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Back to basics

We caught up with an old mate, the rapper S.O, to chat through faith, hip hop, making music and what’s going on in Nigeria, where he was born. S.O also features in one of our new vids, check that out below, along with one of his top tracks…

What made you wake up to your faith? When and how did being a Christian click for you?
I grew up in a church environment. I went to church, and served, but was never a Christian. My belief was simple: Christianity was for the older folk and though I had a desire to serve God, I wanted to serve Him when it best suited me – when I was 30 or 40. Long story short, I had a friend called Sunitha who died when I was a teenager and my own mortality hit me. The reality of God’s punishment of my sin was real and His unchanging love through the cross of Christ was revealed to me. I went from wanting to serve God in my late 30s to desiring what he desired as teenager.

What’s the one thing you want to get across with your music?
I want to get across the supremacy of Christ over all things. Meaning that only Christ can satisfy. We chase so much in life and think that those things will satisfy. To a certain exist they do satisfy… but only for a moment. Jesus gives everlasting satisfication, He trumps whatever the world may offer. Take the woman at the well for example (John 4). She is thirsty and in need of water and what she thinks she wants will make her thirsty again but Jesus says that whoever drinks of His water will never be thirsty again. He sees the need and responds with an eternal satisfaction.

Kanye – legend or loony?
Both.

Your family is from Nigeria and recently the country has been hitting headlines. What’s the situation really like?
I wish I was more connected to what is happening over in Nigeria. However, I was there a few months back and people are as frustrated as we are in the West. From what I hear, leadership are not stepping up, political agendas are in place and media is not (at least then) reporting all of what is happening. I will say that it is not as bad as the Western media have made it out to be. I was in the North of Nigeria (Jos, Kaduna and Abuja) and we were safe….then.

What can we be praying for Nigerian Christians?

1. Pray for Christian leadership. We need Christ-centered politicians, pastors and leaders within the communities to eradicate corruption, greed, selfishness and licentiousness.
2. Pray for good churches that preach the gospel. Nigeria needs the gospel of Jesus – the true gospel. Many churches have been influenced by the West’s love for money and prosperity. Some are even stealing people’s money (I have seen it with my own eyes). This is what saddens me the most. The congregation are poor and have little to no money, yet they believe that if they put their 250 niara (less than a pound), or do some unbiblical act that God will automatically bless them.
3. Remember their chains. Remember them as though with them (Hebrews 13:3).