Baliva Music

Filming a Music Video for Baliva We are filming a music video in London. Would be great to have you...

Tue, 29 May 2012 17:22:35 +0100

Filming a Music Video for Baliva

We are filming a music video in London. Would be great to have you join in the fun!!! Text your name to 07903343988 for location details

https://www.facebook.com/events/225525850898738/

The Baliva Music Show - Summer Soundtrack In light of the lovely weather we are having in the UK,...

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:47:00 +0100

The Baliva Music Show - Summer Soundtrack

In light of the lovely weather we are having in the UK, the Baliva Music Show has released a ONE OFF summer radio show with a summer soundtrack to play as you enjoy the summer. This episode will be available as long as the weather is good, so you better download it before the rain comes. Peace out!

This free mixtape is highly recommended for any hiphop lover Download it here

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:21:00 +0100

This free mixtape is highly recommended for any hiphop lover Download it here

BALIVA IN LOCAL TIMES PAPER A reverend says “hip-hop is the liturgy of the future” as he...

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:03:00 +0100

BALIVA IN LOCAL TIMES PAPER

A reverend says “hip-hop is the liturgy of the future” as he successfully launches an evening service with a musical twist. Offering people the chance to worship in style, Rev Peter Cooper welcomed approximately 50 people to his first Urban Praze service at Mill Hill East Church in Salcombe Gardens last night. Leading an informal sermon based on the Bible, Rev Cooper was accompanied by Christian rapper Mark Johnes, aka Baliva, who encouraged the congregation to sing-along and worship through hip-hop. Read more on the Times Newspaper.

WHY DOES THEOLOGY EVEN MATTER “Most of us tend to think that theology is a waste of time,...

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 12:28:07 +0100

WHY DOES THEOLOGY EVEN MATTER

“Most of us tend to think that theology is a waste of time, discussing theological terms like doctrine, trinity, atonement, creation etc can seem like an intimidating waste of time in light of the pending task of evangelising the lost. Studying or discussing doctrine often brings connotation’s of arrogant intellectuals who don’t live out their faith so the response is normally ignoring theology but it has been greatly misunderstood. “Theology is one of the most important tasks that everyone should take part in. It is not for church leaders only, theology matters to everyone.”

What is theology ?

The word Theology means “the study of God”, it is the process by which Christians study the bible with the aim to get to know who God says he is. God has revealed himself primarily through the written word of the bible and this is where we go so we can know who he is and what he wants from us. It is important that our lifestyle is influenced by everything God says because living contrary to God’s word is sin.

studying GOD is Intellectual

Studying God involves thinking and this is often seen as “too intellectual” so most people tend to shy away from this as it does not appear spiritual. When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” So we see that Jesus has emphasised an intellectual aspect to our relationship with him, as important as they are, there is a big danger when we only rely on our hearts, feelings or opinions when defining who God is, it is important to learn from the facts presented to us in the bible and let that be the guide for our hears affection toward God and those around us.

“thinking is for the sake of something greater and that greater is loving God, so the act of loving God will always need right thinking about God” John Piper

Theology Protects us from wrong thinking.

“Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” Proverbs 28:26 (ESV) When we become Christian we come with wrong ideas of the character of God, some of our ideas are actually an offense to God like, “I do things my way” which is pride, or justifying never helping your neighbor which is selfishness etc.

Because of our sin, we are likely to have wrong idea’s of God. Wrong thinking of God can have eternal consequences especially with having an assurance that we are actually real Christians, 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 says “ Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.”

Theology is Spiritual

Studying the bible is a spiritual activity, because “people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means” 1 Corinthians 2:14. So its important before studying to have a faith in Jesus Christ and pray the lord opens our eyes to his word so our thoughts are guided by his spirit as we study. Theology is at the center of all spiritual activity so “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

The fruit of theology is action

“humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. ” James 1:21-25

When we put what we learn into action, we have the capacity to serve our families, communities and cities with integrity. There is a big difference between a crooked lawyer who finds loopholes in the law to help criminals and a lawyer who see’s his work as “unto the lord”, the latter has learnt from the word and knows that he is accountable to God so he will do his best to serve with the highest integrity.

