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In the realm of music, diversity has become a powerful force, shaping and reshaping genres in ways that challenge traditional boundaries. One such genre that has undergone a fascinating transformation is Christian Rap. For individuals who identify as South Asian, being a minority in this sub-genre comes with its unique set of experiences and challenges.
This article explores the journey of a couple of South Asian artists you may know in the Christian Hip-Hop scene. It sheds light on the significance of representation and the impact of cultural diversity.
Judo Sammy
Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Judo Sammy pulls off a mixture of emotive sounds overlayed by a sense of content.
His sound sparks a unique combination of relaxation, focus, and hype all in one collective discography. With a main focus on Christ-centered subject matter, Sammy iterates his past and lifelong struggles within his lyricism, all while entrancing the listener with his lower-tone vocal tone melodies.
Sammy primely focuses on more synth-heavy production and autotune-centered mixing. The outcome is always sleek for the listener to enjoy.
Prodigyl
Houston-based rapper Prodigyl is Christian and Catholic hip-hop’s rising act. Prodigyl was a child when he settled in Houston, TX. He became interested in hip-hop when he was a teenager and started his CHH career during college in 2019. To date, he has released one album, four EPs, and numerous singles that have hit 10k+ streams on streaming platforms.
He has performed live at multiple Christian and Catholic conferences, most notably for “Days in the Diocese” at World Youth Day. His melodic and lyrical skills, combined with his energetic live performance and unique Syro-Malabar Catholic background, prove Prodigyl to be a musical force to be reckoned with.
Marc Vanparla
Marc Vanparla, an Indian musician, songwriter, and music producer, operates across various genres. He has been active in the Kannada, Hindi, and English music scenes, collaborating with vocalists, rappers, and producers globally. His music includes Hip Hop, Lofi, and Electronic dance music genres.
Coming from humble beginnings, Marc’s journey has been blessed by providence, opening doors and positioning him as a rising talent in the US and UK Gospel music scenes. His love and devotion for God shine through in the music and compositions he produces.
Alphein
Alphein, the R&B sensation hailing from Spring Valley, NY, and currently calling Dallas, Texas home, has captivated audiences with his soulful melodies and meaningful lyrics. Featured on premier Christian Spotify playlists and YouTube channels, as well as making waves on Hot 97.1 with Street Glory, Alphein’s vision is to spread a message of hope and vulnerability, illuminating the world with his music.
Myron
Myron is a versatile artist who keeps Jesus at the center of his music. He felt led to pursue it after encouragement from Hulvey. He is actively working on new songs.
Opto Music
Joshua “Opto” Samuel is a Producer, Engineer, and A&R from Toronto. Growing up in church, he was introduced to Worship and Gospel music at an early age. As time passed, he eventually discovered Hip Hop and instantly fell in love with the genre, and creating music became his passion. He started to release music as a rapper but later pivoted to being a music producer and engineer for other artists. He found success in this endeavor which helped him develop an ear for production and mixing. Opto has produced for a variety of artists in North America and has been featured on the iTunes Charts, various radio stations as well as many Hip-Hop blogs and websites.
Before I begin the panel, let me give a brief background on the South Asian music scene.
Traditionally, in South Asian cultures music is seen as the soundtracks that appear in movies, and the musical performances that happen outside of movies used to be classical Indian music. However, this has changed a lot since the streaming era began. With Western music being widely received internationally, South Asians have embraced different genres, especially Pop and Hip Hop.
Let’s jump right into the topic of conversation:
What got you into making music?
Judo Sammy: My parents told me ever since I was a toddler I was singing my heart out to old cassette tapes of Malayalam worship songs, so I guess God implanted that passion in me at a very early age. How I got into hip-hop, when I stayed with my cousins in Dallas for a couple of months, and one of them played rap group Dipset around me. Ever since I heard that group I immediately was intrigued. I dug even more into old and new rappers afterward, and the rest was history.
Prodigyl: I started playing instruments when I was young. I’ve played the violin since 4th grade and the guitar since 6th grade. But the main thing that I wanted to do was write songs. I genuinely liked how artists would write and structure their songs and how they were able to express themselves through the lyrics and the music. My preferred genre to listen to was hard rock and heavy metal, and I was influenced by the songwriting techniques those bands used. I tried to mimic that a lot and that’s what got me into writing songs and expressing myself more freely.
