5 questions with ... LUCAS MUSIQ
WITH CATCHY rhymes that capture the attention of any music lover and a swaggy dance ministry, Lucas Musiq is not your typical gospel artiste. He distinguishes himself with his signature sound, fusing hip hop, trap and dancehall genres, and makes no apologies about the youth being his target audience. Describing 2018 as “splendid”, the entertainer said his reach has expanded, complementing his mission to bring young people closer to God.
“I can’t go nowhere without people knowing who I am,” Lucas Musiq told The Gleaner. “I ended the year doing four major events: Gospel Tenacity; Genesis in Montego Bay and Kingston; and the New Years Eve’s waterfront concert, which was off the chain in Jesus’ name because it was my first time performing in front of so many people.”
Less than two months into the new year, and the Bout Dat Life singer is already making waves.
His Born
Again remix
– a collaboration with Ugandan artiste Jesse10s, peaked at No.
2 in the Gospel category on
Tidal and No. 16 in the same category on Itunes within its first week of release. He is now working on his sophomore album Play Time is Over, which is set for release in November. The set follows his 2016 debut album – Not From Here.
In this week’s edition of 5 Questions With, Lucas Musiq speaks about this new project and his latest endeavours.
You recently changed the name of your upcoming album from ‘The Process to Play Time is Over’ What inspired this?
I believe I needed something more relatable and catchy. In the gospel industry, I am known to be a trendsetter. The Process was very intriguing because we all go through one, but my ministry is geared to the young people, so Play Time is Over makes more sense.
I was inspired by God with this title because we tend to use grace as a free card to continue living in sin, not knowing that one day that grace will run out. By the life I was living before I baptised in 2016, I had come to the conclusion that I needed to change who I am in order to be who I ought to be for the Lord. It’s time for us as saints to stop playing church, so #PTIO makes sense.
Your music has always been versatile. Which producers are you working with on this album?
It is being co-produced by American producer Daniel
Cruz, African producer CmertKyez, and myself. I met Cruz on YouTube when I was searching for beats to improve my bars, and CmertKyez is actually the producer of Born Again. When he heard my verse on the song, he told Jesse10s that he had to meet me.
By collaborating with international producers, what are your expectations for the album?
I’m really expecting a different feel to this album – African Afro type, hip hop, dancehall, and old-school pop. I’m working with different producers because I want to get many ears on the project. I can’t say it will appeal to every age group because my writing has improved drastically since my first album, and I love to tell stories. You will have to be willing to listen and do some research to understand the stories, but it’ll be songs everyone can relate to.
You dubbed 2018 a good year. What are your goals this year?
My goals for 2019 are just growing more in Christ, bringing people to Christ, working on music videos, songs, the album, and planning events after the album. I am just bringing something new to the table that young people can look and say, ‘Hey, I admire that guy, I wanna be like that guy’. If you check it out, who is in the gospel industry that young people can look to and say, ‘That’s my role model’? I want to inspire them by walking in the truth and spirit.
What advice would you give your target audience?
Trust in God, and don’t let the words of people rip you away from the kingdom of God. You don’t need validation or acceptance from people, you just need it from one person, and that is Jesus. Don’t let people tell you what you can or can’t be. The only person that can do that is God, and He wants you here, no matter what you are going through. It doesn’t matter how you look, how many persons you’ve killed, how many times you’ve sinned, just know that God is here with His hands wide open waiting for you to come back to Him. You fall seven times, get up 70 times wiser, and continue to move on.