Interview: Te'Luvv A Testament of the Power of God

This is the Background & Journey of Christian Based Artist "Te'Luvv"

Can you walk us through your journey into music? What first sparked your love for hip-hop, and when did you realize God was calling you to use it for gospel purposes?

Music in my life goes back to when I was a little boy. My mom would always have a radio on. We listened to the hottest stations and weekend late night mixes they had. My dad would play music in the house on a big house stereo. I played alto saxophone for 7 years, which gave me an appreciation for all the details within any given song. A man evangelized me on the street in college and I was born again. Two months after that I felt God leading me to write for Him. I graduated college and He opened a door for me to do Christian Rap. I have continued following Him one foot in front of the other, which has taken me as far as South Asia to this day.

Who were your biggest musical influences growing up—both in secular hip-hop and in gospel/Christian music—and how do those influences appear in your sound today?

I did not grow up in a Christian home so there were no gospel/Christian influences there. I’m not sure who I would say were influences in secular music. Before Jesus, I listened to half R&B and half rap. R. Kelly, Jodeci, Kut Close, Sam Salter, Aaliyah, and countless others. I listened to a lot of different kinds of rap, but I was introduced to southern rap in high school. The beats were super entertaining and unlike anything else I had ever heard. Three Six Mafia was my favorite. Bone Thugs n Harmony, Crucial Conflict, Dayton Family, Eight Ball & MJG, Ghetto Boys, DJ Magic Mike, just to name a few. Honestly, I pray and seek the Lord for everything. I just try to be diligent and have faith in the songs I believe He gives me.

Many gospel hip-hop artists have powerful testimonies. Without giving away too much if it's in your music, how did your personal encounter with Christ shape your decision to pursue this genre?

That’s a great question. I thought there was no such thing as rapping for Jesus. I actually thought it would be corny since my only reference for rap was all the music I use to listen to. The same voice that spoke to me the day I gave my life to Jesus was the same voice that spoke to me after I starting writing the equivalent of hallmark cards for Him.

Faith & Ministry

Through Music: How do you balance being authentic in hip-hop (where raw storytelling is key) while keeping your lyrics rooted in biblical truth and glorifying God?

Truth will always be powerful when delivered. My first priority is to preach truth unto an audience of One. I’m grateful for God giving me various experiences meeting multitudes of people in numerous non-Christian environments outside the church. This has given me an accurate reality check on the lanes of life where most people live. As of this interview, I am a part of a ministry that is in the Division of Corrections in Memphis. Once again, these are real men dealing with the end game of crime, the streets, selling drugs, and murder.

There's ongoing discussion in CHH about whether every song needs an explicit gospel presentation. What's your take—do you feel pressure to "preach" in every track, or do you aim for your whole body of work to point to Christ in different ways?

Although the Bible does not have to be quoted in order to talk to people about their beliefs, I am compelled to deliberately share the truth of the Bible and the name of Jesus as much as possible. My experience in evangelism has given me a sense of urgency and a fresh awareness of how perishable time is. Every track is a message and every album has a theme. A song is usually about 3-4 minutes. My thought is, if a person was about to die and one of my songs was the last thing they heard, would they hear enough to inquire about Jesus or even be led to Jesus? Or better yet, could God use one of my songs to reveal Himself to anyone anywhere listening to it?

How has being a gospel hip-hop artist allowed you to reach people that traditional church settings might not reach?

I don’t need any papers, denominational ties, ecclesiastical endorsement, seminary degrees or an approved committee meeting budget. Those are complicated and take way too much time. And the average Christian wont’ ever qualify to have most of those things. They weed people out instead of put people to use. It’s pretty simple. People wake up and live their lives everyday everywhere. Most of what surrounds us in the world are non-traditional church settings. Just walk down the street or take an extra 10 minutes after pumping gas to talk to people for example. And, rapping gives me a captivating delivery. You’d be surprised at how many people in these environments will stop to see what’s going on and listen. Once you have their attention, the opportunity to share Jesus is right in front of you.

What role does prayer, Bible study, or church community play in your creative process and in staying grounded amid the music industry?

I stay in a position to where I can hear the voice of God and sense His leading in my life. Time in prayer, the spiritual disciplines of hiding God’s word in my heart like that of a scribe, and time praising and worshipping Jesus keep me grounded. I love meeting like-hearted born-again believers. Hearing how people come to Jesus never gets old. My church life reminds me of the bigger picture in the kingdom of God and how I’m just one part in His body. I am greatly encouraged from the smile of one of the babies to seeing a couple that has been married 40 years.

