A House Divided by Divorce Brought Gospel Rapper, Jekasole, to God’s House
Gaelika Brown
In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story I interview 2021 Rapzilla Freshman, Jekasole. Jeka was born and raised in Miami, FL. She represents her city hard. A city where she was the eldest of two siblings. From birth, she was born into a two-parent household, but that changed when her parents divorced when she was twelve years old. Jeka felt like her dad’s decision to leave was her fault, so as a kid, she took on adult-type burdens. She forced herself to grow up and be the rock to her mother and younger siblings. She suddenly was concerned about her future, her goals, and money management.
Prior to the divorce, the family would attend church on the holidays. Her mom was a converted Christian, and her dad was raised Catholic, but the family would attend a non-denominational church. At the time, she may not have known God personally, but while she was a college freshman filled with anger from the divorce, she knew to plead to God for peace.
A Facebook post, she posted that year, about feeling lost, led a friend from her past youth group to reach out to her. Although the pair were never close, this friend invited Jeka to a youth conference. She made a plead to God, “I don’t want to be an angry child. I just want to feel loved and appreciated. Like I have someone with me no matter what.” And just like that, she felt peace.
Jeka transferred from Miami Dade College to Florida International University. Her college experience is a major part of her Christian testimony. Once she transferred, she no longer had friends. This forced her to get involved in campus life. She joined a mentoring program, where at 23 years old she was one of the oldest in the group. This group supported her super zealous Christian lyrics she would spit at the school talent shows and other events. She even got to open for rapper Super Duper Kyle with her unashamed lyrics. “When you got God living inside of you people are naturally going to be drawn to you, because they are drawn to Him,” said Jeka.
College is not only where her faith matured, but she began to develop as an artist on her own. Prior to that, the comfort of her family is where she felt the safest on stage. Jeka got her music start when her cousin started putting her through mini-writing boot camps when she was 12. Back then, Jeka was doing some major capping and writing about Cadillac Escalades that she could not only not afford to drive, but legally couldn’t drive either. As she got older she wanted to be real and have lyrics that others could identify with. She was touched by former Reach Records Artist KB’s Christian testimony. KB has shared that a mixtape saved his life and brought him to Christ. Jeka wanted her music to be the seed that would lead others to Him, “I just want to plant a seed, and God you take them to your glory.” She and her younger brother had a group. Being on stage with him was the only way she could control her nerves. Stage presence was non-existent for Jeka. Not being supported by family and friends may have led to some of those nerves. Those she loved the most called her music corny. But her brother and she had a phrase that embolden them to make God’s music, “Remember who you do it for.”
In 2021 Jekasole was voted into Rapzilla’s Freshman class. Every year, a handful of up-and-coming artists are voted in. Jeka was the only woman on the roster. Through the course of her adult life, she had to make hard sacrifices and step out on faith by herself. This included abandoning the love of her life, her friends, family, and church-home to pursue a job opportunity. Which meant Jeka had to start all over again like she did whilst a student in college. But that new job brought her to a new community of believers and supporters of her music.
Some folks may have called her gospel rap corny, but Jekasole always remembered whose she is and who she was doing it for.
Key Points In Interview:
1:50 - Jekasole recalls her first music memory.
2:30 - Jeka talks about her early life in Miami, FL, and how her house was divided by divorce, which forced her to grow up early.
7:12 - She shares her Christian testimony. Which includes carrying anger from the divorce into her adulthood, going to church, and finding peace.
15: 20 - Jeka talks about her college experience at Miami Dade College and FIU.
17:38 - Jekasole talked about performing at her college talent show and other events, with “super Christian” lyrics.
26:30 - Jeka shares how she spends time with God. “When you got God living inside of you people are naturally going to be drawn to you, because they are drawn to Him.”
30:00 - She stepped out on faith and got her current job. And half of the staff are firm believers in God, and supporters of her music.
35:00 - Jeka gets emotional and talks about losing a dear friend from The Hilltop Society Collective, Prof. Biz. “If God could have let me get close to anybody. I’m so happy that He allowed me to get as close as I did to him… His love felt like this is how God loves us.”
49:20 - Jeka shares how praying for people on IG got started and the community that has formed from it.
01:04 - She shares what God’s presence is like in her life personally. “I don’t make a lot of money but my bills are always paid for.”
01:12 Jeka reveals her music start.
01:25 - Jekasole opens up about feeling like she abandoned the love of life, friends, church (she was a youth leader) to step out on faith.
01:40: 4-Song-Breakdown ”Low Low” feat. Justcallmedt, “N Luv” feat. Scootie Wop “Separation Anxiety”, and “Time FR” feat. Kham, and Red Tips
01:58: Mother Brown delivers a funny prayer for Jeka.
References Mentioned In This Interview By Jekasole:
Suggested Artists Testimonies Mentioned By Jekasole:
Connect with Jekasole
Instagram: @jekagotsole