You can't get anymore down to earth real than Pastor Pickney and his message both to believers and unbelievers. Check out his website for more details on this man of God and his music and ministry.
Please tell us about your musical journey in Christ. How long have you been making music? Any formal training? Professional experience?
I started out doing secular music and I have been doing Christian music for 3 years now. I've done 6 albums in 2 years just as a Christian artist.
Mr. Pickney in action
How has making music made a difference in your Christian walk?
It's an extension of my faith. I'm a Pastor as well.
What do you do to stay sharp with your God given skills? Do you have a daily routine?
I write and rehearse daily as well as ministering.
What projects are you working on now? What are your hopes for them?
New album coming early 2022. New single drops 12/31/2021.
What is your favorite Bible verse that inspires you to praise God through music?
Proverbs 3:5-6 or 1 Peter 2:9
Let us know where we can follow you and your music and give us any last words of encouragement, advice or anything else you wish to add.
So it was a dream, probably because I've been featuring a lot of Australian singers on this blog lately here and here and my band's singer is also from the Land Down Under. Add that to the fact that it was early morning and I was pretty hungry so not only does the dream make for a cool reminder about the power of music but it also translates into an easy blog post. Here's the back story.
After my conversion a few years ago, I discovered the solid preaching of the late British evangelist, Martin Lloyd-Jones. He was a medical doctor who never attended a single bible class but gave up his lucrative London practice in his twenties to answer God's call to preach in a dirt poor, coal mining town in Wales. Eventually, he ended up taking the pulpit back in the capitol at Westminster, the iconic Puritan sanctuary. His preaching began in earnest on September 1, 1939, the day Hitler invaded Poland, and he was able to reach a countless number of English speaking troops passing through England on their way to the front. I recommend any one of his 1600 plus sermons digitally remastered from tape. Listening to them day and night really strengthened my understanding of Scripture but there is an emotional aspect to this walk of faith that needed to be fleshed out.
I was of course aware of their music beforehand but their songs just seemed to have come alive for me in Dolby Atmos sound. The band's energy and lyrics, planted against the backdrop of my new appreciation of the Word, lifted me to great heights of inspiration and the enthusiasm caught on as is typical for those who have met Jesus and are dying to tell others like the woman at the well in Samaria who left her water pot and rushed into town to spread the news that the Messiah had arrived.
Long story short, we literally became the Newsboys in our rural communities in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and drove around listening to Christian rock full blast, throwing flyers with gospel tracts tied to them onto lawns, leaving them on doorsteps, placing them in the parks and rest stops where visitors from all over the USA would come to enjoy the beauty of Lake Superior and its surroundings in the summer. We must have delivered thousands while stopping to talk and pray with people when we could. Soon thereafter, we had the privilege of seeing the Newsboys when they toured the upper Midwest and the fellowship and joy we experienced as part of that musical evangelistic campaign was what I told Furler about in my dream. But it seems like he was hungrier than I was and only kept asking for more ham and eggs! Now that's humility!
Me and my Jesus posse in Michigan
(this clip is not for profit but educational use only)
Since there is a lull in interview requests (and a backlog in music reviews), I thought I'd take this opportunity to fill your screen with random Christian thoughts from a neophyte's perspective. Hey! It's my blog so I can do what I like! :)
My new band, Patient Chill, is almost ready to release their debut album of the same name. We are mixing and mastering the last track, From Now to Eternity. The EP is a concept album which offers a Christian response to the pandemic--a topic that has become morbid and rightly so, but this release offers hope through trusting in Christ after subtly exploring the situation and redefining it musically in a gentle way. The titles of the five tracks should give you a clue:
1. Patient Chill
2. VaRiAnCe
3. Injection 6
4. Boost Her
5. From Now to Eternity
Some may criticize its seemingly secular sound and overt appeal to worldly sensibilities with its initial EDM track and psychedelic rock riffs, especially in Injection 6, but I offer here an early apologetic based on Scripture.
In the Book of Acts, Paul addresses the Athenians in the Areopagus and acknowledges their religiosity before telling them about Jesus and salvation. It is an attempt to reach people on their own level before praying that the Holy Spirit will lead them to repentance and a higher level of existence through the conviction of solid preaching. As he writes in 1st Corinthians 9:
19For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
Now the obvious danger in adopting this approach is that you must have the clear objective of ultimately giving the gospel as your final appeal. In other words, be like the Lord was when He so graciously dwelt among us rebellious sinners. His presence affected them with holiness and His holiness was not affected by our sin natures. And as Shakespeare so aptly put it: Aye! There's the rub!
If you haven't figured out that I'm a poetic word nerd by now, maybe this over the top alliteration of this email's subject line and inline header should make it obvious. But enough with the wordsmith apologetics...let's get to this past week's haps and wraps!
