Some people were surprised when underground rapper and MegaHertz (MHz) crew member Copywrite recently told Allhiphop.com he had rededicated his life to Jesus and didn’t want his Christian fans to buy his new God Save the King album (which drops February 28) because “I don’t want people to think you can live on both sides of the fence.”
But there were also those who have always found the rapper to be a walking contradiction and could only offer a Kanye shrug. As for the artist himself, he admits that he often says one thing and does another.
“Even now, people see me and Jakki [Da Mota Mouth], who got me saved, in the video for ‘Swaggot Killaz’ drinking and stuff and say ‘Oh, that’s your boy? They don’t look like Christians.’ And I have to agree with them. It makes me look like a total hypocrite, which I am, but that’s just part of being human. But at the same time, that’s no excuse,” Copywrite said.
“It’s tough having one foot in the secular rap world and having this last album which you have to promote and whatever. It’s just that this isn’t me anymore.
“I mean, I know the Lord. I know how serious He is and how real He is. This isn’t something I do to boost my self esteem and make me feel better. He is seriously God. He requires certain things. And once you know better, we’re held more accountable than the people who don’t.
“It sucks trying to shake this last bit of muck off my shoe if you will.”
It’s certainly a precarious situation for a rapper who may be potentially alienating his fervent fanbase.
“It’s not in my best interest as someone who is selling a product to say ‘don’t listen to this.’ But I can’t lie.
“I mean, artistically, it’s my best album yet – lyrically, beatwise, everything, it’s incredible. But it feeds my spirit nothing. There are three songs on there I like but I’m working on the next thing.”
Such conviction is even restricting his performance of songs from his back catalog and this new album.
“I’m not going walk with God offstage and pray to Him and try to do His will (though I sin, though I stumble, though I have sinful thoughts I can’t control) all day and then stand on stage and do these songs that are continuing all this stupidity. It feels like putting on old, bloody, disgusting clothes.”
He’s not pulling a Ma$e and letting his faith take him totally out of the game though.
“I’m still going to make hip hop. I feel like I’ve been an MC who has evolved. A lot of people used to call me a ‘battle MC’ or ‘punchline MC.’ I knew that wasn’t all I was, but I had to show them. Now I think it’s a challenge to write about anything in the world you can think of.
“I’m going to write and try to break new ground from the perspective of a Christian. You can call it Christian rap. I am a Christian – that’s for sure. I make no bones about that, I don’t hide it, and am so proud of that – and I rap. I would be flattered and humbled if God called it ‘Christian rap.’ So if Man wants to use that term that’s cool.”
Outside of a track or two, that version of Copywrite has yet to be heard. Instead, the public is left to digest God Save the King tracks like “Love” featuring MHz member Tage Future and a non-album cuts like “So Serious” featuring *gulp* Gucci Mane.
“It’s old. I just wanted to throw that out there because I’m not going to put it on any album. But I do that in hopes that people will want to see what else I’m going to put out and it will reach people who don’t know who I am.
“I like surprises. I like to trip people out. I think it’s fun.”
And fun it is. On “So Serious” and throughout God Save the King, Copywrite is indeed throwing around rewind-worthy lyrics like “I scream on your face like Gucci Mane,” “She has Daddy issues / like an old SOURCE Magazine with a Juice Crew article,” and “Changing my mind on the fly / like I picked up the swatter.”
It’s a talent one definitely hopes doesn’t get downplayed with his newfound focus on evangelism. Copywrite fans may also be praying that his renewed faith won’t preclude any future collaboration with his former rhyme partners in either The Weathermen or MegaHertz.
“I’m not mad at anybody. There’s nobody that I harness ill will towards. And that’s not just for the sake of doing music, but what the Lord commands and what feels better. If they want to accept my apology, that’s cool because it’s definitely on the table. If not, no worries.
“And almost everyone in MegaHertz is a Christian. I’ve been really blessed to have that kind of fellowship. I have friends that were in the original MegaHertz lineup that have even gone on to go to school for theology,” Copywrite said.
Copywrite says he’s thankful to the fans that have stuck by him and hopes they will continue to do that as he walks his new path. But even if they don’t, he said he prays they will see the light.
“I don’t want to chase people away with the Bible, but I care about them. And I have to constantly work on myself every day because I’m no better than anybody else. In fact, I’m probably even worse.”
And so ends a conversation with Copywrite. A man whose “hypocritical” story, and now even his words, sound an awful lot like the Apostle Paul.
Copywrite’s new album ‘God Save The King’ is on sale now through (among others) UGHH and digitally on iTunes.
