Events

“What’s Beef?”: Disagreements In CHH (Opinion Piece)

Published

7 years ago

July 25, 2017

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*Disclaimer: The views and opinions in this article are that of the writer and do not reflect the views of ArtSoul Radio.

“What’s beef? Beef is when you need 2 Gats to go to sleep
Beef is when your moms ain’t safe up in the streets
Beef is when I see you
Guaranteed to be in ICU”

Let’s be clear, the Notorious B.I.G adequately explained what beef is/was and the foolishness currently going on in the tiny pond that is CHH is more like tofu. Recently, legendary theology lyricist Shai Linne released what many speculate as a “diss”record entitled Random Thoughts 3. Shai is no stranger to controversy. He made a great deal of noise in 2013 with his single Fal$e Teacher$ calling out prosperity preachers including Joel Osteen and Paula White. As of late, he’s grown agitated with the mainstream route CHH has gone and since Lecrae has spearheaded this movement, many believe he is taking aim at the Reach Records owner and front man.

How Did This Happen?

I suppose it’s best to start from the beginning of this ongoing topic. After much success at churches, youth and evangelical conferences, Lecrae decided to make a shift in not only his music but his targeted demographic. In 2012 he began working with “secular” artists and producers, releasing his first Church Clothes mixtape with DJ Don Cannon and his Grammy winning LP Gravity which featured Big K.R.I.T. It was around this time that Lecrae began to say things like “I don’t want to be put into a box” or “I’m not a fan of labels” and most debated of all, “I’m a rapper that’s a Christian, not a Christian rapper.”

From here things began to spiral out of control. Fans and artists alike were up in arms. Many couldn’t understand his views and were appalled that he would begin to work and create relationships with artists that didn’t ascribe to his beliefs. Some felt abandoned, while others were perfectly fine with this change. While making TV and/or radio appearances Lecrae began to be more broad and general in his statements about his faith. Though not totally ashamed, it wasn’t the usual 1-1-6 Lecrae we all had grown to love and appreciate.

The Current Climate

Fast forward to 2017 and many up and coming artists see the success Lecrae has had and they want to follow in his footsteps. More and more rappers are shying away from the Christian title and making music that is not solely about Christ. Much of the music coming from rappers for Jesus today is ambiguous and vague. Artists want to create songs that will appeal to the masses and this doesn’t sit well with the forefathers of CHH, Shai Linne being one of them. So Shai decided to release Random Thoughts 3, which in turn caused Ruslan to respond in Random Thoughts 4, which triggered a comeback from Shai Linne label mates Hazakim entitled Spare the Rod, which will cause who knows to respond next. Hazakim has since taken their song off of YouTube and Ruslan and Shai Linne are reportedly working to clear the air. However, the damage has been done.

I, unfortunately, didn’t make it to this year’s Legacy conference, but from calls, texts and social media posts I can tell things were somewhat tense. Everyone was talking about this latest “beef” and I’m in utter disbelief. At a conference where the focus should be on becoming better disciples of the gospel, held in a city that is known in Africa for two things, Michael Jordan and guns, how is the main topic of discussion in the lunchroom diss records? I live in Chicago and babies are dying on the streets my family walk by daily. My wife was recently laid off and money is a little tight. I’m turning 30 in less than 7 weeks. My check engine light is on right now. I’m trying to live a life that’s most impactful to my sphere of influence and see as much of the world as I can before I leave this place. I’ve got enough to deal with. I don’t have the time to count how many times an artist said Jesus on a track or if he took out the time to explain the gospel on Sway in the Morning.

Moving Forward

We’ve created an idol out of a genre of music and when people don’t bow down to it we throw them in the fiery furnace. All sides had a role to play and repentance is needed on all fronts for self-righteousness, lack of humility, jealousy, envy, and I’m sure the list could go on. If you don’t like what Lecrae is doing with his platform, build your own and scream Jesus until your face turns blue. Or, instead of spending so much time and energy combating what Lecrae is doing, why not champion the artists that are doing what you like. If you want to hear more gospel centered music, show support to Bizzle, Flame, Da Truth, KB and others more. If you’re a pioneer in CHH and you’re concerned with where it’s headed, pour into the artists that are coming up. I’ll assume that not many, if any, of the rappers from the new generation have received advice or guidance from the forefathers of CHH. It appears that the legends only come out to negatively speak on what they don’t like. On the flip side, if you want to operate in musical freedom, do that but don’t demonize the church. Don’t look down from your hip-hop high horse at the artists you once called peers or the ones operating in the space you helped create. There is nothing corny about rapping for Jesus or pointing people to the only source of hope and salvation. It is corny, however, to not take the art form of rap seriously and feeling content with being a wack emcee, but there are a slew of rappers outside of the body of Christ that fit that mold.