Serving in Seattle
Tru Believers is a small room but big sound band for the Lord based in Seattle. They came together and started jamming during last winter's 'rockdown'. With a Hootie and the Blowfish-like driving rock vocal at the helm led by John Ollison and backed up his wife bassist, Dehlia, this group is punched up by the solid drum beats offered by Jeremy Van Nostern. If this winter brings us another shelter in place season compliments of the pandemic, these guys are sure to emerge stronger and louder in the Spring, ready to bust loose for Jesus. I predict they are follow worthy so give them a shout out from their Facebook link on my blog post.
Chris Sarver may seem humble and unassuming, but his songs resound with the faith and strength of a lion. I really enjoy featuring these musicians who seem to fly under the radar because Scripture always instructs us to be on the lookout for the less obvious members of the Body of Christ. Check out his songs.
Visit CMA often to see what else is on tap like music reviews and more interviews from a variety of genres and artists such as my first hip hop artist ever to be featured, Roman Tilus, East Coast rockers, All Together United, and another prophetess songster from the Land of Oz, Sharon Jane. As always, you can help me and help these vocalists in the Body of Christ by sharing and sharing often and tell others about the great work God is doing here!
Steve Monty hails from Tasmania in the Land Down Under which is not exactly a hot spot in Australia for ground breaking Christian music, but his vision is grand and his songs take a stand for the gospel without any compromise or beating around the bush even though he lives in the bush. You've just got to admire the wisdom of the Lord and how He places His people in the most unlikely of places to share the good news of salvation. Believers live for a bigger stage and a bigger kingdom and it's guys like Sarver and Monty who will probably lead armies of angels in song one day in the Glory.
It's hard not to be commercialized this time of year but what I think is worse is to treat the birth of Christ with a superficial sentimentality that is either based on ignorance or hypocrisy. God sent His only begotten son into the world to die a painful death so that whosever called upon His name would be saved from judgment on the final day. Born to die. The atonement should always be first and foremost in our minds and if it hasn't been all year, then there's no use getting all mushy about things now so let's keep things rolling in the economy because folks need to eat!
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FEATURED ARTISTS OF THE PAST WEEK AND WHO IS WAITING IN THE WINGS
Jermaine Jordan is Christ Sufficient and so is the title of his latest album. If you love a mix of soulful melody and hyper lighting fast lyrical rap, this drop will be sufficient for you!
Space does not allow me here to tell you what's on tap at CMA but I promise that's it's all good! Here is a sneak preview peekand here also.
Visit often and care and share! (you can also share this email painlessly)
Speaking of soulful and smooth, iNAEL is a Houston based rapper that will help you digest your leftovers with gospel sauce and a beat that is sure to soothe. If you missed his interview and links to his music this past week, do yourself a favor and don't do it again!
Straight up sound from the Big Apple. Check out this rapper for Christ and his story:
Please tell us about your musical journey in Christ. How long have you been making music? Any formal training? Professional experience?
I made music, was a bboy, Hip Hop educator and professional graffiti artist when I was not saved almost a decade. Then I got saved and did music only about a year, took a few years on hiatus then recently started recording music again. I have no formal training just love music. What makes me different from most Christian rappers you will meet is I make a clear distinction to my audience from what we know Biblically as praise, worship, hymns, spiritual songs which are all Christian verses Hip Hop culture which is antichrist and I came out of, had demons casted out of me connected to it and I don't encourage compromise on that.
Nelson Seda
What music inspires you the most (Christian or secular)? Name your favorites.
I'm inspired by a lot of international Gospel artists , classic worship leaders and my wife.
How has making music made a difference in your Christian walk?
It has helped to encourage me to go deeper in praise and share sound doctrine in music.
What do you do to stay sharp with your God given skills? Do you have a daily routine?
I just try to sing and rap as led by God and keep it all based on scripture.
What projects are you working on now? What are your hopes for them?
Working on Sermons for the ministry, a book and more music God willing.
What is your favorite Bible verse that inspires you to praise God through music?
Psalm 22:3
Let us know where we can follow you and your music and give us any last words of encouragement, advice or anything else you wish to add.
My music is on my ministry YouTube channel, Bandcamp and a few other places..It's free.
Christ Sufficient is a rhapsody in lyric melody. The rapid fire rap in most of the songs on the album is pure poetic genius inspired by Holy Ghost groove. For example, the title track starts with some chill guitar and low key beat that hooks right into the first line of the collection and sets the keynote for the entire album:
I'm so Christ sufficient, that is all I need...
From that gentle and clear proclamation of melody and meaning, the artist quickly bridges into a battle ballad of godly and righteous biblical self defense based on sacramental Scripture:
I ain't from around here, partner, you can make a feud with the ghost but I brought a little wine for the host, It's time to get together for the toast...
The next song on the album, Below Zero, continues with the same style of thematic intro and the explanatory lyrics:
I want nothing to do with this cold world...
And then it bumps into the rapper's signature rhythm and expertly connected lyricism boosted by a certain Dre Tee who adds a third dimension with his vocal harmonics that resonate well.