The fruit of theology is humility

In his book “Dug down deep” Joshua Harris says “Ever since the first man and woman in the garden turned from God to gain the sweet, forbidden knowledge offered by the serpent, there has been an inclination in every human heart to pursue knowledge to inflate the self rather than to glorify God.”

It’s a sad reality that most of us who are into theology are very far from humble, scripture tells us that “the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone,able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” The Bible’s consistent message is that apart from God all that belongs to us is God’s wrath but it’s his mercy upon us that has prevented us from being struck down, in fact, God has extended grace towards us through Jesus. The gift of salvation should not leave us boasting in our knowledge of the scriptures, our knowledge of the scriptures should boast of the God of all ages.

theology helps us to follow the great commission.

“Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.” Matthew 28:19-20.

Reaching those who are lost is as important as teaching those who are around us, we study the bible so we can fulfil the second part of the great commission, even if we are not preachers or Evangelists we have the opportunity to take part. So grab a bible, kneel down and pray for understanding and begin to discover all that God will show you.

Audio Bible over HipHop Beats I have recently been listening to the bible over hiphop beats, its an...

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 11:48:00 +0100

Audio Bible over HipHop Beats

I have recently been listening to the bible over hiphop beats, its an amazing way to meditate on the word of God on the move. We listen to music on repeat and remember the lyrics, imagine how cool it would be to remember the word of God. Read the description below and get your free download.

Streetlights is the world’s first urban audio Bible, combining the authentic Word of God in the New Living Translation with a dynamic musical score influenced by the cultures of the inner city. Top recording artists, accomplished music producers, and professional videographers unite to bring you word-for-word Scripture recited to industry standard, street-credible beats. Through this relevant and engaging format, people of all literacy levels will be able to hear, understand, and internalize the Word of God.

DOWNLOAD FREE

BALIVA’S ARTICLE FOR JOHN3:30.co.uk In May 2010 I told my boss that I was planning on leaving...

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:50:00 +0000

BALIVA’S ARTICLE FOR JOHN3:30.co.uk

In May 2010 I told my boss that I was planning on leaving my job to spend a year serving my local church. This was an unpaid year where I would be involved in serving my church’s media team while receiving theological training. There was no degree to be received, no job at the end of it, and I was not looking for either.

I was following God’s call to grow in the word of God and help further the gospel by volunteering at my church on a full time basis. I had no idea what would happen to me or what I would be doing after the voluntary year but all I knew was, God called me to make the first faith step like Abraham did in Genesis.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

BRAND NEW REMIX OF SWIFT <a...

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:26:00 +0000

BRAND NEW REMIX OF SWIFT

<a href=”http://baliva.bandcamp.com/track/swift-falling-remix” data-mce-href=”http://baliva.bandcamp.com/track/swift-falling-remix”>Swift ( Falling Remix) by Baliva</a>

Baliva Preaching at Youth Concert Nottinghamshire

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:18:00 +0000

Baliva Preaching at Youth Concert Nottinghamshire

Listen to Baliva live in Concert from 7:30pm TONIGHT LISTEN LIVE FROM 7:30PM Special thanks...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:41:00 +0000

Listen to Baliva live in Concert from 7:30pm TONIGHT

LISTEN LIVE FROM 7:30PM

Special thanks to Flash Community Radio for broadcasting the concert.

INDEPENDANT MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS BALIVA Written by Sue Bryant Whilst many of today’s...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:46:00 +0000

INDEPENDANT MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS BALIVA

Written by Sue Bryant

Whilst many of today’s bestselling hip hop artists have expressed religious beliefs or made religious themed tracks e.g Jay-Z “Kingdom Come” and Kanye West “Jesus Walks” they are not considered to be Christian rappers as they have not adopted the philosophy of Christianity in its entirety.

In 1985 the first commercially distributed Christian rap album was released. “Bible Break” by Stephen Wiley, a youth minister in Oklahoma, paved the way for other artists such as S.F.C (Soldiers for Christ), P.I.D (Preachers in Disguise) and T-Bone. As mainstream rap became more popular throughout the 1990s so Christian expanded too with artists like D.O.C (Disciples of Christ) and Gospel Gangstaz gaining popularity and the first Gospel rap DJs and record labels appearing.

