“My parents have always been there for me. They brought me up in church, and I’ve seen their marriage from the inside out. They work hard, love each other, and live out what they say they believe. I didn’t always listen to them though. As I approached my teen years, I was hanging out with friends who were making some bad decisions. I had gotten really disrespectful and was headed toward the same party life my friends were pursuing, but then I had a bad bronchial attack and ended up hospitalized. As I was getting better, I heard God tell me, plain as day, ‘Use your breath for my glory.’ That's when I turned my focus toward gospel rap, which I’ve written and performed ever since.
“I’ve had the privilege of seeing many of our city’s artists perform at church, and I’ve learned from them as I’ve developed my own style over the years. I record in my home studio, do 35-40 events a year, and speak and perform for teenage groups. Young people need a message of hope and encouragement to go in the right direction. The things I was exposed to at the age of 12 or 13, kids are exposed to now when they’re 6 or 7 years old. Whenever I have the opportunity to speak, I talk to the kids about music and how it affects them, I convey to women and girls that they’re beautiful the way they are, and I let the teens know that high school is nothing but a phase in their lives. They think it’s everything, and they end up wasting opportunities. I talk to them about goals, how much they can accomplish if they start now, and how they need to handle their business because when life hits you, it gets real. And yes, I talk to them about Jesus, about how he is relatable: he wants to be with you in your everyday life, whatever you’re struggling with. He’s accessible: he’s in church, but he's everywhere else you are too. And he’s available: he always has open arms. That’s what I found to be true when I got to know God for myself. That’s what everything boiled down to. I want to be a part of planting those seeds in the lives of young people. I want to help them go in the right direction.”
“I’ve had the privilege of seeing many of our city’s artists perform at church, and I’ve learned from them as I’ve developed my own style over the years. I record in my home studio, do 35-40 events a year, and speak and perform for teenage groups. Young people need a message of hope and encouragement to go in the right direction. The things I was exposed to at the age of 12 or 13, kids are exposed to now when they’re 6 or 7 years old. Whenever I have the opportunity to speak, I talk to the kids about music and how it affects them, I convey to women and girls that they’re beautiful the way they are, and I let the teens know that high school is nothing but a phase in their lives. They think it’s everything, and they end up wasting opportunities. I talk to them about goals, how much they can accomplish if they start now, and how they need to handle their business because when life hits you, it gets real. And yes, I talk to them about Jesus, about how he is relatable: he wants to be with you in your everyday life, whatever you’re struggling with. He’s accessible: he’s in church, but he's everywhere else you are too. And he’s available: he always has open arms. That’s what I found to be true when I got to know God for myself. That’s what everything boiled down to. I want to be a part of planting those seeds in the lives of young people. I want to help them go in the right direction.”
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Malik Kiambe Johnson, aka M.K.J., Gospel Rapper
Website: 10:15 Records
Website: 10:15 Records
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