The next three tracks, Chief, Hate Me and Melodic Influence pretty much follow the same pattern and always highlight the rapper's insane lightning fluid vocabulary. I would be almost sick with envy at the poetic talent exhibited here if it weren't a sin to be jealous and covetous of another's skill set.
Bridge and break gently into the sixth song, Treasures, and you're almost halfway done on this awesome musical journey through the album. This track is more ambient and old school soulful and almost nostalgic in tone as the singer bemoans the sinful life he led but now is "praising God and storing treasures in heaven" singing: Oh God! Oh God!
So I've taken you almost halfway through the fourteen tracks on this beautiful collection from a most talented Christian soul rapper and I leave it up to you to follow the links and signs to the last song titled after my favorite keyword, Chillz. What are you waiting for? Check it out and raise the roof!!!
His is a great sound to enjoy for the holiday weekend. Check out his story:
Please tell us about your musical journey in Christ. How long have you been making music? Any formal training? Professional experience?
Initially, I didn’t want to create music. Before my journey in Christ I would write short raps every once in a while for the joy of it and release them. After getting saved I still didn’t care to create music until this particular day I became frustrated and a hook for a new song out of frustration. I didn’t want to purchase any beat because I wasn’t taking it seriously so I created a beat on my phone. After writing the words I was writing didn’t feel Christ like so changed the lyrics and completed the song. 10 days later I finished my first project titled Se7en Day Maze.
iNEAL
What music inspires you the most (Christian or secular)? Name your favorites.
Secular music inspired my musical style; I grew up listening to mc’s who’ve mastered the art of rhythm and poetry. I took a few of my favorite skills from each of them and tried to build on those.
Andre 3000 and Rakim are my favorite secular artist.
Eshun Burgundy is one of my favorite gospel rappers
How has making music made a difference in your Christian walk?
The songs I've written are connected to different stories I’ve read in the Bible and creating music has increased my desire to dig deeper while reading. Due to a deeper understanding I’ve become much bolder in my walk.
What do you do to stay sharp with your God given skills? Do you have a daily routine?
I don’t necessarily do anything specific but I've written a lot of songs over different styles of beats in the past few years and that has increased my skill as a writer.
Other than trying to read the word daily, I do not have a daily routine.
What projects are you working on now? What are your hopes for them?
I have my 5th project and it’ll be self-titled iNAEL
(I Kneel)
My hope for this specific project is that people vibe to the music and connect to the words. Maybe someone is currently dealing with something I’m writing about. I hope they see this walk isn’t the easiest but it’s worth it.
What is your favorite Bible verse that inspires you to praise God through music?
“My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”
Psalm 45:1 KJV
And The Parable of talents
Let us know where we can follow you and your music and give us any last words of encouragement, advice or anything else you wish to add.
Instagram: iNAEL__
YouTube: iNAEL
All streaming sites same name.
KB's recently released Christian Hip Hop song, Worship in the Mosh Pit, has a bomb video to eye candy you up this Halloween, flame throwers and all but you can't deny the beat and spirit that carries the tune. It's classic trend and beat-to-go sound will have you missing those pre-covid concert days when you crowded your worship against the front of the stage, pushing the Holy Spirit to deliver more.
Even though I'm in my 60's, I still identify as a black man from Detroit. I got the Jesus music in my soul along with the seeds of the Jackson Five, Diana Ross (who grew up in the projects just down the road from me), Marvin Gaye, The Temptations and that whole Motown scene planted deep within. It's almost impossible to deny your early years and the musical influences that you grew up with. Just watch a few episodes of the sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris, and you'll know what I mean.
We grow up and move through our lives tracked by music, both secular and religious, if your family were church goers. And that's why I switched from writing novels and reviews to writing about the music scene and adding what I can to it. To be sure, there's a lot of talent out there, but there's no reason any of us can't be part of it in some way, either for pleasure or profit or both. But everyone likes to listen to some form of music, no matter what genre, beat or purpose. And the greatest thing about Christian music--and the definition begs interpretation these days--is that there is always room for a New Song in God's infinite celestial ice cream shop. Just pick your flavor. Even if it's Hop.
Besides, I think Jesus sounded more like a Shai Linne then he did a John Hagee. When the Pharisees and the scribes returned to their puppet masters to report about what Christ was saying, they had to admit that "no man had ever spoke like him" (John 7:46). Our Lord spoke in Aramaic, a dialect native to the region and closely related to Hebrew and the Old Testament prophets spoke the language with intensity, rhythm, poignant imagery and a passion that rivals modern rappers. Picture the Son of God healing, feeding, casting out demons and rapping the gospel and I think you'll come closest to mud man music than anyone can. His Father produced and the Holy Spirit executed the sound, lights, miracles and promo--the never ending free trial of eternal hope mixed fresh by the Blood of the Lamb.
