36:37] turn to burn.
[00:36:38] You know,
[00:36:39] and I,
[00:36:39] I missed a whole,
[00:36:41] I feel like I've missed a whole generation of hip hop.
[00:36:44] I have one of my friends,
[00:36:46] one of my,
[00:36:47] my youth leaders told one of my friends,
[00:36:48] he was into a lot of alternatives.
[00:36:50] He put,
[00:36:50] he put a lot of us on to like Depeche mode and nine inch nails and erasure.
[00:36:55] Right.
[00:36:56] And,
[00:36:57] and,
[00:36:57] and they told him,
[00:36:59] he told him,
[00:36:59] I'll give you a deal on this car.
[00:37:02] If you get rid of all your secular music.
[00:37:05] And so we had,
[00:37:07] he had a whole,
[00:37:08] like,
[00:37:09] like a day of just bringing his music and smashing it and destroying it.
[00:37:15] What?
[00:37:15] And then later on,
[00:37:16] he told us after he did it,
[00:37:18] he was just like,
[00:37:19] I gave him all my duplicate.
[00:37:22] Right.
[00:37:23] Right.
[00:37:24] Right.
[00:37:24] Right.
[00:37:25] You wasn't stupid.
[00:37:26] He wasn't stupid.
[00:37:27] He's like,
[00:37:28] I gave him my duplicates.
[00:37:31] But I,
[00:37:32] I mean,
[00:37:33] I love what you were saying,
[00:37:34] Phil,
[00:37:34] though.
[00:37:34] Like we have a music production class in the prison.
[00:37:37] And so kids are allowed to make beats and create their own rhymes.
[00:37:41] And we have to be careful what we,
[00:37:44] what we put out in front of administration.
[00:37:47] Yeah.
[00:37:48] So we have to limit what they can say,
[00:37:50] but we still give them freedom to write,
[00:37:55] produce,
[00:37:55] produce and record other music that we're not going to put in front of them.
[00:37:59] Yeah.
[00:37:59] And so also challenging them to be like,
[00:38:02] let's talk about some of this other stuff.
[00:38:05] Even though your reality is wrapped up,
[00:38:08] maybe in guns and the violence and the women,
[00:38:11] let's not talk about that.
[00:38:12] Let's,
[00:38:12] let's think of other messages that we can do,
[00:38:15] but still giving them space to process and think about what kind of music
[00:38:20] they're putting out there.
[00:38:21] Yeah.
[00:38:21] Yeah.
[00:38:22] And I,
[00:38:22] I agree with everything you're saying there.
[00:38:24] And so my challenge to all of the parents who were probably like,
[00:38:28] Oh my God,
[00:38:29] I can't believe they talking about secular artists on the show.
[00:38:32] And you know,
[00:38:33] here's what I would encourage you to do.
[00:38:35] I fell into the trap of just trying to push nothing but Christian music to,
[00:38:40] to my kids.
[00:38:42] And I,
[00:38:43] when I saw it failing,
[00:38:45] I was,
[00:38:46] it was too late.
[00:38:46] And so what I wish I had done,
[00:38:48] I wish I would have found music that secular music that I thought was good
[00:38:53] music that I would play in front of them that would challenge them to listen to
[00:38:59] positive reinforcement music that they can still feel like they're not left out
[00:39:04] that they can feel like,
[00:39:06] Oh,
[00:39:06] that's cool to listen to because there is an element of,
[00:39:10] Hey,
[00:39:11] all my friends are listening to this stuff,
[00:39:14] but I'm listening to this Jesus music.
[00:39:16] And it makes them feel some type of way.
[00:39:18] I can tell you that because it made me feel some type of way.
[00:39:21] And so,
[00:39:22] uh,
[00:39:23] so I challenge you,
[00:39:25] you know,
[00:39:25] to go out here and find some good,
[00:39:27] positive music that may not always just be just Christian music,
[00:39:30] but good,
[00:39:31] positive music that you yourself would like and approve.
