Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
N.D.I.A. wins the Mcdonald's Gospel Fest award in the rap category. The group performed their thubala(indian instrument)/ electric guitar song Most High as they had the chance to perform on the same stage as Gospel greats Aretha Franklin, Cissy Houston and Hezekiah Walker. - NewDeliverance.com-6-5-05
He was born in Kerala,
India, but Robin Simon is devoted to the hip-hop music of the Queens streets he knew as a teen. Naz.
Biggie Smalls. Tupac. But growing up in a family of Malayalee Pentecostal Christians, a group common in his native southern India,
Simon, 25, also is devoted to God.
No problem there, says the New Hyde Park resident. Simon has found total harmony in bringing the music off the streets and into the pews. With original songs like
“Sleepin’ on God” and “It Is I,” Simon has been at his gig known as holy hip-hop for seven years, rapping religiously with three fellow DJs in a musical ministry called
NDIA, New Deliverance in America.
“We’re the product of a culture clash,” Simon said. “We like to say we walk to the beat of a different drum.” NDIA’s beat won’t be the only sound rocking the halls Saturday, March 12, at the India Pentecostal Church in Queens Village. - New York Newsday-3-6-05
Aretha Franklin will return to her gospel roots this weekend at the McDonald's Gospel Fest at the Theatre of Madison Square Garden. The Queen of Soul headlines a three day event joining thousands of gospel musicians and dancers in an "American Idol"-like talent search for the best local artists.
Some 77,000 people from the tri-state area auditioned and now the field is down to 1000 entrants competing in categories from youth choir to group praise dance to rap.
New Deliverance in America is one of the groups hoping to leave with the prize in the rap category. The 5 member Indian rap group formed in 1998 and now performs in venues across the Northeast, most often near New Hyde Park, where it's based. Member Robin Simon says the groups lyrics are Christian-themed but audience members often don't realize that at first. "The intention is if you're walking by, you wouldn't know it's Christian, but if you take the tunes and beats away, we're preaching to the people."
He says the group may get looked over my mainstream record labels and listeners because of the religious overtones, but "as long as God sees it, that's what matters." Group members are looking foward to this weekend and aren't so much worried about whether or not they win as they are excited to perform at Madison Square Garden, he says. - New York Newsday-6-2-05
N.D.I.A. tonight opened up for the 2005 Bollywood Movie Award Show at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. With the help of the group 180, they performed the song "Saved in India" which blended a sound of Indian, rap and rock music. Many of the elite of the Bollywood movie industry were on hand to celebrate a night of dance and Indian cinematography. NDIA and 180 together had the people standing on their feet to get the night started. - NewDeliverance.com-4-30-05
For the first time in the city of Courantyne Berbice, Guyana, NDIA together with help of PYFA, MCF worship team and Wize of Frontlynaz, put together an outreach concert. There was close to 1000 people who were in attendance. NDIA was truly amazed by this experience of Cross-Cultural ministry. - www.PYFA.org- 6-10-06
Discography
Aftermath-LP 2000
NDIA-Promo- EP-2003
The Calling-LP- Coming soon
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
New Deliverance In America (N.D.I.A)
�In the Midst of Destruction, there�s Deliverance�
In 1998 God brought together these 4 MC's (D.O.C, Big Kuppa, Snypa, Godson) with the same vision to see His kingdom grow and empower the youth of today. In March 2000, they released their first CD "Aftermath" with Inner Soul Records. Their music has reached radio stations throughout the country and has been in the hands of Sports athletes like Allan Houston, to music moguls like P Diddy, to Gospel greats like Kirk Franklin and to people of all kinds. NDIA has performed on the same stage as Aretha Franklin, Viki Winans and Hezekiah Walker. They have had the opportunity to travel to cities through out the country and also to Corentyne Berbice, Guyana for a concert attended by one thousand people. In May of 2005 NDIA opened up the Bollywood Movie Award show, which is the Indian version of the Academy Awards, in Atlantic City, NJ. This event was broadcasted to almost 50 Million people all over the world. Just recently they were awarded Best Rap Group at the 2005 McDonalds Gospel Fest held in Madison Square Garden. They have brought the message of Hope to all races and cultures impacting many lives along the way in the last 7 years. They are currently working on they�re second album which will be released in Spring of 2006.
N.D.I.A. Personal Bio�s
Phil �Big Kuppa� Varghese- �Your the Best a man can Get like Gillette, Your Words are razor sharp/ So I�m a rep till my very last Breath, See this games not roulette, But I�ll place all my chips on the One who beat sin with death�
An MC with his Heart set on being a servant for the Almighty One, Phil was born and raised in Queens, NY. The son of South Indian Keralites who immigrated to NYC in the 70s, Phil grew up in the church but did not fully know Christ as his savior until the age of 19. After experiencing some of what the world had to offer, Phil saw that the grace and mercy that Jesus offered at the cross was so much more valuable. Currently Phil leads the Youth Group at St. Thomas Evangelical in Queens, while attending Alliance Theological Seminary part time and works full time for an Advertising agency in NYC. Phil knows that God has led him into this non-traditional ministry and he is just following the path which was planned out for him before the beginning of time.
Jorgy � D.O.C.(Disciple of Christ)� Mathew- � thought less of the thoughtless thoughts that I been thinking, fought less of the faultless life that He was living , now I been given this chance, until my very last glance, everthing I do for Him, My last stance.� D.O.C., saved by the grace of Almighty Christ, grew up �knowing� of Jesus Christ, but did not come know him as his Lord and Savior until 1998. Lost and spiraling downward, even with all the graces provided for him; D.O.C. found himself embedded in drugs and alcohol. He was taken to the point where he was stabbed and in the E.R before he finally began to answer to the Lord calling him. Lifted only by His grace; D.O.C. set forth to use his God given talents for the Lord. Currently D.O.C. is happily married, and is in his 3rd year of residency as an E.R. physician in the Bronx, NY. He will continue to blaze tracks for the LORD, allowing God to use him by any means possible to serve Him in this generation.
ROB S.N.I.P.A. (Spittin Necessary Intelligence Praisin� Adonai)-- Robin P. Simon
Robin Simon was raised in South Jamaica, Queens. After coming from India at a young age Rob learned the hard reality's of life of someone being raised in the rough streets. Though he was apart of the World he knew there was a tugging at his heart to be different and to do the Lord�s work. He played the drums at a young age and was the drummer of many local bands in New York. It was however, Hip Hop music that was his love. In 1998 God called him out to be a Hip Hop Evangelist.
Robin has been married for 4 years and is very active in his church Christ Assembly of God. He works for Bloomberg and is not only an M.C., he is also the producer of many of the music of N.D.I.A.
Godson (Finney K. Varughese)
Finney Varughese felt the calling on his life at a very young age. Born and raised in Queens New York he went through the same struggles as any young person growing up today. Once one of the ringleaders of a local crew that caused trouble in the neighborhood now he speaks the message of Jesus to those who have followed in his footsteps. The Lord has taken Godson to Preach all around the World, from New York, Trinidad to even remote 3rd World Nations like Ethiopia. Finney is an active member of Gateway World Christian Center where he serves as a youth director and serves in a Youth Pastoral role for the second service. He also served for the past 5 years as a Youth Coordinator for a Youth Organization called P.Y.F.A. (Pentecostal Youth Fellowship of America www.pyfa.org) which brings youths fr
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