Tobymac has his Eye On It

 

It’s hard to start writing about Tobymac without first mentioning dc Talk from whence he sprang. While at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, Toby McKeehan met fellow dc Talk bandmates: Kevin Max Smith and Michael Tait.  They formed dc Talk in 1987 and went on to achieve great success in both Christian and mainstream music. The band went on to win 4 Grammy Awards, 16 GMA Dove Awards and other recognition. However, they decided to take an extended "intermission" in 2000. I don't want to stray off topic so I'll refrain from gushing about dc Talk, but what a great threesome.  Michael Tait is enjoying his role as the lead singer for The Newsboys and Kevin Max releases a new project just about every year so those of us dc Talk fans who want to hear new material can get out fix just fine. But I wouldn't be opposed to a reunion tour and the band never OFFICIALLY disbanded. Hmmmmm.

Since coming on the scene as one of the first Christian rappers, Toby (born Kevin Michael McKeehan on October 22, 1964) has become one of the most popular, top-selling Christian artists in the industry. The following discography is his solo legacy thus far:

§  2001: Momentum

§  2003: Re:Mix Momentum

§  2004: Welcome to Diverse City

§  2005: Renovating Diverse City

§  2007: Portable Sounds

§  2008: Alive and Transported

§  2010: Tonight

§  2011: Christmas in Diverse City

§  2012: Dubbed and Freq'd: A Remix Project

§  2012: Eye On It

 

Eye on It was released on September 5, 2012, it has become the third Christian album ever to be in the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the Digital Albums chart (most downloads).  At press time, Toby has the #3 spot on the Christian Song chart for Me Without You, #24 on the Dance/Electronic albums chart for Dubbed and Freq’d, and Eye On It is down to #42 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. All of the accolades and achievements are because he is truly gifted and anointed to speak the truth through music.  But Toby’s lyrics, actions and reputation reflect his faith in Jesus Christ and his humility as a disciple, not as a performer seeking fame and acclaim.

The first time I saw Tobymac I was a new Christian.  I had been led to Christ by Third Day and when I went to Phoenix for my first Third Day show, Tobymac was opening.  I read about the band and thought they sounded great in the short sample I listened to online so I was looking forward to hearing them.  I was BLOWN AWAY.  Not only was I new to Christianity and Christian Music, I was very new to the idea that worship could sound like THIS!  The show started and it was pure electricity and adrenaline through the opening song. Toby’s entire entourage was dancing, flipping around, rappin’ and RUNNING all over the stage.  It was so high energy.  I loved worship like that.  I felt like King David leaping down the street naked in front of the Ark of the Covenant!  Well, maybe not exactly.  But it was a cool revelation of the way God speaks His Word to people of all walks of life, with every different personality and background that God gave them to give them their uniqueness, He continues to speak to them individually with custom-made witness.  The truth through hip-hop.  I was down.

Eventually, as always, I had to get every album and I do, have them all now.  My family including my son, sister and a niece and two nephews have all gone to see him in concert numerous times.  He’s a family favorite who gets quoted and sung and requested time and time again. We love us some Tobymac and we love Truett, aka Trudog, Toby’s adorable son who has so far, gotten a single joint on nearly all of Dad’s records. Eye On It finally portrays Trudog with a voice that has changed and sounds a little more like Dad, but still like the Trudog we’ve come to love.

As far as diversity, Tobymac and The Diverse City Band proclaim a theme that sounds like One God, One Love, Many Colors.  I raise my child like that.  I liked the theme of my first Tobymac CD, Welcome to Diverse City.  Toby's wife Amanda, is from Jamaica and having spent a significant amount of time there, Toby has a great reggae sound of his own when he wants to head in that direction. Tobymac’s songs consistently show diversity as a theme in their styles.  The album “Tonight” goes from high energy dance to ballad to Caribbean theme to Latino theme creating an energetic flow through the track list.  One of my favorites is City On Our Knees which I can’t even sing all the way through because it makes me cry a little.  He just knows how to use every musical style out there to create a sound that always sounds like Toby and always glorifies God.  He sounds like a man with a mission to make everyone get up and dance because it’s incredibly joyful to be loved children of an Almighty God.  His clever, funny, anecdotal rap lyrics and his sweet, worshipful ballads combine to create a collection of albums that I can’t even pick a favorite from.  I love each and every one.  Some days are just days that call for Portable Sounds and sometimes I really need to hear Welcome To Diverse City because I had it first and I know every single rap on the CD. But the man has other interests! Other projects! Besides being a super cool and hip father and husband, Toby has lent his talents to ministry a number of ways. Tobymac is a regular collaborator and producer of other projects. 