[00:39:35] Listen,
[00:39:35] like J Cole's and the big Chris got some songs I probably wouldn't play,
[00:39:39] but he got a bunch of good songs that I just black,
[00:39:42] Oh,
[00:39:42] let me play this around my kids.
[00:39:44] And,
[00:39:44] and because I've kind of did do that,
[00:39:47] what I,
[00:39:48] what ended up happening was it was my daughter who pushed,
[00:39:51] put me on the J Cole.
[00:39:53] My kids,
[00:39:54] if we go on road trips every now and then,
[00:39:56] I'll let them play the radio.
[00:39:57] I let them play their music.
[00:39:59] Cause they want to,
[00:40:00] they want to try to find stuff that they think daddy would like,
[00:40:03] Oh,
[00:40:03] dad,
[00:40:04] you are like this.
[00:40:04] And I just live now.
[00:40:06] I'm not really with it.
[00:40:07] Oh,
[00:40:07] I like that.
[00:40:08] I'm gonna put that in my playlist.
[00:40:10] And so it opens me up to hear what they're listening to.
[00:40:14] And I'm like,
[00:40:15] Oh,
[00:40:15] I like that.
[00:40:16] I like that.
[00:40:16] You listen to that.
[00:40:17] That's dope.
[00:40:18] Let me add that.
[00:40:19] They'd be shocked at some of the stuff I've been listening to.
[00:40:21] They'd be like,
[00:40:21] you like this artist.
[00:40:22] I'm like,
[00:40:23] yeah.
[00:40:24] Right.
[00:40:24] I mean,
[00:40:24] and the reality is the kids are listening to other music.
[00:40:29] Right.
[00:40:30] They at school with their homies.
[00:40:32] They listen to other music.
[00:40:33] The schools are playing it.
[00:40:34] The schools are playing it.
[00:40:36] Right.
[00:40:36] Exactly.
[00:40:37] They're listening to the music.
[00:40:41] Yes.
[00:40:41] Man.
[00:40:42] My grandson graduated from eighth grade last year.
[00:40:45] They plan,
[00:40:47] uh,
[00:40:49] chief Keef,
[00:40:50] uh,
[00:40:52] love social.
[00:40:52] They up here.
[00:40:53] Me.
[00:40:53] Um,
[00:40:54] so,
[00:40:54] and they up here right at the end of the graduate and all the moms come up with
[00:40:58] their phone.
[00:40:58] Oh,
[00:40:59] I looked,
[00:41:00] I looked at my grandson.
[00:41:01] I said,
[00:41:01] well,
[00:41:01] you better not say a lyric.
[00:41:04] I was like frustrated that the,
[00:41:10] that the speaker didn't be like,
[00:41:11] yo,
[00:41:11] shut this down.
[00:41:13] Right.
[00:41:13] This is the last song they're going to hear as they graduate.
[00:41:15] Like bees love.
[00:41:17] So,
[00:41:18] sir.
[00:41:18] He,
[00:41:18] I mean,
[00:41:19] it's like,
[00:41:19] it's like,
[00:41:19] you know,
[00:41:20] social to my old block with it.
[00:41:22] I'm like,
[00:41:23] yo,
[00:41:25] right.
[00:41:25] And so the,
[00:41:25] my great graduation.
[00:41:27] We was playing wind beneath my wings.
[00:41:29] What happened to those days?
[00:41:30] I don't know.
[00:41:31] I believe I can fly.
[00:41:32] Well,
[00:41:34] I'm up there crying.
[00:41:39] You are the wind beneath my wings.
[00:41:44] I believe I can fly.
[00:41:47] Right.
[00:41:48] We don't want to play that one no more,
[00:41:50] but you know,
[00:41:52] but you know,
[00:41:53] mugs be like,
[00:41:55] you know,
[00:41:56] um,
[00:41:57] simple,
[00:41:59] simple things.
[00:42:00] Like,
[00:42:01] like at a school,
[00:42:02] like that planet song.
[00:42:03] If you're not thinking a fight could break out.