Creative Process & Style

How would you describe your sound in one sentence, and what distinguishes gospel hip-hop from mainstream hip-hop in terms of production, flow, or messaging?

Rhythmic preaching or creative prophetic delivery is how I would describe my sound. The heart of the author should reflect the God and faith of the messenger in gospel rap. Mainstream rap is really about entertaining. You don’t have to learn anything to be entertained. You don’t have to teach anything to entertain.

Walk us through a typical day or week in your creative process—from getting a beat to writing lyrics to recording. Where does the Holy Spirit show up most for you?

I feel like a life-sized sponge. I get inspiration from anything all the time. I remember hearing the lyrics in my head for a song after ordering a twenty-piece nugget meal at McDonalds many years ago. I wrote what I heard on some napkins and finished the rest at home later that day. There are other times while reading the Bible or a book and a particular phrase on the page rings a bell within me. Last year I woke up out of my sleep because I heard the exact words for a song in a dream. I heard the beat, the melody, everything. I got up and wrote the chorus down in a few minutes. I know these things are from God because it’s been this way for me since middle school. I fell in love with writing and would be inspired by random things. God uses this inspiration for writing, beats, and sermons. So pretty much, I can be awake or sleep. God will quicken me whenever He wants to. I’m use to it now.

Do you write from personal experiences, current events, biblical stories, or a mix? Give an example of a song where faith and real-life struggles collided in the lyrics.

I write from all of the above. The song “Pure Religion” is an example, where my experience mentoring and working with youth in Memphis is blended with my time traveling overseas working with the fatherless and orphans. James 1:27 came alive to me when it was right in front of my face in Uganda and south Asia.

Gospel hip-hop often fuses elements like trap, boom-bap, melodic singing, or worship vibes. What's one production or stylistic choice you're most proud of incorporating?

My preference is to try and have a diverse album. Otherwise, it would be like having a menu where every item is fried chicken. While I could make an album with the same sound all the way through, I don’t. I try to incorporate a variety of sounds because I think it makes for more creative writing and song composition. My beat making days are over. There is just not enough time in a day for all the things I have my hands in. In shopping for tracks I keep a true musician’s ear open for tracks that I feel I can write good songs to. If I get excited about the track, I know I will be able to write to it.

Future & Inspiration

If you could collaborate with any artist—dead or alive, secular or Christian—who would it be and what kind of track would you make together?

I could name a bunch of Christian rappers. Willie Will comes to mind because some of his tracks are on my gym playlist. One of my favorite gospel artists is Detrick Haddon. I love his word choice, his singing ability, and the diversity of songs he continues to put out. I would follow his lead on what kind of track. I think he has great taste and a gift for making good music. He has the heart of a pastor that comes through when he ministers. It would be good no matter what kind of track.

What's one song in your catalog that best represents who you are as an artist right now, and why?

A song by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir called “Pleasing.” This is a choir song that is my heart posture unto God. As far as one of my songs, it would be “Disciple Anthem.” It’s who I have grown to be thus far by the grace of God. It also gives great clarity as to how I go about doing ministry. Reaching people is one thing. Making disciples is another. Processes and programs in a church is one thing. Spiritual reproduction for working the harvest is another. I have never fit in with religious people. They don’t have a sense of urgency or a pulse on life. Faith without works is dead says the Bible. God is real, His commands are true, our life is as a vapor, and the harvest is plenteous. There simply is no time to waste and obedience is what pleases God. These songs are a reflection of that.

What message do you most want to leave with your listeners—whether they're believers, skeptics, or people just discovering gospel hip-hop?

Jesus is real. He is the God of the Bible. Find a man and follow the Jesus in that man. It is in the following where God reveals Himself. If you seek the Lord with your whole heart, you will find Him.

Looking ahead, what are your goals for the next chapter—new projects, tours, ministry initiatives, or something else?

I want to finish “The Book of James.” It’s a scripture memory project I was inspired by Eikon Ministries in Memphis to do. It will also help grow some disciple making efforts in Uganda. I am also working on collaborating to release a song called “Proverbs 31.” Then there is everything on the table from another album to be released next year to getting into pastoral ministry at my church leading up outreach. I would love to travel this year. I have a van and I’m road ready. Concerts, outreach, preaching, I’m open to it all. The key is Mark 11:22 “Have faith in God.” I would rather die moving forward in drive than to live staying still in park.

https://www.madeupmind.com/