From 2000 onwards successful gospel singers started to acknowledge the popularity of Gospel Rap and started collaborating with Gospel rappers, the most notable collaboration being Kirk Franklin’s album with 1 nation Crew “Kirk Franklin Presents INC”

Fans of Eminem will know Christian rapper KJ-52 as in 2002 he wrote a track as an open letter to Eminem called “Dear Slim” as a response to “Stan”. In the track KJ-52 appealed to Eminem to turn to Christianity and whilst KJ-52 maintains it wasn’t a diss track it achieved notoriety on MTV and other channels at the time.

The most commercially successful Christian rapper at the moment is Lecrae shoe albums frequently top the Billboard Gospel chart and whose single “Far away” reached number 32 on the iTunes hiphop chart, the highest position by any Christian rapper.

In 2010 (the last full year for which data is available) Christian/Gospel music as a whole out should both Latin and Jazz with sales of physical albums reaching 24.2 million and digital sales increasing by 28.3 %. The Christian Rap/Gospel music industry is clearly a lucrative one and Christian Rap is estimated to make up 25% of the total sales.

With a little more insight into the genre I asked 3 unsigned Christian rappers about their music and their beliefs. Baliva is originally from Zimbabwe but now lives in London, Anthony is from South Carolina and Calik Stillsik is from Detroit

—-
Baliva’s Interview is below but you can also read the full magazine issue here

Sue : How did you get into making music?

Baliva: My friends and I spent a lot of time reciting raps from our favourite artists during school breaks. This led to us writing our own lyrics and eventually we recorded our first cassette mix tape in 1999. We recorded our first single that received airplay on Zimbabwe’s national radio station which motivated me to pursue more opportunities to make music. Two years later I was living in London and was introduced to the Islington Community Music project where I was able to use a professional studio at an affordable cost to record my first demo.

Sue : Did you start out making gospel rap or did it evolve ?

Baliva: I have always written songs about what I felt passionate about. When I started out I wrote a lot about love and relationships. As I got older I wrote more about social justice issues, and when I became a Christian I began to write more about my experience as a Christian. My new music will hopefully be a combination of all three.

Sue : Do you think you deter potential fans by being so open about your religious views ?

Baliva: Yes, I think there are people who are not interested in hearing songs about God and would not be interested in what I have to say. Equally I truly believe there are people out there who are hungry to hear music that causes us to reflect on our life and eternal destiny so I write for them.

Sue : How do you feel about the excessive bad language and sexual imagery used in a lot of rap/hiphop these days ?

Baliva: Artists have a great privilege and responsibility to make music that affects our culture and future generations. I think artists that make music glorifying immorality are selfish as they desensitise current and future generations to these things. Rap/hiphop was not always this way and it would be good to see this turned around again.

Sue : Who or what inspires your lyrics ?

Baliva: I’m inspired by lots of things - people, life experiences, conversations with friends and things I read in the Bible.

Sue : What is the main message behind your lyrics ?

Baliva: That’s a hard one. Each song has a message of its own, but they are all connected in the sense that I would like people to pause and reflect on their lives and their perceptions of the world.

Sue : If a label wanted to sign you but wanted you to drop the Christian image/lyrics how would you react?

Baliva: The idea of being signed is quite exciting as it would mean that my work would be recognised to a greater extent. However, I would have to turn down the offer because I would not like a deal that restricts me creatively. When I started out, getting a record deal was the only way to get heard but thanks to the growth of the internet, it is now possible to start an independent label with a small team and get an audience to hear our message.

Sue : Why do you think it is so hard for gospel rappers to become commercially successful?

Baliva: I think it’s difficult because the gatekeepers are generally not interested in religion, so they do not push it as much. I also think this is a problem because I have found that Christian music is more commercial in places like Africa and some Asian countries than in Western countries. Another reason is that Christian rappers are less likely to compromise for the sake of money. We are driven to make good music that promotes the gospel message. If it goes commercial that is great, if not thats ok, its all about faithfulness to the craft.