Once I discovered hip-hop, I was hooked to the lyrical ability of rappers and I tried to emulate that as much as possible. After rediscovering my faith in high school and having a profound experience with Jesus, I dedicated my life to writing songs that glorify God and spread the message of the Gospel.
Alphein: I believe I have always had a passion for music. Ever since I could remember, I always wanted to be a part of music somehow. I started as a musician in church for a while. With divine timing, I met a group of brothers who were into recording music, and our paths aligned. From there I got my foot into recording music and I fell in love with being a recording artist.
Marc: I’ve always had a deep passion for music since I was a child. It has been a means for me to express my thoughts and emotions uniquely and creatively. As I grew older, I became increasingly drawn to the power of music to connect with people on a profound level, and that’s what inspired me to start making music myself.
Myron: I’ve always been musically inclined, and I come from a family of musicians. Whether it’s my uncles, my cousins, or my dad. I’ve always been surrounded by people who can create music and sound. My brother was creating music, and I always loved hearing music so I tried to create my own. I just liked the idea of being able to create something of my own.
Who are your biggest influences?
Judo Sammy: It’s honestly so many from a music standpoint. I would say the early Reach Records era was a HUGE influence on me, especially Lecrae, Trip Lee, & Tedashii. Then I had a fallout from listening to CHH and when I did, I listened to a lot of Kid Cudi, Lil Uzi, Travis Scott, Kanye, X, Juice WRLD, and many others.
Influences as far as in my life? My small group and church leaders for sure. Also, my best friends happen to be dope artists like my guys Christopher Syncere, simplyollie, & Lazarus! They help push me to be better and I’m forever grateful for them!
Prodigyl: My biggest influences in music on the secular side are Eminem, Lil Wayne, Drake, Travis Scott, Juice WRLD, Post Malone, and Kanye West. I’m still a rock kid at heart though. I love Metallica, Alter Bridge, Avenged Sevenfold, Slipknot, System of a Down, Sleep Token, and Falling in Reverse. My CHH influences are KB, Lecrae, nobigdyl, and Andy Mineo.
Alphein: My biggest influences are Justin Bieber, Andy Mineo, Bryson Tiller, Elhae, and Chris Brown.
Marc: My biggest influences come from a diverse range of artists and genres. I’ve been inspired by legendary bands like Linkin Park, Foster the People, M83, and EDM artists like Avicii, who was one of my biggest inspirations to start producing music. However, I’ve also drawn influence from artists like Daft Punk, Skrillex, Gorillaz, and many more. Additionally, my life experiences and the stories of those around me have played a significant role in shaping my music.
Myron: My biggest influences are Jesus Christ and Kanye West. Two completely different levels of people clearly. I live my life for Christ. I’m musically inspired by Ye.
How does being a minority in a sub-genre as Christian Hip-Hop make you feel?
Judo Sammy: Being a minority in a subgenre is very…interesting. I’ve had my share of times where I had felt overlooked simply because of my race. I tried very hard not to trace it back to my past because I used to get bullied a lot for being the only Indian in class as well. Overall though I’m grateful for where I am right now within the space.
To hear aspiring artists coming up in the underground CHH telling me that I was one of the first artists they ever listened to still kinda shocks me. That’s also how I know that’s God’s doing for sure. It’s a blessing to know that He’s using me in that way.
Prodigyl: Being a minority in CHH can feel alienating. I am Indian but I am also a Catholic artist. To be more specific, I’m a Syro-Malabar Catholic, which is a unique rite in the Catholic Church. When I started my journey as a CHH artist, I shied away from the label because I felt like it was boxing me in. And at first, it did. I felt like I had no room to grow and no audience could relate to me, especially my own people.
However, as time went on I was able to tap into that audience and express the Catholic faith through my music. There were many times when I was feeling hopeless and down. There were many times when I felt like my music wasn’t connecting. But the Lord came through and he showed me in big ways that I can make an impact on my people. I was given a unique voice to speak to the people who may not know about Christian hip-hop or the fact that you can turn up and go crazy at a concert by listening to songs that edify your soul. I’m more comfortable now with my call to this path as a CHH artist because I was able to surrender it to the Lord and tell Him to take control of my career.