From Wikipedia:

TobyMac has written two books with Michael Tait and Kevin Max, Jesus Freaks: DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs – Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus, the Ultimate Jesus Freaks,^[19] and Jesus Freaks: Revolutionaries: Stories of Revolutionaries Who Changed Their World: Fearing GOD, Not Man.^[20] These books are mainly focused on Christian martyrs. Toby Mac has also written two more books with Michael Tait, one titled, Under God,^[21] containing stories of America's spiritual battles, and another book called,Living Under God: Discovering Your Part in God's Plan.^[22]

TobyMac has written a fifth book called, City on Our Knees.^[23] The book is about how Christians past and present have set aside differences, come together in unity, and stepped forward in action and prayer.

TobyMac is the president of the record label Gotee Records. He created the label with Todd Collins and Joey Elwood in order to produce Out of Eden's Lovin' the Day after efforts to sign the group to an established label proved unsuccessful.^[24] "We all collectively said, 'Let's just give this a shot'", Elwood recalls; "Three naïve guys, a willing band, and some really good songs."^[24] Gotee features artists such as Relient K, House of Heroes, Jamie Grace and Abandon Kansas. However, as a recording artist, TobyMac is under contract with ForeFront Records.

Toby also performs in "Rock the Universe" in Universal Studios and "Night of Joy" in Walt Disney World annually each September. Toby usually alternates between Rock the Universe and Night of Joy.

Toby has also helped establish a camp, called Camp Electric, located near Nashville, Tennessee, for young musicians who want to have pop and rock skills.^[25]

Toby released a DVD, TobyMac: Moving Pictures Featuring His Entire Work of Music Videos, on November 10, 2010.^{[citation needed]}

Toby will also be in the movie I'm In Love With a Church Girl originally scheduled to be released in the Fall of 2011, and currently in post-production.^[26]

Toby made a headline appearance at the quadrennial event NYC (a conference of the youth of the Church of the Nazarene) at its most recent North American gathering in Louisville, Kentucky.^[27]

 

And did I mention how very BLUE his eyes are?  Amazing.

Lecrae - Let him spit it in your ear

I have to begin writing my blog by giving my most favorite artist, Lecrae Moore, the spotlight. Over the past few years, I have become more and more, a rap and hip-hop fan. I grew up listening to my parents' records: The Beatles, Paul Simon and lots of folk music.  In the 80's during my teens, I listened to what was popular at the time. I loved Michael Jackson and Madonna, Duran Duran and The Cure. In the 90's I listened to Bush, Collective Soul and Dave Matthews Band, Train and Sarah McLachlan. I went through a brief country music phase after I had my son in 1997, but for the most part, I have liked country music the least.  I was led to Christ in 2003 by the southern rock band Third Day and a whole new world of music opened up to me.  I soon learned that there was as much talent in Christian music as there was in the mainstream music world and I started falling in love with new bands and artists.  But I never really got into rap except for the occasional Will Smith or Beastie Boys song back in the day.

I finally began to appreciate the lyrical genius and poetic delivery of some very talented rap artists in the mainstream sector after finally getting accustomed to rap through listening to Tobymac.  I moved on to explore the work of Talib Kweli, Nas, 50 Cent and other well-known artists and soon I could recognize their individual styles and sounds.  I became a huge fan of Akon. But the mainstream rap and hip hop as well as the more socio-political rap of the backpack rappers was still full of language I didn't want to hear and anthems about social acceptance of a plethora of lifestyles offensive to God.  I wanted to enjoy the sound, but not listen to the garbage.  I listened to a few Christian rappers and then I went to see Lecrae perform live.  I was sucked in immediately to his raw, vulnerable lyrics and tight, smooth music, but most of all I was swept up by the humble, worship throughout it all.  When I bought my first Lecrae CD, I think I had it playing in my car for a month straight before I changed the CD.  I had to have more, so I downloaded all his other albums from iTunes and listened to all of that.  Now that he has just recently released a mixtape, Church Clothes, hosted by DJ Don Cannon and a new album, Gravity, I have a lot to say about the man.