Sue : What projects are you currently working on?

Baliva: I am working on a brand new album that will be released on my newly formed label. What does 2012 hold for you? I have a few new songs that will be released in the summer. I am also an avid writer and will be writing articles on Christian living for a few Christian publications.

Sue : What advice would you give to up and coming gospel rappers?

Make sure Jesus is your constant treasure, do a regular motive check because there is a lot of temptation to do this music purely for money, power and fame. Always remember we are a team working together to bring glory to God. I will be writing more articles and posting guest articles on my website to help other gospel artists who are looking to learn more about music ministry.

——

Do check out the full magazine issue here

FEARLESS I am not the same person I was 3 years ago. My perspective on life has been rocked by so...

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 03:26:00 +0000

FEARLESS

I am not the same person I was 3 years ago. My perspective on life has been rocked by so many things I have seen, heard and read. Every area of my life has been crushed and rebuilt for the better.

Every now and then I get into convo’s with people who remember the old me or people who are happy living oblivious to the obvious worldview that is pumped to us from legalists, nominal Christians and the carnally minded.

Some want to drag me back to my old way of thinking and most end up thinking I have lost it and everyone is a critique but all I can do is keep following God’s direction and moving forward regardless of popular opinion. Albert Einstein once said

”Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”

We gotta change if we want to see change, it’s just sad that most of us live in fear of change. We allow the voices (fears) of others to keep us trapped in a state of false safety. Truth be told, God operates in the unseen. He is calling all people to step out in faith!

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the proving of things not seen.

Sometimes we may not see all of God’s purposes in what we do but we need to keep on pressing in faith regardless of clowns who try and turn our faith into fear.

Christian activist Dr Martin Luther King Jr was facing death threats because of his involvement in the civil rights movement. He gave the following speech in response to the death threats. Who would of known this would be his last speech before he was assassinated the next day ?

This man knew he would die soon but he was fighting for something greater than himself. He was fearlessly living to do God’s will regardless of the concequences, even death!

What about your life ? what are you not doing because you are living in fear ? Are you willing to let God make you as bold as a lion or will you let fear cause you to waste your life living a lie ?

STREET SESSIONS WITH BALIVA This verse is from the song “Swift” , You can download it...

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:36:00 +0000

STREET SESSIONS WITH BALIVA

This verse is from the song “Swift” , You can download it here.

BALIVA RAPS AT CAMDEN ROCK Follow Baliva on Twitter or Facebook

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:38:00 +0100

BALIVA RAPS AT CAMDEN ROCK

Follow Baliva on Twitter or Facebook

BALIVA ENDS 2010 SHARING THOUGHTS ON HIS MUSIC AND MINISTRY

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:15:00 +0000

BALIVA ENDS 2010 SHARING THOUGHTS ON HIS MUSIC AND MINISTRY

REFLECTIONS ON BECOMING A CHRISTIAN This post is a reflection on my story of how I became a...

Thu, 13 May 2010 00:30:00 +0100

REFLECTIONS ON BECOMING A CHRISTIAN

This post is a reflection on my story of how I became a Christian, In essence there really is nothing wrong with the desire to enjoy life, make music, be famous or move to a new country, after all these are gifts given to us by God for our enjoyment and his glory,the problem is the motive in the heart, it occurs when we desire these things more than we desire God. This desire ends up becoming worship, sometimes as artists or (Fill in the blank) our hearts can meditate on the following thoughts,

“Music or (Fill in the blank) will deliver me from obscurity by helping me gain exposure and prestige, it will deliver me from a sense of worthlessness by giving me an identity, music will deliver me from poverty by helping me make a living, music will be my God” - Source Unknown.

Romans 1:25 speaks of this behaviour as mankind try to replace God with things and people, “they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself” My dream’s and ambitions may have seemed innocent from the surface but when we dig deeper into the root of these desires we see how these dreams and pursuits were inspired by a covetous heart.

