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A longtime EEW Magazine favorite, Da' T.R.U.T.H. is back with more intensity, passion, and
openness than ever. One of Christian rap's most gifted and fluid lyricists, the Philly native was
sorely missed as he bowed out for a season to regroup, recharge, and refocus following a very
public brush with his own human frailty.
One of Christian Hip Hop's most influential artists graced EEW Magazine's 10 Men Leading the
Way list back in 2009 and this time, he's back. And after chatting one-on-one with the veteran
rapper, it is obvious that he is stronger, wiser, and better. With baited breath, avid supporters of
his ministry await his new release "The Whole Truth" scheduled to drop on Xist Music,
September 13, 2011.
Read what this man of God, who has come through one of the most trying seasons of his life had
to say about his journey from a dark place to his place of renewed destiny.
His new label, Xist Music, headed up by Sean Simmonds, isn't where Da' T.R.U.T.H. expected to
be after nearly losing everything due to an adulteress affair that turned his world upside down.
In fact, for a time, the rapper didn't expect to be anywhere. He had all but given up on any hope
of returning to the Christian rap scene and had no desire for it. "I had absolutely no interest in
Xist, but not because there was anything wrong with Xist, but because I had no interest in
anything musical at that time. At that time I was on sabbatical. I had a lot of question marks that
were still looming, because I didn’t know [what God was going to do]. I knew God wanted to
continue to use me, but I didn’t know in what capacity. I didn’t know if it was still going to be a
high profile ministry. I didn’t know to what degree it would be music ministry. I was filling out
applications for regular jobs."
He went from touring around the world with dates booked solid to looking for a nine-to-five. But
God already knew the path T.R.U.T.H. would travel. Looking retrospectively, the newly
rebounded rapper can see how the seeds were sown a year prior to his fall, that would later
develop into a relationship with Xist Music. "I met Sean on tour in Europe," remembers
T.R.U.T.H. "We were up there for 2 weeks and I didn’t know who he was prior to that tour. But
it was an absolute privilege to watch him every night—watch him minister, watch him perform.
So we got a chance to really develop a relationship during that time, or at least, the start of a
relationship at that time. When we were on tour, I knew he had a label and was doing a lot of
things outside of performing, but I didn’t know to what extent."
Of course, he would later find out. But even after learning more about Sean Simmonds and Xist
Music, Da' T.R.U.T.H. wasn't too intrigued by any of it. "I was focusing on personal wellness
and wholeness, and focusing on the wellness and wholeness of my family. I was really in a
season of repair and so, I didn’t want to hear anything about anybody’s label at that time!
(Laughs) I really didn’t. I didn’t want to hear about music, nothing at the time. I had actually sent
Sean some stuff I had recorded during that season, but I was not recording as an artist. I was
recording because it was cathartic, you know. I was writing and recording because it was
therapy for me. It was a place where I could get all my feelings out, what I was thinking, feeling,
my experiences so forth and so on. But once he got the music, he called me back and said,
you’ve got to be signed to this label. So we went back and forth for a long time, because I didn’t
have any interest in it. At the same time, there were some other labels, gospel labels, trying to
court me and again, no interest."
What he did have an interest in, however, was the word of God, Godly counsel, and time spent in
God's presence. During such a depressing season of uncertainty and personal transition,
T.R.U.T.H. experienced what it was like to literally live on a Matthew 4:4 diet, by every word
that proceeds out of the mouth of God. "I kept running into these passages that were just what I
needed. The thing is, I didn’t know where they were, so I didn't know where to find them. It
wasn't like I heard anybody do a sermon on restoration and say look at these passages. I just
kept running into them," he recalls.
"God was just really giving me a word and I think the word really gave me the strength and the
sense to say, it wasn’t over, that regardless to how many people might have counted me out or
whatever, I kept looking in the Bible and seeing something different. And I’m going to tell you
from a pragmatic standpoint. My wife and I were going through counseling at the time and our
counselors, they would not let up. Now, we’re in counseling for our marriage but the counselors,
every other week, somehow, some way, they would end up saying something to me by the end of
it—something like, I’ll just give you an example—'Son,' this is what the Bishop said to me. He
said, 'Son, there’s a vacancy in the industry right now. He said that you are supposed to fill. And
he kept speaking that into my life. He kept speaking that to me. Every other week, he kept
speaking it. And you’ve got to try to imagine, I’m confused in this season of my life. I don’t know
what I’m supposed to be doing. I don’t know what’s next for me. So I keep running into all these
passages and I’ve got him basically, constantly saying [this to me]. So I asked him, well, how
long? If God is going to use me, how long should I stay seated? So, we talked about the time lines
and that’s when I started feeling like, okay, this is going to happen. I am going to go back. Then
God really used CeCe at that time, he really used J. Moss at that time. And J. Moss was critical
for me in that season and CeCe also was critical for me in that season, just in terms of
strengthening me as a minister. J. Moss would text me everyday, live again. Live again. Live
again. That’s what he would text me everyday. And this is when I was at the bottom-bottom.