CHH, like mainstream hip-hop, is overflowing with some talented artists and some not-so-talented artists. Rappers should make the music that authentically represents them and their beliefs and listeners should support what they like, period. As Christians, we should certainly hold each other accountable for our actions and our words, but this debate over preferences has to stop. There is plenty of space and opportunity for everyone to operate in their lane and their calling. If you’ve got time to examine interviews, dissect rap lyrics and debate over social media, one might wonder when you have the time to make a difference in someone’s life. Listen; too much is at stake for us to argue amongst ourselves about something so trivial. Like Shai said, “On top of all that, Donald Trump’s the president.”

Listen to Shai Linne’s Random Thoughts 4 here:

Listen to Ruslan’s Random Thoughts 4 here:

ArtSoul Spotlight

GodKulture Is Bringing Christian Professionals Together Through New Sports Tournament

Published

12 months ago

May 15, 2023

Art Soul

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The Chicago Inter-Church Sports Tournament is a highly anticipated annual event organized by GodKulture. GodKulture is a new community in the Chicagoland area designed to help bring Churches together through fellowship. Their overall mission is to inspire Christian professionals to discover their purpose, develop their leadership skills, and grow their platforms while fostering unity and growth within local churches.

One of the staple events of this organization is their Inter-Church Sports Tournament. This tournament is an annual event that takes place each year on Memorial Day. This summer, 2023 marks the fifth year of this innovative event that brings churches and believers together to compete in various sports activities!

GodKulture Founder, Rotimi Kehinde shares the mission of their organization:

“Our vision for this event is to promote unity, fun, and fellowship among church members through healthy sports competitions. This year, we have an exciting lineup of games, including soccer, volleyball, video games, basketball, flag football, chess, ping pong, and many more. We believe these games will provide a fun and competitive environment and create opportunities for people to connect with each other and build lasting relationships.”

Celebrating the 5th year of this tournament, this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever!

CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THIS ANNUAL EVENT

4 Things You Should Know About GodKulture’s Inter-Church Sports Sports Tournament

#1) When and where

The Chicago Inter-Church Sports Tournament 2023 is always held on Memorial Day 2023. Many people spend this time at home or visiting friends. However, we believe that you can do a lot more on this special day.

This event seeks to bring together Christians and churches in Chicago together to enjoy fellowship and fun. Check below for the details of when and where this event will take place:

Date: May 29, 2023 (Memorial Day)

Venue: ComEd Recreation Center 434 South Loomis St. Chicago, IL 60608

Time: 9 am – 4 pm

#2) Activities To Expect

The Chicago Inter-Church Sports Tournament features several sports activities that are designed to foster unity, fellowship, and fun among Christians in the Chicago area. (The games begin at 11 am, the pre-game activities begin by 9 am.)

Soccer
Basketball
Ping Pong
Chess
Volley Ball
FIFA 23 (video games)
Fitness Training
Mini Golf

#3) Not Into Sports? Come to Network!

For those who may be concerned about not athletic enough to engage in sports, there will also be time for networking, prayers, worship, and a picnic.

This edition will feature a wide range of sports and activities, including basketball, volleyball, soccer, flag football, tug of war, and relay races. The CICSC provides an opportunity for participants to showcase their athletic abilities while also fostering a spirit of sportsmanship and unity among different churches. It also includes fun activities such as music, food, and games for spectators and participants.

#4) Volunteer Spots Are Available

The Chicago Inter-Church Sports Tournament is a big event! Because of this, they are always looking for volunteers to help the event run smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering, simply click this link to register as a volunteer.

Register Your Ministry Group Today!

Simply click this link to register as an individual or a church. Get your ministry departments together and show up ready to play!

Follow GodKulture on Social Media for more information about their community and coming events:
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

ArtSoul Spotlight

Jor’Dan Armstrong & Adia Team Up for Chicago Stop of New Tour!

Published

1 year ago

January 10, 2023

Art Soul

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Chicago is headquarters for the ArtSoul Radio team. So, you know we had to hook up our home city with this news! On Wednesday, January 11th, Jor’Dan is bringing his full band and team all the way from ATL to the Chi this week! And he’s bring the incomparable Adia with him! DON’T MISS IT!

This is the night out you’ve been looking for! Hosted at the City Winery in the West Loop, this location will already have the vibe set. Come ready for a night of Gospel Soul with R&B vibes, good food, great atmosphere, a full band, DJ and an all around amazing experience with some of the best people in Chicago.