The bible describes covetousness as idolatry, at the root of covetousness is envy… Envy is defined as “A feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by and in conjunction with desire for the possessions or qualities of another.” Dictionary “It can turn into resentment against God and questioning Him: “Why can’t I have what he has, Lord? Don’t you love me enough to give me what I want?” , ”At its very core, envy is love of self “ Source

It starts with the dreams that are sold to us through friends, family or media then our already sinful prone hearts respond with envy as we desire other peoples lives. We become continuously dissatisfied with what we already have and who we are as we compare ourselves to others then misery and depression follow. To remedy the problem we selfishly pursue what we think is needed with the hope that it will satisfy our discontentment but its just a vicious circle. Even If I got to a level where I thought I have “made it”, I am convinced that I would not be satisfied.

Here are the words from one of the richest men that ever lived. “So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.” Ecclesiastes 2:9-11

Just like the writer of Ecclesiastes who achieved what we all desire and more, I learned that everything we achieve on this earth is meaningless without God. Jesus once said “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

“In the end, envy and covetousness are Satan’s tools to distract us from pursuing the only thing that will ever make us happy and content—God Himself” - Source

I realised that God broke me down because I was so prideful, those trials I went through broke me so he could rebuild me through his holy spirit. God desires that we would find our satisfaction in knowing him and using our lives to help those around us.

Jesus said the most important commandment is to Love God and Love others as yourself, when you pursue God above money, sex, ministry, relationships etc you will become content, you will nolonger be selfish, you will be selfless, you will find your identity in him, you will receive the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control etc. He may or may not change your situation but he will certainly change you for the better.

The Christian life is a daily process of learning who God is as we constantly resist sin and enjoy his presence in our lives, it’s not about doing Christian activities or social actions to be made right with God but its about putting our faith in Jesus alone for the salvation of our souls. I leave you with some scriptures to meditate on fromPhilippians 3:7-14 and Romans 3:23-27

HOW I BECAME A CHRISTIAN I was born and raised in Zimbabwe, I knew God existed but never factored...

Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

HOW I BECAME A CHRISTIAN

I was born and raised in Zimbabwe, I knew God existed but never factored him much in my day to day life, you could say I was religious but did not have a personal conviction about God.

The British Dream

Growing up we were heavily influenced by British and American culture primarily through MTV, BET and other media programmes. I heard how great england was and had the opportunity to visit every summer holiday so I had a taste of the life there and could not wait to move to England. I got into music in my last year of school, my friend Ian and I put out a song which got airplay on national radio, we even managed to get a spot at a Channel O festival. So we had our sights set on fame but it would seem the lord had other plans for me, I moved to London in 2001 where I studied media production. During my time in college I was one of the top students in my class, student union president and pursuing a “promising” career in music but hollow inside.

Searching for something

I remember breaking down one day, telling my mother how I was so empty despite my outward success. I remember talking on the phone to my friends back in Harare who spoke of how well I had been doing, but I was never satisfied with my achievements. I had every electronic gadget I dreamed of having, living in the city I had always dreamed of living in but all this did not complete my happiness, I was searching for more. While at a student conference in Blackpool I was befriended by a Christian who also lived in London. A few weeks after I returned to London he invited me to church. My experience was like the story Jesus told in Luke 8:12 “The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.”

There was so much going on in my life at this point that after the service I got swept up in the busyness of life . But this point in my life marked a three year journey that would eventually lead me to become a Christian. My second experience was in 2003 when I met Brandon a pastor who invited me to a bible study where I began to learn more about Jesus. I didn’t realize what I was learning was having an effect on me until one day my mother mentioned to me that I seemed different since I started going to the bible study. I remember going to my first gospel hiphop concert where I heard the testimony of Mista Taylor, after the concert he came to speak to me about living a fully committed life to God. In Luke 8:13 Jesus said “The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.”I knew God wanted me to respond to his call and live completely for him but I was tempted and compromised as I continued to find satisfaction in music, cannabis, money and the pursuit of fame.

