After reviewing Moses Uvere’s lastest project, “Kingdom of the fallen,” he decided to give me some time to pick his brain about his recent album, hitatus from music for a while and his current goals.
CG: What’s brewing with Moses Uvere?
MU: Man dude since the last time we talked I went on the road with DJ Promote, I got married, had a baby, released a new album. I became a youth pastor. Just to mention a few. A ton of cool things have been happening and I’m grateful for how dynamic my life has become.
CG: How has being an hip hop artist help your witness as a youth pastor?
MU: It give me some relate ability with the students. It also helps me get a pulse on the things they are going through, the things that are really going on around me, the music they are listening too, and the language they use with one another. I use that to my advantage to build connections with them and I use my music to bridge gaps for them for them such as: how do you be a Christian and also be a student or how do you be a Christian and not come off weird or too “Holy” and so on.
CG: One thing that I love about you is that you have always been yourself throughout your career as an rapper. How difficult has that been for you over the years?
MU: Wow. I really appreciate that you have taken notice of that. Thank you. It’s something I’ve been intentionally working on in my personal life for a few years now. I think at first it was hard to find my place and what I wanted to stand for it. Man, it also had a lot to do with my identity in which I talked about a lot on this new album. However, it’s been a true journey for me to discover how I want to be remembered and what I want to stand for. So many people throughout my life have challenged me and led me to believe a lie about myself. Now I’m growing into who I am and becoming more confident in that. As a result I’m starting to see I’m separating myself from the pack of other artists it has me at a place now where I’m learning to be confident with the fact that I don’t fit in with them and that I’m really good at being me so I’m going to keep doing that. I can only give glory to God for allowing me to see that.
CG: What took you so long to drop another project after “From Better to Worse?”
MU: Yeah man, I was needing a bit of a recharge. I started working in youth ministry after I finished up the release of “Never Been Better” along with being on the road with DJ Promote. For about a year, I focused on pastoring the students that were under my care and really honed in on my commutation as a leader and a writer. I just don’t write music to write it. I truly have to be inspired. The inspiration didn’t hit me until I went out to Washington DC to see some family. Man, that time spent really helped open me up and I was ready to write again. I went through some dark moments in my first year of pastoring. I lost a huge sense of my identity and the Lord sent me on a journey of discovery in which lead to the theme of my new album.
CG: How did you come up with the title for “Kingdom of the Fallen?”
MU: The title of the album was in light of the new perspective the Lord was showing me about myself. Understanding that I’m Royalty and I’m made in the image of God. I understand my worth and stepping into those ideas. That’s what shaped the title. It came from the place of wrestle and sharing these ideas to my close friends and then talking through what it really means. Bro, its super complex because it has so many meanings. The album has a lot of layers as well. It’s intense.
CG: What was your favorite track recording for the album?
MU: Man. My Dude lol. That’s like asking me which of my children do I love more. It changes everyday but I think “All the way 100” is the one I’m jamming the most. However, “Heal My Desires” is a close second.
CG: “Kingdom of the Fallen” is my favorite project from you. It shows a lot of growth and maturity. What experiences as an artist have you gone through between projects?
MU: Thank you bro! I wanted to go deeper. The last 4 songs on Never Been Better went in this direction. I knew that I needed to open up more and I was scarred. Man, there were so many experiences that helped me write this album. Being married is new AND that shaped the album, being a youth pastor and an artist at the same time, that shaped the album, I dove into the production world, that shaped the album. Going on tour, being on tv and radio. All of these moments feed into the wrestle of who I thought I was. Reality is that I was ready to just place my existence in the things I do. Not what God says, I am in which is still a wrestle for me. That alone was enough to have me write two albums. That may just be the case. Who knows! Honestly I’m going harder than ever because I’m in a desperate place. I want to grow into the man that people didn’t think I would become. I’m begging the Lord to do that work in me so the people in my city and around the world can see God be Glorified. I’m currently in process. Pray for me homie. Its real right now.
CG: “Devil is a lie” is one of my favorite tracks. What were some lies that you had to rebuke that the devil told you about yourself?
MU: Whoa, that’s deep! That being African American wasn’t beautiful. That being myself wasn’t meaningful. That the things I love and enjoy are bad.
CG: What do you want listeners to take away from this project?
MU: That God loves YOU for who YOU are and not for what everyone else wants you to be! That us as believers possess a true power and greatness that comes from the Holy Spirit that’s living among us and inside of us and that WE have access to Him at any given moment so we need to use it and be great!
CG: Any shout outs?
MU: Shout out to the rumble pack/pizza party for the production of the album, shout out to my wife and my kids, shout out to moneymaking Matt, shout out to DJ OC2.
Thank you Mr. Uvere for interviewing with Trackstarz! We look forward to continue seeing God be Glorified through your life.
If you all haven’t copped the album yet, you can cop it on iTunes.