J. Moss would text me everyday, call me, you know, you’re not dead and just [send]
exhortations and encouragements. So I think just the combination of all those things together,
just gave me the strength to actually come back."
And come back he did. After praying about it, fellowshiping with the Xist family, being offered a
sweet deal, and seeing his good friend The Ambassador ink a deal with Xist, Da' T.R.U.T.H.
finally felt comfortable joining the family. "Something in me clicked after my fall where I just
got tired of being out there by myself. You know the Lord did a lot and continues to do a lot
through me as well as others, but it could get real lonely out there. People see you on television
and stuff, but it can get really lonely out there, even when you’re surrounded by a lot of people it
can get a little bit lonely. So, something in me coming back wanted to come back a part of
something bigger than myself."
Now that the urban evangelist's comeback is right on track, he's using his September release to
take listeners back to those dark days many leaders don't dare share. "I’m being very open and
honest and vulnerable, and vocal. And the reason why I deemed it important to really use this
record to be an open book is because I think that often times people see when leaders fall, they
see the death of the leader or they see the lowest point of the leader, or the highest point of the
leader," he explains. "And I thought it very important, necessary even, to chronicle the journey
in between. The stuff that happened in between time, in between that place of utter brokenness
and [feeling like] I’ve failed, and I’ve disappointed people, and I’m broken, and my family is a
mess; in between that point and where people see me now, is what you’ll hear on the album."
Though this leader has put his darkest days behind him, he still admits that he struggles to re-
adjust to the glaring spotlight public ministry places on him. "Now I’ll be honest. Every time I
stand, even today, I’m still shaking," he confesses. And yet, despite what others may think, feel,
and expect, T.R.U.T.H. remains focused on the most important thing. "I really care ultimately,
more about what God wants than what people want. I really do."
Visit Da' T.R.U.T.H. online at DaTruth.net. Twitter: @TruthOnDuty
Article & Interview by Dianna Hobbs, EEW Magazine Founder & Editor In Chief
openness than ever. One of Christian rap's most gifted and fluid lyricists, the Philly native was
sorely missed as he bowed out for a season to regroup, recharge, and refocus following a very
public brush with his own human frailty.
One of Christian Hip Hop's most influential artists graced EEW Magazine's 10 Men Leading the
Way list back in 2009 and this time, he's back. And after chatting one-on-one with the veteran
rapper, it is obvious that he is stronger, wiser, and better. With baited breath, avid supporters of
his ministry await his new release "The Whole Truth" scheduled to drop on Xist Music,
September 13, 2011.
Read what this man of God, who has come through one of the most trying seasons of his life had
to say about his journey from a dark place to his place of renewed destiny.
His new label, Xist Music, headed up by Sean Simmonds, isn't where Da' T.R.U.T.H. expected to
be after nearly losing everything due to an adulteress affair that turned his world upside down.
In fact, for a time, the rapper didn't expect to be anywhere. He had all but given up on any hope
of returning to the Christian rap scene and had no desire for it. "I had absolutely no interest in
Xist, but not because there was anything wrong with Xist, but because I had no interest in
anything musical at that time. At that time I was on sabbatical. I had a lot of question marks that
were still looming, because I didn’t know [what God was going to do]. I knew God wanted to
continue to use me, but I didn’t know in what capacity. I didn’t know if it was still going to be a
high profile ministry. I didn’t know to what degree it would be music ministry. I was filling out
applications for regular jobs."
He went from touring around the world with dates booked solid to looking for a nine-to-five. But
God already knew the path T.R.U.T.H. would travel. Looking retrospectively, the newly
rebounded rapper can see how the seeds were sown a year prior to his fall, that would later
develop into a relationship with Xist Music. "I met Sean on tour in Europe," remembers
T.R.U.T.H. "We were up there for 2 weeks and I didn’t know who he was prior to that tour. But
it was an absolute privilege to watch him every night—watch him minister, watch him perform.
So we got a chance to really develop a relationship during that time, or at least, the start of a
relationship at that time. When we were on tour, I knew he had a label and was doing a lot of
things outside of performing, but I didn’t know to what extent."
Of course, he would later find out. But even after learning more about Sean Simmonds and Xist
Music, Da' T.R.U.T.H. wasn't too intrigued by any of it. "I was focusing on personal wellness
and wholeness, and focusing on the wellness and wholeness of my family. I was really in a
season of repair and so, I didn’t want to hear anything about anybody’s label at that time!