The Thorny path

In 2004 I was at my lowest point since moving to England I considered going back home but spoke to friend (Ian, back in Harare) who encouraged me to fight on. That week I went to see the Passion of Christ at the cinema, I didnt think any of my friends would go with me so I went alone because I felt I had to watch it. That night I watched Jesus let people crucify him and yet through the process he had nothing but love for them, he even prayed for them then rose from the dead a few days later. That experience had a tremendous impact on my view of God and what it meant to be a Christian. I then forgave the people in my life who I was angry with. I was determined to live like Christ but like the third seed the following was my experience, Luke 8:14 “The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.” I reached a season in my life where the lure of record deals and fame were no longer attractive to me so I was content making music as an independent artist. I got more passionate about social issues like Make Poverty History and would write songs that reflected my views. I thought I found a niche where I was free from compromising for the fame or recording deals but my I was still unsatisfied, something was missing, I had no peace inside.

Stuck in the same zone

Every venture I took started great but ended really badly for me, it felt like I was stuck in a vicious circle. At this point I was tired of all the sin I committed, failed relationships, business ventures and so I thought to myself, “Maybe its time I just stop ignoring the call.” It didnt seem like I was a bad person from the outside but in my heart I knew God was breaking the selfish pride in me and convicting me of sin so I could turn to him. I didn’t want to fully compromise but equally I didn’t want to give my whole life to God and so I was stuck in a rut for a long time. The final seed is described in Luke 8:15 “But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” I remember over the summer of 2005 I went to a series of church meetings where I heard the gospel being preached. One particular memory was when the guest preacher said “There are some people here who live double lives”, I was so angry and was making excuses in my head, the ironic thing was that I was high while sitting in church and I knew it was wrong. The night before I was to get baptised I was so scared and thought it was something bad, I read through the bible (while smoking a joint, what a contradiction, I know..lol) trying to find a reason not to get baptised but It suddenly dawned on me that this was all real and I dedicated my life to God in summer 2005. I did not understand all the theological reasons but that summer I believe something changed in me and I can only attribute it to God. Reflections on my journey

BALIVA SPEAKS ABOUT BEING A SOLDIER FOR CHRIST Baliva at Imperial College from Baliva on Vimeo.

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

BALIVA SPEAKS ABOUT BEING A SOLDIER FOR CHRIST

Baliva at Imperial College from Baliva on Vimeo.

I’M A MILLIONAIRE PART 2 The world promotes a craving for physical pleasure, pride in our...

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

I’M A MILLIONAIRE PART 2

The world promotes a craving for physical pleasure, pride in our achievements and possessions. You can find evidence for this by watching MTV for one day, maybe even half and hour in some cases. From MTV cribs to Making the Band with P Diddy there is a constant message in the media that motivates us to chase after the cars, the house, the lifestyle etc. In other words “the American Dream” meant happiness. But at what cost?

I was guilty of buying into the “American Dream”, I followed the worlds patterns of promoting music, this included false hype [Lying], focusing too much time and energy on CD sales and all sorts. I had started out with good intentions, to make positive music to make money to help my friends, family and fellow country men but was lured in by the patterns of the modern world as we know it, all of this while I was a professing Christian.

I had wondered from true Christianity, How do I know this? Well, 1 John 2:3 says “we know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

So I was what you would call, “The reason why people mock God” but thankfully I had people praying for me. During this time one of the things that God used to get my attention was a song called “Millionaire” by Andre 3000 and Kelis. At this point in my life I was still trying and struggling and this song helped me see that its not all good at the top as portrayed by world. I wrote some lyrics to the same song that expressed my feelings at the time.

LYRICS (I am on verse 2!)

“I’m just trying to get by, trying to make a record so yall can buy,
I need my first million bucks coz working really sucks,
I really need this cash gotta make it real fast,
I’m getting old, its getting cold, I’m awake on the grind looking so i can find,
a richer place a happy place, Living under strings up and down like i was a clown,
Living in debt, 20 percent 30 percent,
Wheres all the money going? and why am i working if i never see my son?
Am i never having fun on a Sunday afternoon? Maybe go to the park?
no, I will be working till dark! This life is crazy,
I’m trying to be a millionaire so i can help my people,
Help my brothers help my sisters,
Why am i sad, is it the end ? is it the end ? is it the end ?
I’m just a I’m just a sad wannabe millionaire!!”“

Looking back at these lyrics and remembering what I was going through when I wrote this, I realize that God was allowing a lot of things to go wrong in my life to break me down. I was trying to do it all on my own. I was prideful, arrogant but in desperate need of help.