Alphein: Being a minority to me is an advantage. I believe that I have so many life experiences and life events I can pull from when making music. It also makes me feel that I have a chip on my shoulders. Beyond people, I want to show myself that I belong and will thrive in this space and music in general.
Marc: Being a minority in CHH has its unique challenges. But it also provides an opportunity for me to bring a fresh perspective to the genre. I feel a sense of responsibility to represent both my faith and my cultural background in my music. While it can be challenging at times, it’s also empowering to know that I can contribute to the diversity of voices within CHH.
Myron: I feel perfectly normal because I don’t let ideologies like that control me. I think people put themselves in a box because of their perception of what other people might think of them. It’s not what the culture deems a minority that has the power to control people. It’s the people themselves that can constrain themselves because of their minds.
What is the biggest struggle for you as a South Asian making music in CHH?
Judo Sammy: I think it was when my family found out at first. In the culture we have, rap music is VERY taboo. Some of the elders don’t care even if you tell them it’s Christian. They’ll straight up think it’s demonic.
But obviously, that didn’t stop me. I thank God for showing me how to continue keeping my faith even when others may not understand why I do what I do.
Prodigyl: It can be very tough to get eyes on the music that you create in a subgenre that is already fighting for attention from a very specific fanbase. The best way to combat that is by collaboration. Connecting with people is the only way you can have genuine growth in your career. This goes beyond just making music. Having authentic and godly friendships with people can have beautiful results in your spiritual life as well. I’ve been fortunate to grow with people within the genre.
The Listening Session, or TLS, has been instrumental in my path as a CHH artist and I’ve had the privilege of collaborating and connecting with different artists and producers from the group. They are undoubtedly some of the most genuine people I have met in this space. They are good friends and brothers and I thank God that I’ve been able to grow in my journey as an artist with them.
Alphein: Being Indian hasn’t brought me to struggle directly in CHH. When people find out that I’m Indian it brings a different light to my music. I believe my people are some of the most talented creatives in the world. I want to continue to push the envelope of creativity and transcend sonically so that I can bring more representation to CHH.
Marc: One of the significant struggles I face as an Indian artist in CHH is the need to bridge cultural gaps. It can be challenging to balance the expectations of the genre with my own cultural identity. Additionally, breaking into a predominantly Western genre can be a hurdle, but it’s also an opportunity to bring a unique flavor to CHH.
Myron: I don’t really have a struggle but I feel like people do have a perception of brown people and they belittle them sometimes. But I think we’re breaking barriers due to this music stuff but also through various forms of creativity.
What can we as a group bring to the table that’s innovative and pushing the boundaries of this space?
Judo Sammy: Honestly just bring unity from all corners of the globe. I think a lot of times, we as a people like to just stay within our culture of friends. Which to a degree, I understand. But if you want to bridge the gap for more people, make more connections OUTSIDE your bubble. Ask the Lord to guide you to be true to who He made you to be, not to be a Christian version of anyone.
Prodigyl: I think as a group, we can incorporate more of our culture. We have such a unique blend of cultures and I think infusing that with CHH will push the boundaries of the genre even further!
Alphein: I think bringing awareness to Indian communities that there are Indian CHH artists. Also, continue to put out quality music that pushes the overall creativity of our space.
Marc: As a group, we have the potential to be trailblazers in the CHH genre by blending elements from our Indian heritage with hip-hop. Our music can explore themes that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. Collaborating with artists from various backgrounds can result in tracks that challenge stereotypes, break down barriers, and ultimately push the boundaries of what CHH can be. We can infuse our music with cultural richness and unique storytelling that hasn’t been widely explored in the genre before, making it truly innovative and groundbreaking.
Myron: I think we as a group can just keep persisting and making fire music that’s not corny. We need to bring millions of souls to Christ. The methods of doing that are constantly changing but the message stays the same. We need to captivate souls through the use of sounds people have never heard before. Can do this by offering music that is real and beautiful and not just a repetition of other people’s stuff. We need to speak life in unique ways.
That concludes our panel on Christian Rap within the South Asian community. Please let us know if you’ve learned anything and if there are more artists to cover!