[00:42:05] Cause mom is like hyped on that piece.
[00:42:07] You remember,
[00:42:08] you remember a knock.
[00:42:09] If you bug,
[00:42:10] give you,
[00:42:11] but no,
[00:42:12] if you bug,
[00:42:13] right.
[00:42:15] do,
[00:42:16] I am.
[00:42:17] Do,
[00:42:17] do,
[00:42:17] do,
[00:42:18] do,
[00:42:18] do.
[00:42:19] Man,
[00:42:20] that was as soon as it come on,
[00:42:21] I'm at the party at the club.
[00:42:22] Oh,
[00:42:22] I'm about to knock somebody out.
[00:42:24] It was just like,
[00:42:26] the energy,
[00:42:28] the energy.
[00:42:29] Wow.
[00:42:30] And so,
[00:42:31] and,
[00:42:32] and,
[00:42:32] and so there is a reality.
[00:42:34] We're not saying that there's not a reality of what that music,
[00:42:37] can do.
[00:42:38] Right.
[00:42:39] We know we can listen to some chill.
[00:42:41] Like,
[00:42:41] man,
[00:42:41] I'm just wanting to relax.
[00:42:43] I don't want to listen to some hype,
[00:42:44] but I want to chill.
[00:42:45] So we know the dynamics of all that.
[00:42:46] We're just saying train up,
[00:42:48] raise up folks,
[00:42:49] our young people to think critically about what they're listening to.
[00:42:53] And it's the same as you,
[00:42:54] you know,
[00:42:55] and I can hear people now.
[00:42:57] Oh,
[00:42:57] I can't believe y'all saying this,
[00:42:59] but y'all don't talk like that when y'all be watching these movies.
[00:43:01] Y'all ain't watching all the Christian movies,
[00:43:04] man.
[00:43:05] The,
[00:43:05] the,
[00:43:05] the housewives of Atlanta,
[00:43:07] the housewives of Atlanta,
[00:43:07] we love to pick and choose.
[00:43:10] We love to pick and choose.
[00:43:12] Right,
[00:43:13] right,
[00:43:13] right.
[00:43:13] Exactly.
[00:43:15] Oh,
[00:43:15] and I mean,
[00:43:16] them housewives shows.
[00:43:18] Look,
[00:43:19] I believe those women literally may be really traumatized for life.
[00:43:24] For the way they be calling each other out.
[00:43:26] And then they'd be snitching and they'd be talking about your boyfriend and your husband,
[00:43:29] your man.
[00:43:29] That's a whole other show right there.
[00:43:31] Yeah.
[00:43:33] We need to do past his wives.
[00:43:35] They did.
[00:43:36] They did.
[00:43:36] No,
[00:43:37] we did not.
[00:43:38] They did do something like that.
[00:43:39] They did.
[00:43:40] First ladies or something like that.
[00:43:43] Yeah.
[00:43:43] They shut that thing down.
[00:43:44] It was like,
[00:43:45] oh,
[00:43:45] snap.
[00:43:47] Quit.
[00:43:48] Why the first lady back there kind of offering?
[00:43:50] What?
[00:43:52] Oh,
[00:43:54] oh,
[00:43:54] Lord.
[00:43:55] Yeah.
[00:43:56] So I think,
[00:43:57] I think the,
[00:43:59] the reality is that we need good music.
[00:44:01] And I think if,
[00:44:02] if,
[00:44:02] if it's not out that way,
[00:44:04] if it's not out there,
[00:44:05] you know,
[00:44:05] folks are going to look for it in such a way.
[00:44:08] But like,
[00:44:09] like Chris said,
[00:44:10] you know,
[00:44:11] music got to touch my soul.
[00:44:12] It's got to touch my soul.
[00:44:14] And,
[00:44:15] um,
[00:44:16] the,
[00:44:17] the fact that,
[00:44:19] you know,
[00:44:19] it's not out that way.
[00:44:20] I think that,
[00:44:21] you know,
[00:44:22] there was a Michael Jackson playing somewhere.