I remember some of my last days in this state, one particular morning when my friends found me in my room with vomit on my bed. I had been out the night before trying to drown my sorrows with alcohol and drugs thankfully a few weeks after that incident I allowed God to take me out of that lifestyle. I committed my life to God, got plugged into a church and kept God as my first love and everything else took second place. Now four years later God is using me and my music in an amazing way all because I allowed God to strip me of my self dependence and pride. No I am not rich or famous but I am content. [Not complacent]

What happened with me can happen in any industry, its not exclusive to the music. It could take many forms of the same thing so even If you are a doctor, Pastor, lawyer or teacher you can till be tempted to leave God for money no matter how noble your intentions. I gave my life as an example and I urge you to look at your life and ask yourself, A) Is God included in your life decisions? B) What are your motives? C) Are they selfish or selfless?

And always remember Paul’s Advice to Timothy,
“True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses”

I’M A MILLIONAIRE PART 1 I remember in October 2004 when I heard the new release...

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I’M A MILLIONAIRE PART 1

I remember in October 2004 when I heard the new release “Millionaire” by Kelis and Andree 3000, being a fan of electro beats this tune was explosive for me.As I began to listen to the lyrics I laughed because I actually woke up mad early that morning…but as the song progressed I took interest to the main message which was like a word to me. Now four years later I listened to the same song and thought about the lyrics, so have a listen to the song than read my thoughts from a few of the highlighted lyrics.

Mama I’m a Millionaire but I feel like a bum. [Andre 3000]
Many people who are not rich feel that when they get money they will feel great because they can get what they want, but here Andre 3000 expresses that he feels less than great. In fact it seems like he’s feeling the same as someone who wakes up with no job or hope of ever feeling better.

I woke up early this morning, but i still ain’t seen the sun. [Andre 3000]
I don’t know what this meant but I thought as a Christian my mood would be the same as this song when I wake up and I don’t see the son aka Jesus in prayer and meditation for long periods of time. The piano keys in the song would best describe the mood and feeling of myself when I’m away from God for long periods of time.

I’m a Millionaire but i ain’t movin in the right direction, [Andre 3000]
Its so deep how she expresses feeling out of place in a world where affection isn’t real and how she can feel something is not right in her life. I think back to when I was trying to make it big in the music industry and how there was something niggling in my conscious about me not going in the right direction, at face value my life seemed great I was on the way up but inside was a different story.

Some times we have noble motives for wanting to get money and fame but as we walk along the long road and listen to the promises money can bring we get excited then over time we see its not going to fulfill its promise and we then get overwhelmed by a feeling of entrapment, of slavery, of hopelessness because we have compromised for money and it has become our God and this God aka mammon is ruining our lives.

If you got riches,you got glitches. [Andre 3000]
I thought this was quite self explanatory but well worth highlighting, money does not get rid of problems, in fact the glitches continue and here Andree 3000 a rich and famous person confirms it.

What’s a girl to do when she just has dimes no time just play-yay-yay-yay. [Kelis]
The last bit of the song is the bit that hit me the most because as “normal everyday people” we are quick to say how we work so hard with no time to enjoy the fruits of life. We then buy into celebrity infested magazines that lie to us about how great celebrity lives are but here Kelis tells us different. In fact she says “whats a girl to do when she’s lost her long term friends? when she works with no time to play” when at the end of it all… “that is life”…and how she feels sad..

What’s a girl to do in a world of greed but kneel and pray-yay-yay-yay. [Kelis]
Kelis really brought the point home here, its a greedy world, and its a struggle to live in this world, we are helpless to do anything except to call on God through prayer.

Conclusion
This song really refreshed my awareness of the state of the world we live in, it reminds me of how sad it is for those who continue chasing the lies of this world , I don’t think Kelis and Andre 3000 can solve the worlds problems. I don’t approve of all the music that Kelis or Outkast produce but this particular song has touched on some real truths of life and God surely used this song to help me get closer to him at a point in my life when I was following the worlds lies….In my part 2 of this blog I will take you through how I followed the pattens of this world…… Read Part 2

Baliva Music

Filming a Music Video for Baliva We are filming a music video in London. Would be great to have you...