This is the “night out” to kick off the New Year you’ve been looking for! It will definitely give you the kick you need to help finish off the work/school week and inspiration for year! Tickets start at only $20. So, get your friends together, put on your best outfit and come through!

EVENT DETAILS:

Location: City Winery 1200 W Randolf, Chicago, IL 60605
Time: Show starts at 8pm CST
Cost: Cost starts at $20
Purchase Tickets here: Click here to buy your tickets

ABOUT JOR’DAN ARMSTRONG

Jor’Dan Armstrong has been a leader in the genre style of Urban Christian Inspiration with the R&B sound for over 8 years. He is multi-nominated and award winning artist and his latest single “Call” featuring Erica Campbell recently hit #1 on the Billboard charts! This is his second single to have Billboard success. His single “My God” hit #1 on the Billboard charts and remained there for several weeks!

Jordan has been a leader in this sound for almost 10 years. We are excited to have him coming to our home city this week!

This style has had many names over the years such as Gospel Soul, Gospel Neo Soul, Christian Soul, R&P and the latest trending terms such as Christian R&B and Urban Inspirational music. Jordan has been a leader in this sound for almost 10 years. Now he’s taking it all to a city near you via his “Church Girls Love R&B” tour! Named after the title of his latest album, Church Girls Love R&B, Jor’Dan is using this tour to continue to help continue to build the Urban Inspiration genre by featuring key leading vocals in every city.

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ABOUT ADIA

Award-Winning singer/songwriter ADIA, has just released her newest album, Hold it All Together. Famously known for her collaborations with some of gospel music’s biggest names including Pastor Mike Jr., Kierra Sheard, and Deitrick Haddon, ADIA is one of the industry’s fastest rising stars.

Her newest project, Hold it All Together is sleek R&B sound that gives a new take on what gospel music can be presented to the world. When asked about her inspiration, ADIA says, “This is a very special transparent project for me. I really dug deep on this project as a songwriter. I share my pain, joy, insecurities and liberation.” She continues, “I invite the listener to have a glance at who God has been to me and hopefully empower them to believe that God can ‘Hold it All Together’ for them as well.”

Follow us below on social media for more!

ArtSoul Spotlight

David Michael Wyatt Is Coming To Chicago!!

Published

2 years ago

August 17, 2022

Art Soul

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David Michael Wyatt is rightfully known as “The Velvet Voice”! He has most currently been known for singing on tour with Tobe Nwigwe where he has received praise from artists such as Beyonce, Erica Badu and more! But, now he’s making his own pathway as a solo artist.

On August 26th, the ArtSoul Radio team is partnering up with Aspire Booking to bring David to The Promontory in Hyde Park Chicago! We are excited to have been asked to help create and plan this event while also taking on the full promotion of it for this date. Supporting both local artists and mainstream is our passion and something we have done on a regular basis for almost a decade. So, saying “Yes” to this invitation was easy! Our team is excited about pouring all of our efforts and resources into this partnership to help make it a success!

In addition to David Michael Wyatt, we made sure that the night will include a few top tier Chicago local artists such as Rahkii (a Previous ArtSoul Spotlight artist), Ephraim Bugumba (an Aspire Booking client) and Jasmine Sims (another ArtSoul Spotlight artist). Our host for the night is one of Chicago’s favorite Gospel Radio personalities Keno Greer! It’s going to be a great night! You don’t want to miss it!

While it’s true that David Michael Wyatt has a growing fan base that includes some of the greatest artists we’ve ever seen to grace a stage, this Texarkana native has spent years perfecting his musical talents to get where he is today. This Berklee College of Music alumni, is a singer, songwriter and actor whose music fits perfectly into multiple genres including Gospel and R&B. Wyatt was part of BET’s Sunday Best gospel talent show, has shared the stage with well-known singers such as Kirk Franklin and has been been featured on Grammy Award Winner Israel Houghton’s albums and has entertained leaders such as the previous President-Elect Barack Obama. Outside of his solo endeavors, David can be seen touring with Brian Courtney Wilson and Ledisi.

This is the first in person event ArtSoul Radio has done since before the Pandemic and it has been an exciting experience for us to team up with Aspire Booking so our team can get our creative juices running again by helping to create this event for fans and taking on the full promotion for it.
This is also the first time some of the featured local artists have performed live in Chicago since the start of the pandemic. Needless to say, we’re ALL excited to be back outside y’all!

So, we’re inviting all ArtSoul Radio supporters, and fans of all of the artists being featured to come out to support this event! You don’t want to miss it!

CATCH A SNEEK PEEK OF EACH ARTIST BELOW

David Michael Wyatt