Lecrae's biographical video, "I Am Second" http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/lecrae/
and the bonus DVD in the Rehab/Rehab: The Overdose deluxe set I bought was how I saw his story.  It's really worth checking out.  Beginning in what has become a typical American kid's childhood, Lecrae emerged as a frontrunner to groundbreaking ministry through rap music. He was a latchkey kid raised by a busy mom and stepfather.  His only real status was from rapping at school and composing his own rhymes.  As he grew in his talent and went on to college, he came to Christ at a conference and heard the call to only record rap music that honored God and spread the Word to the lost. The lost like him.

He's confronted quite a bit of criticism and been labeled controversial by some in the mainstream industry as well as by Christians.  Some people don't see how he can be rapping and respectfully represent Jesus Christ.  I find it easy to understand.  If you take the Word to Japan, you bring it in Japanese.  If you bring the Word to children, you bring it with children's stories and lessons.  But if you are going to bring the Word to the streets, you are going to have to bring it in their language.  You aren't going to find many gang-bangers and hip-hoppers suddenly realizing the truth of the gospel from listening to Nicole Nordeman or Chris Tomlin.  They're never going to hear those people.  If they do, they aren't likely to listen.  But Lecrae speaks street and he is as raw as he is a lyrical genius. I have introduced Lecrae to a number of  friends who are lovers of rap and hip-hop, some of them Christian and some of them not, and they all agree that Lecrae would be high on the mainstream charts and critically acclaimed as an artist if he wasn't singing about Jesus.  Well, that's okay with Lecrae.

So holla if it hurts, but we were made for greater
our greatest satisfaction is making His name famous
so if we're never named among the greatest,
they don't critically acclaim us,
ain't nothing to be ashamed of
we gave it up for the savior!  - from "Chase That", Overdose album

The respect I have for the man and his music is only deepened when I listen to a song like "I Did It For You" with its smooth, R&B flow and lyrics full of love and compassion for the ones he is ministering to.  Christ-like love.  And I love that he has several songs about honoring your wife and your marriage vows.  His lyrics are not the sugar-coated Christian lyrics your grandma listened to.  This is not Amy Grant.  He is going to talk about hookers and pimps and you're going to hear drugs and alcohol and porn on your laptop will be mentioned. "I'm Free" tells about youth who are going to church just to meet members of the opposite sex and who aren't there for the Lord at all. You're going to hear him tell stories about people who fall into the same downward spiral no matter what walk of life they're from because we're all in the same boat. But we don't all speak the same language.


Party like the fast life, hurry this the last flight
Chasin' all your dreams, this right here could be your last night
And man you finally got your cash right
But it never seems to last right
You know you sick of lookin', you sick of chasin'
I think you know the truth, you just don't wanna face it
Your life is empty, though you havin' fun
You never satisfied, you never get enough
You go from thrill-seekin' to pill-poppin'
From heavy drinkin' to club-hoppin'
You just can't stop it, like you're a slave
And you chasin' nothin' all the way into the grave. - from "God Is Enough", Rehab album


Lecrae peels back the glossy exterior of the World and exposes the radiant Glory of a walk with the Lord.  He is completely UNASHAMED along with the 116 Clique, the other artists at his independent label, Reach Records.  These are real men & women singing about needing grace and mercy and realizing their worth to a Savior who would suffer and die for all the sins they committed.  They are not singing about collecting things...women, riches, cars, mansions, clothes, guns...they're singing about a relationship with Christ and getting out there and being the hands and feet of Jesus in a hurting world.  From his early performances in juvenile detention centers and on street corners, to his current shows that are filling University stadiums, Lecrae is all about proclaiming a name other than his own.  His lyrics are encouraging to all, from the one who is at the bottom of the pit and has never considered turning his eyes upward for help to the mature Christian who is at a place in life where submission to the Lord's service seems daunting when confronted with the values of the world.  This artist, Lecrae, becomes a vulnerable source of strength as he tells of our weak, failing selves being empowered and reborn by the power of an Almighty God.  He reminds us that it's for us all, not just the perfect people.  God doesn't always call the qualified, but he always qualifies the called.

If you think you don't like rap, but you love Jesus, give Lecrae a listen. If you can't deal with 808 drums, look up some of his lyrics and read them just to see the genius. Watch his video, "I Am Second" and get to know the heart of the artist.  But without listening, you will miss the artistic way Lecrae twists his double-jointed tongue around the social references, Bible verses and poetry to form a rhythm he can spit in perfect rhyme.  Talent like that is a beautiful thing.  He's an artist worth getting to know because I can guarantee that at some point, you are going to meet somebody who doesn't know the gospel, but who will listen to this music.  It's a ministry tool and that's what it was meant for and that's what Lecrae and Reach Records are dedicating their life to.