Filming a Music Video for Baliva

The Baliva Music Show - Summer Soundtrack In light of the lovely weather we are having in the UK,...

The Baliva Music Show - Summer Soundtrack

This free mixtape is highly recommended for any hiphop lover Download it here

BALIVA IN LOCAL TIMES PAPER A reverend says “hip-hop is the liturgy of the future” as he...

BALIVA IN LOCAL TIMES PAPER

WHY DOES THEOLOGY EVEN MATTER “Most of us tend to think that theology is a waste of time,...

WHY DOES THEOLOGY EVEN MATTER

What is theology ?

studying GOD is Intellectual

Theology Protects us from wrong thinking.

Theology is Spiritual

The fruit of theology is action

The fruit of theology is humility

theology helps us to follow the great commission.

Further Reading

Audio Bible over HipHop Beats I have recently been listening to the bible over hiphop beats, its an...

Audio Bible over HipHop Beats

DOWNLOAD FREE

BALIVA’S ARTICLE FOR JOHN3:30.co.uk In May 2010 I told my boss that I was planning on leaving...

BALIVA’S ARTICLE FOR JOHN3:30.co.uk

BRAND NEW REMIX OF SWIFT <a...

BRAND NEW REMIX OF SWIFT

Baliva Preaching at Youth Concert Nottinghamshire

Baliva Preaching at Youth Concert Nottinghamshire

Listen to Baliva live in Concert from 7:30pm TONIGHT LISTEN LIVE FROM 7:30PM Special thanks...

Listen to Baliva live in Concert from 7:30pm TONIGHT

LISTEN LIVE FROM 7:30PM

INDEPENDANT MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS BALIVA Written by Sue Bryant Whilst many of today’s...

INDEPENDANT MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS BALIVA

Sue : How did you get into making music?

Sue : Did you start out making gospel rap or did it evolve ?

Sue : Do you think you deter potential fans by being so open about your religious views ?

Sue : How do you feel about the excessive bad language and sexual imagery used in a lot of rap/hiphop these days ?

Sue : Who or what inspires your lyrics ?

Sue : What is the main message behind your lyrics ?

Sue : If a label wanted to sign you but wanted you to drop the Christian image/lyrics how would you react?

Sue : Why do you think it is so hard for gospel rappers to become commercially successful?

Sue : What projects are you currently working on?

Sue : What advice would you give to up and coming gospel rappers?

FEARLESS I am not the same person I was 3 years ago. My perspective on life has been rocked by so...

FEARLESS

”Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the proving of things not seen.

STREET SESSIONS WITH BALIVA This verse is from the song “Swift” , You can download it...

STREET SESSIONS WITH BALIVA

BALIVA RAPS AT CAMDEN ROCK Follow Baliva on Twitter or Facebook

BALIVA RAPS AT CAMDEN ROCK

BALIVA ENDS 2010 SHARING THOUGHTS ON HIS MUSIC AND MINISTRY

BALIVA ENDS 2010 SHARING THOUGHTS ON HIS MUSIC AND MINISTRY

REFLECTIONS ON BECOMING A CHRISTIAN This post is a reflection on my story of how I became a...

REFLECTIONS ON BECOMING A CHRISTIAN

HOW I BECAME A CHRISTIAN I was born and raised in Zimbabwe, I knew God existed but never factored...

HOW I BECAME A CHRISTIAN

The British Dream

Searching for something

The Thorny path

Stuck in the same zone

BALIVA SPEAKS ABOUT BEING A SOLDIER FOR CHRIST Baliva at Imperial College from Baliva on Vimeo.

BALIVA SPEAKS ABOUT BEING A SOLDIER FOR CHRIST

I’M A MILLIONAIRE PART 2 The world promotes a craving for physical pleasure, pride in our...

I’M A MILLIONAIRE PART 2

I’M A MILLIONAIRE PART 1 I remember in October 2004 when I heard the new release...

I’M A MILLIONAIRE PART 1