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The best kept secret in music
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Do you sometimes feel like you are fumbling through life with no clear destination, simply trying to find your way? Imagine being locked up for days in a “pitch-black” room knocking over priceless belongings. Instead of possessions, many of us simply waste time stumbling down the wrong paths and making ill-advised decisions hoping at one point the “light” will come on and, suddenly, this clear route will abruptly emerge. It doesn’t take long to discover as a Christian that you can have a relationship with Jesus Christ and still be walking in a level of darkness.
Did you know that there are plenty of Christian emcees struggling with their relationship with God? There are a growing number of artists in this industry who are fighting to stay out of compromising positions. Unfortunately, many fight and lose these battles daily. The gap between the way the average secular artist and the average Christian emcee live their life is rapidly closing. More than ever Christians in this industry face intense pressure to conform to ungodly standards. No matter what God has called you to do, we all need people in our lives that can help keep us headed down the right track. In various ways this is the job of the local church.
Before I go on, I think it’s critical for me to ask you this question: how is your relationship with your pastor? Did you know that he/she is suppose to be your “spiritual covering”? In other words, your pastor is not just a man or woman you go hear preach on a Sunday morning, but an individual who gives you guidance, encouragement, and correction. As I talked with the Ziklag Boys, I got the impression that they take their relationship with their pastor (Dr. Creflo A. Dollar) seriously as they have allowed him to play a very critical role in the development of their ministry over the years.
It’s apparent that the Bible tells us to be connected to a quality church so we can grow as Believers and use our different gifts and talents to service God within that local congregation. Even though most Christians attend church, they don’t always benefit from the counselor and accountability that can flow from having a quality pastor. This has been one of the keys to the success of the Ziklag Boys as they have received counseling, accountability, and valuable resources from their pastor that has helped them move forward with their ministry.
The Ziklag Boys are a squad of sold-out Believers who currently reside in the Atlanta area and are making some “noise,” especially in the South, with their new album “Raw and Uncut 2.” This crew consist of three members (Tico Hudson aka Khul Rhema, Brain Nichols aka King E, and Matthew Folson aka TAO). These three rappers came together at Dr. Creflo Dollar’s World Changers Ministry in College Park, Georgia. After about three years of being together, they seem to finally be starting to flourish. The Ziklag Boys give part of the credit to their success to how God has utilized their pastor and other members of their church.
The assistance and guidance they have received from their church was something that they were proud to talk about during our interview. Here is what the Ziklag Boys had to say about the influence Pastor Dollar has had on their ministry: “Our pastor met with us after hearing our first single Money Comin. He ended up sharing with us different ways he felt lead to support our ministry. As a result, 5,000 copies of our single were sold in 6 weeks. He also helped us make a video that he shows around the country at different places he goes to minister and he also promotes our ministry to his congregation. This has allowed us to get some exposure that we normally wouldn’t get if we were not connected to his ministry.” As we continued to talk, I also discovered that their pastor was also the one who give them the name “Ziklag Boys.”
Whatever role your pastor plays in your life, it’s imperative to submit your future plans to him. Unfortunately, most Christians don’t know how to relate to their pastor past being taught by him in church. The Zikilag Boys offer this advice when asked about successful ways to relate to your spiritual leader: “Not only should you submit your plans to your pastor but you should really listen to what he has say to you. For instance, if you are trying to become a Christian emcee, your pastor could tell you that you are called to do something else. His advice could be valuable to you accomplishing God’s plan for your life. Unfortunately, there are some who don’t want to submit to their pastor not realizing that submitting to the spiritual authority God has placed over you could be the key to God prospering your life”. Whatever you do, don’t try to be a “lone ranger”.
Remember that there is safety in the multitude of counsel. It’s wise to surround yourself with people who know God and have your best interest in mind. Life is too difficult to struggle through daily challenges by yourself. Most Christians end up living a life with no real godly purpose because they fail to submit themselves to the different authority figures God has placed in their lives. There are simply some decisions you shouldn’t be making alone. The Ziklag Boys’ ministry is a testimony to this as God continues to move their calling in the right direction. If you don’t like the path your life is on, maybe you should pray about talking to your pastor. - wtwmagazine.com
Atlanta is known for its eclectic mix of Dirty South, Crunk Music and innovative Hip Hop with such artists as Outkast, Ludacris, Lil' John, Bone Crusher and many more. There is definitely room for a group of Dirty South styled rappers who rep for the Lord.
That’s where Ziglag comes in.
Ziklag consists of Brian Nichols (aka King E), Matthew Folson (aka T.A.O.) and Tico Hudson (aka Khul Rhema) The name was given to the group by Pastor Creflo Dollar, and refers to the dwellers of Ziklag of ancient Israel, the mighty men of valor who served King David.
Ziglag drops Raw & UnCut Vol 2, an album chock full of rapid-fire lyrics, high energy beats and hype chats that is taking the south and beyond by storm. The album was almost produced entirely by member Tico Hudson.
Things get cracking with the autobiographical “Ziklag Boys” and the expressive title cut. These two songs are sure to make you bounce in your ride as the boys deliver their exciting rhymes and Tico lays tracks that would get any secular club jumping.
Ziklag show their enthusiasm for the power of the Holy Spirit on “The Ghost”, and then their versatility on the fast-paced R&P tinged “Think About You”. Atlanta’s Canton Jones croons through “Last Night” as each member of Ziklag showcase their lighter flows.