(Laughs) I really didn’t. I didn’t want to hear about music, nothing at the time. I had actually sent
Sean some stuff I had recorded during that season, but I was not recording as an artist. I was
recording because it was cathartic, you know. I was writing and recording because it was
therapy for me. It was a place where I could get all my feelings out, what I was thinking, feeling,
my experiences so forth and so on. But once he got the music, he called me back and said,
you’ve got to be signed to this label. So we went back and forth for a long time, because I didn’t
have any interest in it. At the same time, there were some other labels, gospel labels, trying to
court me and again, no interest."
What he did have an interest in, however, was the word of God, Godly counsel, and time spent in
God's presence. During such a depressing season of uncertainty and personal transition,
T.R.U.T.H. experienced what it was like to literally live on a Matthew 4:4 diet, by every word
that proceeds out of the mouth of God. "I kept running into these passages that were just what I
needed. The thing is, I didn’t know where they were, so I didn't know where to find them. It
wasn't like I heard anybody do a sermon on restoration and say look at these passages. I just
kept running into them," he recalls.
"God was just really giving me a word and I think the word really gave me the strength and the
sense to say, it wasn’t over, that regardless to how many people might have counted me out or
whatever, I kept looking in the Bible and seeing something different. And I’m going to tell you
from a pragmatic standpoint. My wife and I were going through counseling at the time and our
counselors, they would not let up. Now, we’re in counseling for our marriage but the counselors,
every other week, somehow, some way, they would end up saying something to me by the end of
it—something like, I’ll just give you an example—'Son,' this is what the Bishop said to me. He
said, 'Son, there’s a vacancy in the industry right now. He said that you are supposed to fill. And
he kept speaking that into my life. He kept speaking that to me. Every other week, he kept
speaking it. And you’ve got to try to imagine, I’m confused in this season of my life. I don’t know
what I’m supposed to be doing. I don’t know what’s next for me. So I keep running into all these
passages and I’ve got him basically, constantly saying [this to me]. So I asked him, well, how
long? If God is going to use me, how long should I stay seated? So, we talked about the time lines
and that’s when I started feeling like, okay, this is going to happen. I am going to go back. Then
God really used CeCe at that time, he really used J. Moss at that time. And J. Moss was critical
for me in that season and CeCe also was critical for me in that season, just in terms of
strengthening me as a minister. J. Moss would text me everyday, live again. Live again. Live
again. That’s what he would text me everyday. And this is when I was at the bottom-bottom.
J. Moss would text me everyday, call me, you know, you’re not dead and just [send]
exhortations and encouragements. So I think just the combination of all those things together,
just gave me the strength to actually come back."
And come back he did. After praying about it, fellowshiping with the Xist family, being offered a
sweet deal, and seeing his good friend The Ambassador ink a deal with Xist, Da' T.R.U.T.H.
finally felt comfortable joining the family. "Something in me clicked after my fall where I just
got tired of being out there by myself. You know the Lord did a lot and continues to do a lot
through me as well as others, but it could get real lonely out there. People see you on television
and stuff, but it can get really lonely out there, even when you’re surrounded by a lot of people it
can get a little bit lonely. So, something in me coming back wanted to come back a part of
something bigger than myself."
Now that the urban evangelist's comeback is right on track, he's using his September release to
take listeners back to those dark days many leaders don't dare share. "I’m being very open and
honest and vulnerable, and vocal. And the reason why I deemed it important to really use this
record to be an open book is because I think that often times people see when leaders fall, they
see the death of the leader or they see the lowest point of the leader, or the highest point of the
leader," he explains. "And I thought it very important, necessary even, to chronicle the journey
in between. The stuff that happened in between time, in between that place of utter brokenness
and [feeling like] I’ve failed, and I’ve disappointed people, and I’m broken, and my family is a
mess; in between that point and where people see me now, is what you’ll hear on the album."
Though this leader has put his darkest days behind him, he still admits that he struggles to re-
adjust to the glaring spotlight public ministry places on him. "Now I’ll be honest. Every time I
stand, even today, I’m still shaking," he confesses. And yet, despite what others may think, feel,
and expect, T.R.U.T.H. remains focused on the most important thing. "I really care ultimately,
more about what God wants than what people want. I really do."
Visit Da' T.R.U.T.H. online at DaTruth.net. Twitter: @TruthOnDuty
Article & Interview by Dianna Hobbs, EEW Magazine Founder & Editor In Chief
SPECIAL VIDEO PRESENTATION
EEW Magazine's Founder & Editor In Chief, Dianna
Hobbs shares her thoughts on the Christian Hip Hop
movement and EEW's 2011 "10 Men Leading the
Way" list. Watch below.
EEW Magazine's Founder & Editor In Chief, Dianna
Hobbs shares her thoughts on the Christian Hip Hop
movement and EEW's 2011 "10 Men Leading the
Way" list. Watch below.
SHARE:
Press Announcement:
OFFICIAL PARTNER:
DA' T.R.U.T.H.
XIST MUSIC ARTIST
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