[00:44:24] I was at a store.
[00:44:25] So my,
[00:44:25] I asked a young cat,
[00:44:26] I said,
[00:44:26] me,
[00:44:26] you like this song?
[00:44:27] And,
[00:44:27] uh,
[00:44:28] you,
[00:44:28] you think if this song right now was out,
[00:44:30] you'd be like,
[00:44:31] Oh,
[00:44:31] yo,
[00:44:31] you heard it.
[00:44:31] Mike,
[00:44:32] he said,
[00:44:32] nah,
[00:44:33] you know,
[00:44:33] it wasn't,
[00:44:34] it wasn't like it wasn't hitting that.
[00:44:35] Then I asked another young person,
[00:44:37] same situations,
[00:44:38] different Michael Jackson song.
[00:44:39] He said,
[00:44:39] Oh yeah,
[00:44:39] this is a good song.
[00:44:40] I like this.
[00:44:41] Right.
[00:44:42] Maybe he was old school.
[00:44:43] Maybe his parents raised him up or some stuff like that.
[00:44:45] Right.
[00:44:46] But even,
[00:44:46] even in gospel music,
[00:44:48] you find,
[00:44:48] you know,
[00:44:49] Ray Charles was dog.
[00:44:51] but making gospel song and thinking them same beats and playing them in the
[00:44:54] club.
[00:44:55] And,
[00:44:56] uh,
[00:44:56] when you remember,
[00:44:57] when you remember Ray and the man came in a club and like,
[00:44:59] you're playing the doubles music.
[00:45:01] How dare you take this gospel song?
[00:45:02] I mean,
[00:45:04] Kirk Franklin,
[00:45:05] Thomas Dorsey,
[00:45:05] all these cats,
[00:45:06] right.
[00:45:06] Uh,
[00:45:07] we're always ostracized that way.
[00:45:08] Um,
[00:45:09] but good music and good artists,
[00:45:12] right.
[00:45:13] Um,
[00:45:14] that will,
[00:45:15] um,
[00:45:16] stretch you,
[00:45:16] challenge you.
[00:45:17] It might even cause you to look back at this,
[00:45:19] at the text differently.
[00:45:21] Right.
[00:45:21] Yeah.
[00:45:22] And the,
[00:45:22] and the parables they're saying,
[00:45:24] you know,
[00:45:25] um,
[00:45:25] how things work,
[00:45:26] you know,
[00:45:27] back and forth.
[00:45:28] Yo,
[00:45:29] I hope again,
[00:45:30] like you had a great Thanksgiving,
[00:45:31] go check out big crit.
[00:45:33] You might find a clean version.
[00:45:35] If you're a little antsy about it,
[00:45:36] check out the lyrics,
[00:45:37] but yo,
[00:45:38] this is good music.
[00:45:39] You're going to find a bunch of artists that in that same group,
[00:45:42] which can remember you still a follower of Christ.
[00:45:44] So the word is in you.
[00:45:45] You're going to be okay.
[00:45:46] Yo,
[00:45:46] stay with us.
[00:45:47] We're going to be back next week as we enter into the holiday,
[00:45:50] the deep holiday commercialized,
[00:45:53] uh,
[00:45:54] season with Christmas.
[00:45:55] Yo church on the block.
[00:45:56] We are these.
[00:45:57] Thank you for listening to church on the block.
[00:45:59] We'll talk about hip hop,
[00:46:01] the church and the streets.
[00:46:02] We're back here.
[00:46:02] Same time,
[00:46:03] same day.
[00:46:04] Next week.
[00:46:05] Come with us.
[00:46:06] See God.
[00:46:06] Are you out of the street?
[00:46:08] Tell them it's crazy.
[00:46:09] It's crazy.
[00:46:09] Tell them it's crazy.
[00:46:11] It's crazy.
[00:46:12] Tell them it's crazy.
[00:46:12] Tell them it's crazy.
[00:46:12] Tell them it's crazy.
[00:46:12] We'll be back next week.
[00:46:12] Bye.