On "Souljah", Ziklag samples the old hymn "I'm a Soldier" (as sung by the Together As One Hymn Choir —see album review) and brands it with their own flava. They also bring in a little bit of Stevie Wonder on "Think About You", a quick-flow praise cut with soul stylings.
Verity artist Debra Killings (see album review —another fellow Atlantan— guests on the smooth R&P gem “Love” as each man of Ziklag express their love and affection for the Lord. This song is nice as two of the guys do a combination of singing and rapping.
For those who love the super-fast club Hip Hop, check out the fun “Da Kingdom” and the bonus track “Money Cometh”. Also check out “No Weapon (Keep Steppin)” and “New Money”.
This is an album to investigate, and ATL again shows itself to be a city full of innovative lyricists. Ziklag bring an album of great music, God-centered lyrics and an album encouraging those who are lost to join the winning team.
- Gospelflava.com
Discography
Money Comin' (2002) single released by Creflo Dollar - sold nearly 10,000 units.
Raw & Uncut (2002) EP (pre-release) by Ziklag Ministries
Raw & Uncut, Vol. 2 (2003) LP released by Ziklag Ministries
Money Comin', Raw & Uncut and other cuts from the LP are getting regular airplay on various urban gospel radio shows including Atlanta's Hot107.9 Crunk for Christ show, and other internet radio stations.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
"For they were all mighty men of valor, and they were captains in the army . . ." (1 Chron. 12:21). Who are they? They are those who dwelt in Ziklag, a land inherited by David, which " . . . has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day" (1 Sam. 27:6).
Today their spirits live on through the Ziklag Boyz - a group of three young men petitioned by GOD to proclaim the mighty power of His Son, Jesus, who sets free those held captive by the enemy. Tico Hudson (aka Khul Rhema) from Albany, GA, Brian Nichols (aka King E) of Atlanta, GA, and Matthew Folson (aka T.A.O.) from Jacksonville, FL, united in 2001 to form this group of holy souljahs now known as Ziklag.
The genesis of this Holy Hip-Hop trio began with the Word of the Lord. In 1996, Rhema (founding member of the group and graduate of Fort Valley State), found himself homeless on the streets of California, selling drugs and disappointed by a broken dream of becoming an urban music producer. Nevertheless, his hope was restored when his uncle told him about the yoke-destroying power of GOD. Hudson then submitted his life to Jesus and heard the clear, audible voice of GOD say, "Through you, multitudes will be ushered into the Kingdom." A few days later, he heard the voice of GOD again say, "This is what I want you to do," as he listened to Holy Hip Hop music for the first time. He persisted to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and pursue his calling. In the midst of his Christian growth, the Lord repeatedly showed him a vision of three men standing unharmed in a fiery furnace with a fourth man who was undoubtedly Jesus. However, these three men were not Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego of the Bible story found in Daniel 3. They were the three men who now form Ziklag.
Four years later, Rhema met King E. In that year, 2000, King rededicated his life to Jesus. Although he was saved at the age of five, he did not develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He appeared to be headed for success as a graduate of Albany State University and secular rap artist who promoted positive living. However, he realized that his life was meaningless without Christ as he heard a message by Dr. Creflo A. Dollar, Jr., Senior Pastor of World Changers Church International entitled, " The Blessing of the Lord Makes One Rich, And He Adds No Sorrow With It." From this moment forward, he decided to live for Christ and change his lyrics so that others would know the message of salvation.
The third member to join Ziklag in 2001 is T.A.O. (acronym for 'tenacious, anointed and optimistic'.) he also had a dream of becoming a secular rap artist, but in his pursuit he embraced a lifestyle of gang violence, hardcore drugs and alcohol. His vision was blurred by these addictions and desires of life. He was so heavily involved in selling drugs that he was arrested and spent six months in jail. While in jail, TAO decided to live a legitimate lifestyle. After his release, he worked, tried several relationships and eventually traveled the country as a secular rap artist. Yet, this too failed and he lost his will to live. Deep inside his heart he knew that GOD could fix his situation. So he attended WCCI and gave his life to Jesus Christ. Since then, TAO has taken a moral stand against the very things that brought his life to turmoil. In addition, he is now happily married to Monique Folson whom he also met at WCCI. TAO became the final member of the group, which was originally called MoDan Conquerors.
In the same year, the group recorded their first demo entitled, "the Demo, " which included the acclaimed "Money Comin'". It reached the ears of Dr. Dollar who approached them and said, "GOD told me to call you Ziklag . . . the place where David recovered all." They entered into an agreement with Dr. Dollar for the single and music video, Money Comin'. As a result, nearly 5,000 copies were sold in the first six weeks. Ziklag's first album, Raw and Uncut, Vol. 2, was released June 27, 2003 independently and has sold over 14,000 units to date.
Recently, Ziklag was nominated for a Grammy Award for their single, "Raw & Uncut," featured on the compilation, "Taking the Gospel to the Streets," released by HHH Inc./EMI Gospel. Inspired by the strength and message of the song, Allan Houston of New York Knicks fame, executively produced the music video for "Raw & Uncut." Christopher "Play" Martin of the hit 90s group, "Kid n' Play," directed the video. The compilation, with "Raw & Uncut" as its' single, has charted as high as #15 on the Gospel Billboard charts.
In February 2004, Ziklag was released as a featured artist alongside other top Christian recording artists Yolanda Adams, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin and others, on the soundtrack and direct to DVD/Home Video movie entitled Higher Ground. They are presently entertaining contract offers from quite a few labels and distribution companies: Aquemeni Records (Outkast), BME (Lil' Jon) and Central South Distribution, to name a f
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